Last month I talked about the decreasing number of young men in the labor force. Kyle Becker adds some additional insight into why women outnumber men in the workforce. For example, during a struggling economy, often men are the first to be let go.

But that is only part of the problem. He observes that “the latest data show something different: Women outnumbering men in the workforce is becoming the new normal.” Economist Stephen Moore explains: “Working-age men have LOST jobs, while women have captured virtually 100% of the net new jobs. 

Men are being replaced in some job sectors.  Becker reminds us that “In the manufacturing and tech sectors where men have tended to dominate by numbers, there is also another issue: H-1B visa holders. Foreign workers have replaced many workers in the United States in fields that attract men.”

Women are not only obtaining more college degrees than men, but they also seem to have an advantage in hiring. First, nearly 60 percent of all bachelor’s degrees go to women. Second, a recent article in Science discovered that female recruiters are more likely to favor female applicants. But the researchers did not find that male recruiters showed a greater preference for men.

The social consequences of this are not positive. This country is already experiencing historically low rates of marriage. Low rates of marriage also result in a lower birth rate and fewer families. And fewer men working is probably another reason for why men account for four out of five suicide deaths.

This gender employment gap is not only harmful for men, but it is harmful for our society.