June 30, 2025
By Jena Johnson
We live in an era that is promising for girls. Women and girls enjoy a much higher quality of life than ever before, and their opportunities are only increasing. But boys and men are in crisis—and ironically, it’s hurting our girls, too.
Dr. Warren Farrell, an American activist, was a strong supporter of second wave feminism in the 1970s but adjusted his stance once he realized the fight boys and men were facing—virtually alone. In his research, he found that dad deprivation was the leading cause of over 25 psychological, academic, social, and physical health problems in children, with particularly negative and long-lasting impact on boys.
Researchers like Dr. Farrell, Dr. Leonard Sax, and Dr. Richard Reeves have been sounding the alarm for years. They highlight issues such as the overdiagnosis of ADHD, poor curriculum design for school-aged boys, excessive time spent on video games, environmental factors impairing physical health, and an overall lack of purpose as boys progress through life. Dr. Farrell refers to this as the purpose void. He posits that as societies expand opportunities for girls, boys are wondering what is left for them.
In school, boys are 50% less likely than girls to achieve proficiency in basic academic skills such as science, reading, and math. Girls make up 70% of high school valedictorians while boys account for 70% of D and F grades, often struggling to pay attention or find value in school.
In the workforce, men’s participation has dropped from 97% in 1960 to 87% as of 2022. Whirl girls are being urged to explore careers in STEM and other stereotypically male professions, boys are not similarly encouraged to seek out caring professions, or traditionally female-dominated jobs. This creates more competition in certain job markets and limits boys to fewer career paths.
Boys who are hurting tend to hurt other people, expanding the problem and negatively impacting society as a whole. Over 90% of mass shooters, ISIS recruits, and male prisoners are boys who have grown up without a father or father-figure. It is imperative to bring fathers to the center of the conversation in order to address not only the symptoms but the root cause of all these problems.
Research shows that 71% of high school dropouts have minimal or no father involvement. Studies also indicate that father involvement sets the tone for positive cognitive development in young children, helps them cope with stress and challenges at school, and improves their adjustment to adulthood. Additionally, dads themselves flourish when they proudly embrace fatherhood and feel they are making meaningful contributions to their children’s lives.
Unfortunately, society often portrays dads as the joke of the family, the lesser parent who is valued only for the amount in his wallet. With such a lack of faith, it’s not surprising that many men feel less inclined to be active fathers. And when they do try, they feel inadequate compared to their child’s mom or teachers.
The antidote to heal the wounds of violence, crime, apathy, and depression that many boys carry is renewed respect and support for fathers and father figures. If we want our boys to succeed in life, they need to hear—from mothers, teachers, coaches, community leaders, and even pop culture—that being a resilient man who supports his family, both physically and emotionally, is celebrated and encouraged.
It comes full circle when these boys grow up to become husbands and coparents to the girls we have worked diligently to support. If we hope for a safe society for women, we need fathers to teach boys to be respectful men. If we want mothers to have support in raising their children, we need fathers to instill the value of fatherhood in their sons. If we want women to be valued in the workplace, we need fathers to feel valued at home.
This crisis is not just about the boys, and the fatherhood antidote does more than just build better men. Our entire society depends upon promoting the importance of fatherhood and helping boys—and girls—have their best chance at a successful, purpose-filled life.
