“Gender equality needs men, and men need gender equality.” –Equimundo
Sabrina Carpenter. Olivia Rodrigo. Charli XCX. Billie Eilish. Zendaya.
There is no shortage of empowered young female role models in the media today for Gen Z and Gen Alpha. But where are all the positive role models for today’s young men?
With a seeming gap in mainstream media, boys and young men have been turning online for validation and places to discuss their identities. There have been growing concerns with the “manosphere," especially when considered against the backdrop of the 2024 election and a growing gender divide among young people.
What’s become abundantly clear is this: We’ve come a long way when it comes to redefining the female experience. But our message has been incomplete. The work to disrupt harmful gender stereotypes must extend beyond just female empowerment; we have to rewrite narratives around masculinity, too.
After all, gender stereotypes have serious implications for both men's and women’s self-concepts, especially during the formative years of adolescence. In a survey of more than 1,000 boys 10 to 19 years old, 44 percent said they believe society expects them to be aggressive or violent when they get angry, and only 2 percent said society values honesty and morality in boys. Undoubtedly, we’re seeing the consequences of this deeply troubling finding playing out in real time.
Here at the Center for Scholars & Storytellers (CSS) at UCLA, we’ve been working to disrupt harmful gender tropes and evolve depictions around boyhood and masculinity for years. We’ve created a Boys & Men Tipsheet for storytellers to help them foster healthier depictions of masculinity on screen. We’ve presented research to large entertainment companies to give them actionable, data-driven insights into how they can encourage more positive character formation in boys and men through media. And we’ve hosted a number of workshops, events, and think tanks aimed at cross-industry collaboration, where entertainment industry professionals, youth activists, and psychology researchers can come together to work toward meaningful solutions to support the development of all young people—across the gender spectrum.
I’m proud of the progress and impact we’ve been making since we released our tipsheet in 2020. Bill Wrubel ("Ted Lasso," "Modern Family") told me that after coming to one of our FAST-funded think tanks and seeing the tip sheet, he now thinks about how to bring the vulnerability out in his male characters every time he pitches a new show. Timothy McKeon ("Adventure Time," "Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends") told us that the tipsheet was a part of his inspiration for creating his new show "Tiny Time Travel," released earlier this year, centering boys’ friendships and social-emotional learning. Justin Baldoni ("It Ends With Us," "Jane the Virgin") came to one of our annual summit events (where we have held a panel on depictions of boys and men in media every year) in 2022 and has since been continuing to work toward these efforts through initiatives like the "Man Enough" podcast. And in June, I had the opportunity to present to every single producer who makes content for PBS at the PBS Conference in Washington, DC; PBS is now continuing to point to our work and our research as they feature more boys in their programming.
Over the last four years, we’ve come a long way. But the current political climate—alongside our most current public health data—makes it clear that we still have a long way to go. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide rates among males are still approximately four times higher than the rate of females, with males making up 50 percent of the population but nearly 80 percent of suicides. And according to the Violence Prevention Project, men continue to perpetrate 98 percent of all mass shootings.
Truly achieving a better future for people of all gender identities starts with rewriting the narratives around gender altogether—not just for women, but for men and gender-nonconforming individuals, too.
If you or someone you love is contemplating suicide, seek help immediately. For help 24/7, dial 988 for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, or reach out to the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741. To find a therapist near you, visit the Psychology Today Therapy Directory.