The Boys Initiative strongly believes that all kids should have recess every day and canceling recess should not be punishment for bad behavior. Our “It’s Time for Recess Campaign” focuses on educating legislators about the importance of recess for kids, especially boys. We were encouraged by a major success in 2023. California’s K-8 public school READ MORE
Category: Social Issues
From Boys to Men: Teenagers Talk Mental Health
By Men’s Health, 11/15/2023 “…The transition from adolescence to adulthood has always been fraught with challenges. But today’s young men are undoubtedly struggling. Rates of anxiety and depression are on the rise, with exam pressures, an unstable job market and conflicting messages around masculinity compounding the problem…” Read the entire article: https://www.menshealth.com/uk/mental-strength/a45778159/teenagers-mental-health/
We must end the 30-year silence about boys’ underperformance
By Schools Week, 11/27/2023 “…We wanted to focus on boys’ education because there has been a gender attainment gap for at least 30 years. Today, it affects boys of every age and stage from early years to SATs, and from GCSEs to university entry. Just over half of boys (56 per cent) meet the expected READ MORE
Vaccinating both girls and boys against HPV is more effective, new study shows
By Yahoo, 11/08/2023 “…When the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine was first recommended in 2006, it was only approved for girls, with strong messaging that the shot helped prevent certain forms of cervical cancer and other cancers caused by the infection. Even though the HPV vaccine was later approved for boys, uptake has been lower in READ MORE
Why So Many Young Men Are Abandoning College Degrees
By Newsweek, 12/27/2023 “…A large number of men are forgoing college, leading to an alarming gap between university-educated men and women, a new study found…” Read the entire article: https://www.newsweek.com/young-men-abandoning-college-degrees-gender-gap-1855825
Research shows ‘significant’ gender achievement gaps for boys, but there’s hope to close it
By Florida Politics, 10/03/2023 “…Boys in Florida lag behind girls in basic English language proficiency in elementary and middle school but, according to new research from the Helios Education Foundation, there is hope to close the gap…” Read the entire article: https://floridapolitics.com/archives/637620-research-shows-significant-gender-achievement-gaps-for-boys-but-theres-hope-to-close-it/
Suicide deaths reached a record high in the US in 2022, despite hopeful decreases among children and young adults
By CNN, 11/29/2023 “…Teen boys and young men had more significant improvement in suicide rates than young females did. But the vast majority of suicide deaths among teens and young adults ages 15 to 24 were still among males, the provisional data shows…” Read the entire article: https://www.cnn.com/2023/11/29/health/suicide-record-high-2022-cdc/index.html
Does a cap on boys’ sports mean equal treatment? Sioux Falls district officials won’t say
By Argus Leader, 12/06/2023 “…Since a cap on boys sports was made public last week, officials with the Sioux Falls School District have refused to answer specific questions about whether Title IX’s requirement for equal treatment in sports also means capping student participation numbers…” Read the entire article: https://www.argusleader.com/story/news/education/2023/12/06/sioux-falls-title-ix-decision-to-cap-boys-sports-comes-into-question/71827301007/
How gender disparities are affecting men
By CBS News, 11/12/2023 “…At the University of Vermont not long ago, it was move-in day for the class of 2027. About a thousand incoming freshman were meeting their roommates, finding their dorm rooms, and getting settled on campus. At first glance one might have thought this was an all-women’s college – 62% of this READ MORE
Boys’ reading motivation continues to lag: How schools can address this problem
By Physical.org, 11/06/2023 “…Children’s reading skills have been declining for some time now. Apart from the known fact that boys’ reading skills are worse than girls’, it is also common knowledge that they are less motivated when it comes to reading…” Read the entire article: https://phys.org/news/2023-11-boys-lag-schools-problem.html