GNY MEMBER DR. STEPHENS FIGHTS FOR MEN’S STUDIES PROGRAMS - (by Marc L. Epstein)

Dr. Edward Stephens, M.D., president of NCFM, GNY and co-founder of The On Step Institute for Mental Health Research, is currently leading a major effort to create the first International Department of Men’s Studies at a major university. According to Dr. Stephens, currently there is no significant effort being made at a university level to understand the needs of men in a complex and shifting world culture.

“While there are some wispy attempts at a men’s movement in an effort to turn private feelings into public action and comment...there is an effectiveness gap as well as a gender gap...There are no effective national entities comparable to the National Organization for Women that reflect the interests of men...Meanwhile, well-schooled graduates of activist programs of women’s studies migrate onto the staffs of politicians and other decision makers, which they will become in due course.” (Lionel Tiger, Charles Darwin Professor of Anthropology, Rutgers University, from his book, The Decline of Males, The First Look At An Unexpected New World For Men And Women.)

In effect, while there are dozens of programs at the university level researching women’s issues across the entire spectrum of health, education, world gender liberation, women and the law, women in business, there is no similar interest in men. In fact, at a time when education is the key to our technological future, men are making up as little as 35-40% of college places and at times as little as 22% of graduate places.

Dr. Edwards further explains that the lack of information relevant to understanding males can be appreciated when a search is made of the literature on men’s health studies. For example, The International Journal of Men’s Health is currently only in its third volume. While its scope is meant to be international, most of its articles are topical or provincial in nature, e.g., Key Determinants of the Health and Well-being of Men and Boys, Will H. Courtenay, 1/1/2003. The provincial nature of this fine study of thirty key elements of health and well being is that it is an evaluation for U.S. men and boys. While it is clear that the elements chosen, e.g., behaviors of men and boys, health related beliefs, _expression of emotion and physical distress, biological, socioeconomic, cultural, and environmental factors are factors affecting men globally, the study applies them only locally.

Again, we are seriously lacking in programs to serve the needs of males in the 21st century. The creation of an International Department of Men’s Studies would surely help fill the gap.

Learn more about Dr. Stephens and The On Step Institute for Mental Health Research, at http://www.onstep.org.