Tag Archives: masculinity

Gender Norms Limit Boys (& Girls)



Gender norms still (and unnecessarily!) limit boys, says journalist Lisa Selin Davis, author of Tomboy: The Surprising History and Future of Girls Who Dare to be Different. Which may not be an accident, since gender norms (as we know them today) were essentially created to ensure that male children grew into straight, non-homosexual men. “The … Continue reading Gender Norms Limit Boys (& Girls)


Sports & Masculinity



Sports and masculinity have long been intertwined. For a long time, boys and men were the only ones who were allowed to play sports. Athletic fields and locker rooms were seen as places where boys became men. We’ve seen where that can lead. We’ve seen little boys & teenagers told to “man up!”, “rub some … Continue reading Sports & Masculinity


Raising Next Gen Men



How do we raise next gen men — men who can thrive in the 21st century? “When you’re on a playground, you can’t yell, ‘Hey, Tommy, cut that hegemonic masculinity out!’” says Jake Stika, co-founder of Next Gen Men, a Canadian organization dedicated to changing how the world sees, acts and thinks about masculinity. Parents, … Continue reading Raising Next Gen Men


Jack Kammer: Boys are Affected by Sexism Too



Jack Kammer says boys are affected by sexism too.  Boys and girls who engage in the same exact behavior may be treated very differently. And yet, when we fail to acknowledge that fact, we contribute to the gaslighting of our boys. Because the truth is that males and females both experience advantages AND disadvantages related … Continue reading Jack Kammer: Boys are Affected by Sexism Too


To Raise a Boy (w Emma Brown)



In her new book To Raise a Boy, author Emma Brown writes, “This is what I want for my son as he grows up: the ability to be himself without paying a social penalty.”  [NOTE: This episode contains graphic descriptions of sexual violence from 16:30-21:30] That’s what we want too. And we get frustrated sometimes … Continue reading To Raise a Boy (w Emma Brown)


How The Book of Dares Can Help Boys



The Book of Dares: 100 Way for Boys to be Kind, Bold and Brave turns “dare culture” on its head.  As you likely know, boys live in a world in which status is never fixed; it’s dependent upon their ability to rise to the challenge, to dominate others and not back down from fights. That’s … Continue reading How The Book of Dares Can Help Boys


A Revolution for Men & Boys



One of our favorite musicals is Les Miserables, which is a story about the French revolution. It’s also the story of love and transformation. What does that have to do with raising boys? Today’s guest is Dr. Charles Corprew, a psychologist and host of the podcast “What’s Your Revolution?” Charles is passionate about revolution — … Continue reading A Revolution for Men & Boys


Best of 2020: ON BOYS Year in Review



The phrase “best of 2020” is a bit laughable.  Using the term “best” to describe a year that’s included a global pandemic, remote schooling and massive disruptions to work and socialization seems almost…inappropriate. And yet, even 2020 had some bright spots. ON BOYS audience continued to grow. Our downloads increased by 207%. (We had nearly … Continue reading Best of 2020: ON BOYS Year in Review


Preparing Boys for the World of Work



One of our most important jobs as parents is preparing our boys for the world of work. The work world, though, has changed dramatically over the last few decades. “There’s been a shift from the competitive dog-eat-dog/rat race to a flatter, faster and fairness-focused world of work,” says Ed Frauenheim, co-author of Reinventing Masculinity: The … Continue reading Preparing Boys for the World of Work


Raising Boys to be Good Men



We all want to raise good men. But how? It’s one thing to WANT To raise good men, and another to figure out what that means on a daily basis. Exactly HOW do we raise good men? Aaron Gouveia is the author of Raising Boys to be Good Men: A Parent’s Guide to Bringing Up … Continue reading Raising Boys to be Good Men