PRESS RELEASE
Contact: G. Lawrence DeMarco, LLM
Email: ldemarco@menandboys.net
Phone +1-215-901-1930
Demanding Accountability: A Call for Retraction of the New Yorker’s Biased Report on Teen Suicide
October 17, 2024 – A recent article published by The New Yorker on teen suicide has sparked outrage and charges of editorial bias for ignoring the disproportionate suicide rates affecting boys and young men. (1) In response, the International Council for Men and Boys (ICMB) calls for an immediate retraction of the article.
The article in question omits critical statistics, such as:
- Male suicide rates are nearly three times higher than female rates globally. In the U.S., males die by suicide at a rate of 14.7 per 100,000, compared to 5.3 per 100,000 for females. (2)
- Teen boys are especially vulnerable: Over 80% of teenage suicide victims are male. (3)
In response, Richard Reeves, president of the American Institute for Boys and Men, points out that the article’s authors conflate suicide attempts – a cry for help committed by mostly young females — with completed suicides, a fatal act committed mostly by males (4). Chiding The New Yorker’s editorial bias as “willful ignorance,” Reeves emphasizes the need for honest reporting on the unique crisis that is facing boys and young men around the world. (5)
The facts are undeniable: boys and young men are overwhelmingly affected by suicide, and downplaying this crisis with disinformation perpetuates the epidemic. With Men’s Equality Month approaching in November (6), the ICMB encourages the public, lawmakers, and media to join in disseminating truthful information to raise awareness to combat the suicide epidemic among boys and men.
The New Yorker article represents an ill-conceived attempt to set aside a well-established body of scientific research and substitute it with an ideologically driven narrative.
We urge everyone to express your concerns directly to The New Yorker publisher at themail@newyorker.com. Your voice matters in ensuring fair and accurate media coverage.
The International Council for Men and Boys (ICMB) is a non-governmental organization working to address 12 areas of male disadvantage, including mental health and suicide prevention. Join us in advocating for #GenderEqualityForMen, because achieving equality for men will also benefit women.
Links:
(2) https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/326948/WHO-MSD-MER-19.3-eng.pdf
(3) https://aibm.org/research/male-suicide/
(4) https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/13/nyregion/nj-teen-suicide-bullying-school.html