[Liberty Nation] Last month, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a continuing and troubling trend: The labor force of American men continues to decline. In 1948, 87% of the workforce was male. From 2000 to 2025, the share of men dropped from 75% to 68%. The long, slow descent has left analysts scratching their heads.
Digging further, young men in particular are missing in action. Those aged 16 to 24 who hold only a high school diploma have suffered the most drastic decline. Meanwhile, skilled trade jobs are abundant and remain unfilled. Worse still, they are not even looking for work. "[T]he share of young men not in school and not seeking work doubled from 4% to 8% between 1990 and 2024," according to the American Institute for Boys and Men.
Let’s take a little detour at this juncture and explore the political affiliation of these men. As it turns out, the statistical trend mirrors what’s been happening in the political sphere. That is, the Democratic Party has been, as The Hill put it, "hemorrhaging men." In 2024, the issue of masculinity was prominent in the run-up to Election Day. And watching the Democrats try to inject some testosterone into their ranks was amusing to those on the right. But if one believes the axiom that work provides purpose and dignity to individuals, it makes sense that disillusioned young men are no longer seeking employment.
As Democrats try to woo American men with beer ads and empty messaging showing their candidates know what to do under the hood of a car, Republicans are offering a UFC match on the White House lawn. There is no other sport in the United States today that conjures testosterone and masculinity more than the UFC. That, dear reader, is what you would call no contest. Yet surprisingly, the men who are out of work and not seeking employment tend to be affiliated with Republicans rather than Democrats. According to Pew Research Center, 12% more men identified with the GOP than the Dems.
About the author: Leesa K. Donner is the Executive Editor and Co-founder of Liberty Nation. She served as Editor-in-Chief of Liberty Nation from 2017 – 2024. Leesa spent over a decade in the broadcast news industry as a television news anchor, reporter, and producer at NBC, CBS, and FOX (formerly Metromedia) affiliates in Charlotte, Pittsburgh, and Washington, DC. |