Why It’s No Surprise Women Are Sadder Than Ever

In a preemptive celebration of international women’s day in Canada, The Hershey Company hired Fae Johnstone — a biological male; “queer, trans[,] and feminist activist”; and “2SLGBTQIA+” advocate — to promote its “Her for She” line of chocolate bars. “See the women changing how we see the future,” the tagline of the advertisement featuring the “woman” with an Adam’s apple read.

Make no mistake: The chocolate is still very much the same, but now that a man who insists wearing lipstick makes him a woman is promoting them, these candy bars miraculously have attained the ability to finally “end misogyny, patriarchy[,] and gender-based violence.” After all, what better way to stand up for women than by replacing them in advertisements for products they tend to buy?

But as is often the case in these situations, underneath the morbidly funny scenario resides a darker truth. The fact of the matter is that many Western women do need help. Data shows American women are experiencing a rapidly exacerbating mental health crisis that is putting some of their lives at risk and posing an existential threat to our civilization.

Mental Health and Suicide

“Sexual attacks and other traumatic experiences have led to an unprecedented level of hopelessness and suicidal thoughts among America’s young women,” NBC News reported in February.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) 2011-2021 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, on which NBC was reporting, 57 percent of teenage girls self-report feeling “persistently sad or hopeless,”