In December 2016, as Donald Trump prepared to take office, economist Betsey Stevenson urged the incoming administration not to push men to “cling to work that isn’t coming back.” In an op‑ed she suggested making traditionally female jobs more appealing to men — a message she says is even more relevant now.
For decades the emphasis has been on getting more women into male‑dominated fields. That has had mixed success. But recent labor market gains show men need attention, too. The Labor Department reports that of 369,000 jobs created since the start of Trump’s second term, 348,000 went to women and just 21,000 to men — nearly 17 times as many jobs for women. Much of that growth came from health care, where women hold nearly 80% of jobs; health care added 390,000 jobs in the past year, more than the broader economy and offsetting declines elsewhere.
Stevenson says one reason men aren’t moving into these growing fields is that many tie their identity to a particular occupation, making it harder to shift into female‑dominated roles. Meanwhile, the administration has emphasized reviving manufacturing — Trump frequently frames manufacturing growth as central to his economic agenda. Even when manufacturers added 15,000 jobs in March, the sector remained down 82,000 jobs compared with when he took office. Stevenson says there simply aren’t enough high‑growth manufacturing jobs for men overall.
Richard Reeves, president of the American Institute for Boys and Men, says the imbalance is not surprising. He’s studied the long decline in men’s labor force participation and argues that too little attention has been paid to the shortage of men in professions like nursing, teaching and social work. Reeves points out that increases in women’s share of STEM jobs didn’t happen by accident; they followed concerted efforts to break down stereotypes. He argues similar policies and programs are needed to draw men into caring professions so they won’t miss out on job growth.
Stevenson and others have suggested reframing roles in health care and education to appeal more to men. That might include emphasizing physical tasks such as lifting patients or promoting the importance of male role models in early childhood education. Stevenson acknowledges this treads into gender stereotyping and may offend some, but she argues men should be shown they can do caregiving work while retaining a masculine identity.
Both experts stress this moment should not be mistaken for equality solved. Women still face discrimination that limits promotions and contributes to the gender pay gap. For men, the problem can be feeling there is no place for them in the shifting economy. Stevenson says occupational segregation and discrimination harm everyone and that policies should address barriers on all sides so job growth benefits more people.