Missouri should establish a commission on boys and men
The Missouri state flag is seen flying outside the Missouri State Capitol Building on Jan. 17, 2021 in Jefferson City (Michael B. Thomas/Getty Images).
June is a significant time for men's health.
In addition to Father's Day on Sunday, June is both Men's Health Month and Men's Mental Health Month, and includes both Juneteenth and LGBTQ Pride. All this provides a great opportunity to reflect on the challenges that men and boys face and how we can better support their health and well-being.
And it should be more than just celebrating fathers or reminding men to get their check-ups. We must take a closer look at how our state and society are supporting the lives of boys and men and consider whether Missouri is ready to take a new step by establishing a Commission on Boys and Men.
A growing conversation is taking place across the country.
In community meetings, classrooms, and places of worship, people are quietly naming a set of challenges that have been building for years. Nationally, boys are struggling in school. Young men are disconnected from work or education. Fathers are trying to stay involved but feeling shut out by systems. Men experiencing mental health crises in silence.
These are not new problems, but we are finally starting to acknowledge them out loud. These stories cross racial, economic and geographic lines. And they matter – not just for the people involved, but for families and communities who need boys and men to be healthy, present and supported.
A statewide Commission on Boys and Men would allow Missouri to examine these same issues through a community-based lens. We could begin to chart a path forward by gathering data, listening deeply, and elevating voices. The commission would bring together researchers, community leaders, practitioners, and people with lived experiences to study the challenges boys and men face and recommend impactful solutions.
The commission would ask questions that too often go unspoken in policymaking: How do we help young boys thrive in schools? How do we better support fathers who are struggling? What would it look like to create mental health services that men are more likely to use?
The State of Missouri has councils, committees, and departments that help children, women, veterans and older adults. These organized groups recognize the importance of addressing specific needs and developing solutions tailored to these populations. A commission focused on boys and men would help fill a gap in how we understand and respond to urgent issues.
To be clear: Supporting boys and men doesn't mean turning away from the needs of women and girls.
In fact, the health and well-being of men is closely connected to the health of families and communities. When boys are supported in school, it creates better classroom environments for everyone. When men are healthier and more emotionally engaged, their partners and children benefit. When fathers are involved, children are more likely to do well across a range of outcomes.
To achieve this goal, we must accept that things can be complex. We have to be willing to talk about gender and identity, social isolation, economic shifts and generational trauma – without judgment, but with respect and compassion.
We have to ask what it means for men to seek help, express emotions, and build relationships in a culture that has not always encouraged them to do so. And we have to be ready to design policies that reflect these complex realities.
Other states and cities have already started this work. The State of Washington has a grassroots campaign to pass legislation. California established a Select Committee on the Status of Boys and Men of Color in 2011. Cities like Washington, D.C. and Boston have launched initiatives to support boys and men.
And this year, the Missouri House passed legislation to establish the 'Missouri Fathership Project' with the state social services department to promote fathership and empower fathers to become successful in fathership, though the bill died in the Senate.
Missouri could be among the first states in the Midwest to take this seriously, to say, 'We see you. We hear you. And we are committed to understanding what's happening and what needs to change.'
As we observe Father's Day and Men's Health Month, we have an opportunity to shift the narrative. We can create a new story. To move beyond short-term programs and one-off initiatives and toward a more intentional, informed, and inclusive approach. A Commission on Boys and Men wouldn't just be a policy win. It would be a turning point.
Maybe this June, in between cookouts and celebrations, we can take a moment to ask: What would it look like to truly support boys and men in Missouri? And what might change if we tried?
That's a question worth exploring. And a commission could help us find the answers.
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