Gender Equality for Men: Efforts to Help Males Gain Momentum

PRESS RELEASE

Contact: Henry Herrera

Telephone: +1-301-801-0608

Gender Equality for Men: Efforts to Help Males Gain Momentum

July 23, 2026 — In the past week, three notable political developments highlighted a growing national trend to address the disadvantages facing American men:

Last Wednesday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced a new Pentagon policy to screen service members 30 years and older for testosterone deficiency. Hegseth described the initiative as “restoring and optimizing your natural capabilities, protecting your longevity,” and keeping troops on the “leading edge of lethality” for combat readiness. (1)
Two days later, Sen. Mark Kelley (D-Arizona) and John Curtis (R-Utah) introduced the Building Community in America Act to promote public service among men (2).
Three days later on Monday, the Virginia Advisory Commission for Boys and Men (3) held its first meeting since its establishment in April. The hearing featured presentations on male educational under-achievement (4).

Men are lagging behind women on a broad range of indicators — from longevity to educational attainment, from occupational mortality to homelessness, and many others (5). Leaders in both parties are beginning to respond.

Here are key bills and actions taken in recent months in Congress and in states across the country:

Mental Health: On July 1, Maryland Gov. Moore issued an impassioned call for greater attention to men’s mental health. “States must lead in the effort to combat young men’s loneliness, despair, and disengagement,” he penned (6).

State of Men’s Health Act: The closely watched bill, HR 7602, would establish an Office of Men’s Health in the Department of Health and Human Services. The bill has 14 co-sponsors (7 Republicans and 7 Democrats). Currently DHHS maintains seven offices of women’s health — and none for men’s health.

Fatherhood and Maternal Health: In June, Congress introduced the Dads Matter Act, S. 2131 and H.R. 5828, to encourage expectant fathers to become more engaged in their partners’ pregnancies.

Shared Parenting: Shared parenting bills were recently enacted or signed into law in two states — Louisiana (HB 1239) and Mississippi (HB 1662). In the past 12 months similar bills have been introduced in 10 other states to create a rebuttable presumption of equal parenting time following divorce: Arizona, California, Colorado, Michigan, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Vermont, and Wyoming.

State-Level Executive Branch Actions: Governors have taken notable steps in recent months:

California: Gov. Newsom Gavin issued an Executive Order to support young men and boys. (7)
Maryland: A $19 million investment to support men to become school teachers (8).
Michigan: The first “Moving Michigan Males Forward” convening was held on December 3, 2025 (9).
Utah: On January 8, 2026, Gov. Spencer Cox convened a Men and Boys Well-being Symposium. (10).

For years, government programs have focused primarily on supporting women, which has increasingly left men at a disadvantage. Now, the principle of “gender equality” is being applied more evenly — for the benefit of men as well.

SAVE – Stop Abusive and Violent Environments – is a 501(c)3 organization working to assure fairness and equal opportunities for men.

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