New legislation advancing in the General Assembly seeks to address overlooked challenges for men and boys amid growing concerns about educational, career and mental health outcomes.
The House of Delegates Rules Studies Subcommittee has recommended a bill from Del. Josh Thomas (D-21) to create a permanent Boys and Men Advisory Commission that would issue annual reports with legislative recommendations. Thomas says it would be the nation’s first commission with this focus.
Virginia has the country’s highest literacy gap between boys and girls, while 80% of people who die by suicide in the commonwealth are men. The commission’s core focus areas would include disparities in education, economic opportunities, health outcomes, family life and social media use.
“We are reaching an inflection point where men are falling behind in certain categories, and there will be significant negative impacts on society,” Thomas told ARLnow. “For example, sadly, Virginia leads the nation with the largest gap of boys scoring below girls on the NAEP 4th grade reading assessment.”
The proposed 23-member commission would have eight legislative members appointed by the Virginia House of Delegates and four appointed by the Senate. The governor would appoint the remaining 11 citizens with representation from K-12 school and community college officials, pediatricians, public safety officials and mental health specialists.
“Virginia has a clear policy blind spot; while we examine youth and workforce issues broadly, we have no dedicated body focused on the specific challenges facing boys and men,” said Del. Michael Webert (R-61), a co-sponsor of the bill. “This Commission fills that gap by bringing together educators, medical professionals, mental health experts, and workforce leaders to better understand why boys are falling behind in school, why men are disengaging from work, and how the Commonwealth can respond in a thoughtful, evidence-based way.”
State Sen. Lamont Bagby (D-14), who is also chairman of the Democratic Party of Virginia, has introduced a companion bill in the Virginia Senate.
Thomas’ bill has received bipartisan support, which he believes speaks to awareness that boys and men are struggling.
“Virginia Democrats and Republicans are coming together because we recognize that men who are thriving in education, with a solid career path ahead of them, and their mental health needs met, will be better partners, fathers, family members, and community leaders,” said Thomas. “That’s better for all of us.”
If the commission is approved, Thomas believes the first legislative recommendations could address suicide prevention, support for boys in K-12, and stricter regulations on social media companies.
