Men in 2024
Why Coaching for Men matters
Introduction
The world has rightfully become more equal in recent years. This change has primarily focused on empowering women towards increased independence, balanced relationships, and expanding opportunities in their education and careers. However, in the meantime, there has been lack of attention and resources directed towards supporting men and boys in navigating modern challenges in their workplaces, education, and relationships.
Secondly, I have seen firsthand during my own studies that men are tragically underrepresented in the world of psychology. This means that solutions are not geared towards boys and men. This leads to a lack of understanding of men's issues and a further increase in these problems.
Below, I will explain further why a solution for men matters.
Who is involved in the world of psychology?
In my own experiences, I have observed that men are underrepresented in the world of psychology. While studying psychology at university and obtaining my coaching qualifications, the vast majority of my classmates and teachers were female.
In my late teens, I sought out a therapist. Again, almost all the therapists at the practice were women. When a close family member of mine needed mental health services over the years, almost all the doctors and nurses were also female.
Whether it be coaches, counselors, psychotherapists, psychology lecturers, or students, the world of psychology is dominated by women.
Key Question: How do we plan to build a world where men and women can experience positive mental health if most mental health services are dominated by one gender?
Key Facts - Psychology Participation
Stanford Medicine - How Men and Woman’s brains Differ
Centre of Male Psychology - 80% of psychologists in the UK are female.
American Psychological Association - Women earning doctoral degrees in psychology outnumber men three to one
Irish Association of Counselling & Psychotherapy - 78% of members are female.
The British Psychological Society - 80% of Clinical and & Educational psychologist are female
Fatherly - Why men usually end up with female therapist
Zippa - 67.5% of life coaches in the USA are female
Education
A prime example of how boys and men have been ignored in recent years is in education. One noticeable difference lies in the encouragement given to young girls to pursue a career in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths), while boys have not received comparable encouragement to explore careers in HEAL (Healthcare, Education, Administration, and Literacy). This leaves young men with a lack of career options if they are not naturally inclined towards STEM. If young men don't want to pursue a career in STEM and are not encouraged to consider a HEAL role, it leaves them with very limited options. There are always jobs in the trades, such as being an electrician, but in countries like Ireland, these roles are increasingly wrongly looked down upon in schools and some parts of society as they do not require a university degree.
This has led to a lack of men working in education. If you look at your own education, how many of your teachers were male? How much does that number drop if you exclude subjects such as woodwork or metalwork?
I ask you, what impact does it have on young boys if they can feasibly go through their entire education without having a male teacher teaching subjects like poetry, cooking, creative writing, or foreign languages? Would it be similar to a young girl who never sees a woman be a CEO or entrepreneur?
Key Question: Should we be surprised that countries like Ireland & the UK are suffering from a lack of nurses & teachers when the idea of being a nurse or teacher is never put in the head of 50% of the population?
Key Facts - Teachers
Eurostat - 75% of teachers in the EU are female
Eurostat 2020 - 72% of school teachers are female
Irish Examinier - 85.8% of teachers are female in Ireland
House of Commons - 15.5% of state-funded primary school teachers in England were male
Homelessness & Suicide Rates
It is no secret that the majority of suicides are men and it is clear that mental health services are failing men. My hope is that this will be change in the future. There have been some efforts in Ireland, for example the “Men’s Shed”, but it is still not enough as one suicide is one too many.
Key Facts - Homelessness
CSO Ireland - 58% of homeless were men
European Commission - 75% of homeless people are men
SolidHomes in Belgium - 75% - 85% of homeless people are men
Office of National Statistics - 85% of rough sleepers in the UK are men
Key Facts - Suicide Rates
Central Statistics Office - Among men, aged under 25 years, suicide was the number one cause of death in 2019 in Ireland
Central Statistics Office - In 2020, 73% of suicides in Ireland were men
Office of National Statistics - 75% of suicides in the UK are men
Eurostat - 75% of suicides in the EU are men
Future Topics
There are some other factors that should be of concern & interest for those who are concerned about their fathers, brothers and sons. For example, how men are represented in media & film 2024 and the the rise of toxic personalities like Andrew Tate & more. These topics will be discussed in future blog posts.
Summary
In summary, like every group in society, it is important to acknowledge the advantages and disadvantages that men experience in 2024.
This blog post does not intend to diminish the challenges faced by other groups but aims to highlight the challenges faced by men in 2024, as it is often a forgotten topic despite high suicide rates among men.
As a coach, I want every individual to succeed and find meaning in what they do every day. I wish this service to be an option for men and others who wish to better their lives and, therefore, those around them. I believe coaching is a key aspect of this, and while coaching often focuses on the individual, it is important to understand the macro-factors that can contribute to these struggles.
