PHOENIX — It's a concern that appears to be uniting people from all walks of life, across all political stripes and socioeconomic backgrounds: what's happening to boys in the United States?
In recent years, a number of societal, economic, and cultural changes have taken place across the country, leaving many concerned about how boys fit into the picture.
It's an issue that's been brewing for quite some time, but the conversation is really just beginning in earnest.
Longtime journalist and former Scripps News Group anchor Chance Seales is one of the people driving the dialogue.
His website, AllBoyAllGood.com, features candid conversations, newsletters, and resources to help parents, communities, and young men themselves learn more about what makes them tick.
As a father of two twin boys who are about to turn six, Seales has received a crash course on what it's like to raise boys.
"Being a dad is beyond anything I dreamt it would be," Seales explains.
And in many ways, it's been a dream come true for Seales - but that doesn't mean it hasn't come with challenges, disguised in the most adorable packages.
"Men these days are saying, 'Yes! I want to clock in and I want to lock in,' but they don't know how to do it."
And that's part of the reason Seales decided to create All Boy All Good. It's part website, part video series, part podcast, part newsletter, and all "how-to" guide when it comes to raising young men effectively in the year 2025.
Seales says the title comes from wanting to take back the phrase, "all boy," and make sure it has a positive connotation - and letting boys know that whatever their version of "all boy" happens to be, it's perfectly fine!
"I want my sons and other sons, whether they are the kid listening to show tunes like I was, or the kid jumping off the tree, you're good. And we love you. And you have a place here because of who you are."
In 2019, Seales and his husband, Hernan, adopted twin boys, Gus and Walt. Little did Seales know at the time that it would be not only life-changing, but also career-changing in the years to come.
Through All Boy All Good, Seales is having conversations about everything - things like male loneliness, redefining success, and dating, giving parents, educators, and boys the tools they need to hopefully be successful.
"We really had a need to tell girls, 'Girl power! You go, girl! Girls can code!' And that was warranted, and we have seen big gains, and we don't want to lose those gains, but we are seeing boys falling behind...How do we expect to thrive societally if one half of us is falling behind and nobody is talking about it?"
