We Can Work It Out

by Mark Sandel
msandel@twu.edu

There’s good news, bad news, really bad news, and some interesting news for men, and it’s all about the recession.

The good news: The economists tell us that the recession of the last three years is easing.  Of course, this is no comfort to those who have lost jobs, homes, and in some cases, hope.

Now the bad news for men: over 7 million Americans have lost jobs during this recession, and about 80% of them were men. And the unemployment figures do not include the hundreds of thousands of men who have given up trying to find work, those who don’t even bother to register for unemployment anymore.  There is a new category for them: “discouraged” workers.

And now, the really bad news: some men are suffering more than others. Men aged 35 to 54 have been hardest hit, and those bountiful mid-career years have traditionally built retirement plans and inflated Social Security retirement benefits. For men in mid-life, the recession may have a negative effect that lasts a lifetime.

Unemployment among black men has soared to alarming levels, in large part to downturns in certain sectors of the economy including the auto industry and manufacturing.  Here in Texas the slowdown in construction has been particularly devastating to Hispanic men.

And now the interesting news; a social tipping point of tremendous magnitude occurred in February with little fanfare.  For the first time in American history, more women than men were employed.  Of course, the balance shifted dramatically as a result of the large number of men who lost jobs during the last three years, but women have consistently been making gains in both employment and income in relation to men for many years. Several bloggers have cited this development as “proof” that women have taken over, that men can’t get ahead, that society is unfair to men. Is that the case, or is there more to the story?

The recession seems to be accelerating a social change that was born decades ago: the move toward a more equitable society for women. A number of positive things for men have come from this slow evolution of gender roles.  Most men have become better parents and partners, for instance. But the lousy economy and the unemployment that has hit men particularly hard may force us to further evolve as we reconsider our role as providers.

Unfortunately, for the men and their families who are suffering through this crisis, these grand social change perspectives are of little consolation. So, I refer you back to the good news at the beginning of this article. The recession will not last forever and the job market will improve. In the meantime, I encourage men to seek all the support and help they can to avoid becoming  “discouraged” workers. Hope, while in short supply these days, is a valuable commodity.