Even at birth, a baby boy is more likely to die than a baby girl… In his first four years of life, he’s more likely to be hospitalized. At school, boys are disciplined four times more often than girls… They’re more likely to have learning disabilities, dyslexia, and ADHD, and they end up dropping out of school more often than girls.
In Quebec, 10% fewer boys than girls graduate from high school; the same is true for college and university…
For every girl with behavioral problems or who engages in delinquency, there are three boys.
Globally, three men die in traffic accidents for every woman.
The suicide rate is three times higher among men than among women… 80% of criminal acts, such as domestic violence or child abuse, are committed by men.
Mass shootings are committed almost 100% by men.
Globally, 88% to 98% of the prison population consists of men, depending on the country.
More than 80% of the homeless population is male.
These tragic statistics serve to highlight the plight of men.
Far be it from me to stigmatize men; rather, I would like us collectively to develop an awareness of this issue and a desire to find solutions, because, you see, I have a son… A wonderful teenager who has already become part of far too many statistics for my liking…
Even when he was very young, I scolded him far more often than his sister. At school, he’s been through intervention plans, meetings with the principal, sitting right next to the teacher’s desk, academic failure, and the erosion of his self-confidence… My son is a real guy—the type who doesn’t talk much about how he feels… The type who’d rather “hurl” something across the room when he’s angry than talk about it… He’s the type who’ll eventually explode when the lid on his overflowing emotions finally blows off—and who’ll mull over a problem in silence for so long before bringing it up that the solutions will seem impossible to him…
I don’t have a magic solution to these “male” problems; for now, I just hope my son doesn’t become part of those sadly troubling statistics…. So I’d like to tell you, my son: don’t be afraid to cry, and certainly don’t be afraid to talk. Asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness. Every problem has a solution, even when everything seems difficult. Learn to surround yourself with people who aren’t afraid of their feelings—you know, the ones who listen with their hearts. Until you find them, you know I’m here for you!
P.S.: Even though things can be hard sometimes, life is so beautiful—never forget that!
Marie Pichette