Author Jacob Savage from Los Angeles examined the “vanishing white male writer” trend in a recent book, which caught quite a bit of attention. He pointed out that in 2012, the New York Times’ “Fiction to Watch” list featured seven white American men under 43, but by 2021 and 2022, not a single white millennial man made the cut. Even in the following years, only one from that group appeared on the list.
He remarked, “The phenomenon of dispossession of white men goes to the heart of what has been going on for the past decade.” Savage made it clear that this trend isn’t limited to the Times alone; last year, white male millennials were absent from year-end novel lists in Vanity Fair, The Atlantic, and Vulture. From 2020 onward, just one out of 53 millennial novelists on Esquire’s year-end book list was a white American man.
In March, he concluded that “millennial white men are still unable to speak directly about their condition,” noting that their struggles seem to be sidelined. This echoes sentiments expressed in another article discussing the “lost generation” resulting from the DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) initiatives on meritocracy.
In light of a recent viral article, Andrea Lucas, chair of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, commented that the scenario depicted is rife with illegal discrimination, stating, “There are no DEI exceptions to racism and sexism. We need courageous employees/applicants to raise your voice against this.” Her sentiment was echoed by Harmeet Dhillon, the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, who urged people to “Step up!”
At the beginning of his article, Savage hinted that this issue isn’t confined to literature alone. He observed that in 2011, white men accounted for 48% of writers on lower-tier TV shows, yet this figure had plummeted to 11.9% last year. At Harvard University, white men held 39% of tenure-track positions in the humanities in 2014, but only 18% in 2023. He noted, “In industry after industry, gatekeepers have promised special consideration to non-whites and then delivered it.”
One man named Andrew, who experienced these changes firsthand, shared his perspective: “Given all the statements made by these news outlets, it felt like the message was clear—’Enough white people’ became a mantra.” An anonymous senior hiring editor at a major media outlet confirmed the expectation was to hire diverse candidates, mentioning that talented individuals from underrepresented backgrounds would be swiftly promoted to prominent positions.
Many leading media organizations, including the Times and the Washington Post, committed to having a female-majority workforce by 2019. However, in the wake of George Floyd’s death, Savage noted that newsrooms felt the need to undergo a “reckoning.” He reflected on how discussing the exclusion of white individuals felt uncomfortable.
Savage cited U.S. Census Bureau data indicating a growing hesitation among companies, starting in 2020, to hire white men. For instance, at Condé Nast, reported diversity statistics showed that while 75% of new hires in 2022 were white, the company aimed for 50% of candidates to come from a “wide range of backgrounds.” The following year, men and whites represented only 34% and 50% of hires respectively.
In another example, The Atlantic’s 2024 DEI report stated that around 46% of hires from July 2023 to June 2024 were non-white, and 71% were women. Savage noted that since 2020, only 7.7% of interns have been white men at various organizations, and there were typically only two or three white male interns each summer at the Washington Post.
Adding to this, some publications have completely eliminated white men from their editorial teams. A recruiting editor mentioned that for typical job postings, hundreds of applications would often come from white men, yet the environment shifted towards an uncomfortable dialogue around their exclusion.
A 2022 survey found that one in six hiring managers felt pressured to prioritize hiring white men, while nearly half indicated they were asked to focus on “diversity over qualifications.” Additionally, more than half felt their jobs were at risk if they didn’t hire a diverse workforce.
Andrew shared that he faced scrutiny after being promised a senior reporting role only to find it awarded to a younger, non-white candidate. Savage pointed out that similar sentiments exist in industries like entertainment, healthcare, and technology. While older white men may still hold some positions, it obscures the larger trend of declining numbers of white male faculty and professionals in academia and beyond.
To illustrate, he mentioned that at Harvard, although 55% of the liberal arts faculty are still white male, that number has dropped from 63% over the past decade. For future tenure-track opportunities, projections suggest that white men will only make up about 27% of roles by 2024. Other universities, like Brown, are experiencing similar declines, with only three white American men set to become tenure-track professors in relevant fields since 2022.
He wrapped up by expressing concern about the ongoing pressures toward diversity that seemingly do not convey a specific acceptable number for white men, hinting that this has simply led to a constant drive to “do better.” Commenting on the online reaction to his article, a Blaze TV host remarked that the situation represents a significant disenfranchisement of white men, asserting that any active participant in politics must address these issues now.
Gene Hamilton, a prominent figure in America First Legal, urged believers in merit to advocate actively for change. He stated that merely hoping for improvement isn’t sufficient, especially for those who have been wronged by discriminatory practices.
