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In 2021, there were 3.1 million more women enrolled in college than men. In 1979, this gap stood at 200,000.

Regarding high school graduation rates, in 2021, for 30 states that break out their data by gender, the graduation rate of women exceeded that of men by 6.2 percentage points.

Among those ages 1624 who graduated high school from January to October 2023, the percentage of girls going on to enroll in college was 8 points higher than the percentage of boys.

Graduation rates of women from college exceeded that of men in 2022 by 6 percentage points.

Per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the suicide rate in the United States increased almost 37% from 2000 to 2022. However, in 2022, the suicide rate among men was four times higher than among women.

However, an apparent counterfactual to all this is the rate of incidence of depression, as reported by Gallup.

Per Gallup, the incidence of reported depression in the United States is at an all-time high. In 2023, 17.8% of Americans reported currently being depressed or being treated for depression. This compared to 10.5% in 2015. Twentynine percent reported having been treated for depression at some time in their life. This compared to 19.6% in 2015.

However, the percentage of women reporting in 2023 to be depressed or being treated for depression, 23.8%, is double that of men, 11.3%. Further, the percent of women reporting depression or being treated for depression was 6.2 points higher in 2023 than in 2017, compared to an increase among men of 2 points.

What conclusions might be drawn from all of this?

Americans, overall, are stressed out in increasing numbers. Even though women are doing better than men coping materially in our country’s increasingly hedonistic society, it’s not working for them spiritually.

Women are hardwired, at least in the short run, to materially cope better than men in a spiritual vacuum.

Men need the responsibility that comes with meaning, and most often, the source of meaning is marriage, family and religion. The declining appreciation for the importance of faith is taking a disproportionate toll among men.

But beyond all this, the data points to one important conclusion, simple and obvious, but increasingly obfuscated in our very confused, politically correct society of today.

Men and woman are different.

Star Parker is president of the Center for Urban Renewal and Education and host of the weekly television show “Cure America with Star Parker.” Her recent book, “What Is the CURE for America?” is available now. To find out more about Star Parker and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators. com. COPYRIGHT 2024 CREATORS. COM