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Puberty happens to every body – and boys need to know how puberty affects bodies and brains.
You-ology: A Puberty Guide for EVERY Body, by Dr. Trish Hutchison, Dr. Kathryn Lowe, & Dr. Melissa Homes, addresses puberty in a holistic, inclusive manner. That’s important because “all kids need this information,” Dr. Hutchison says. “All kids need to know what all kids go through. It makes them more supportive and empathetic of each other.”
Boys need to understand female puberty, and all kids today need to learn about the challenges and experiences of gender non-conforming and non-binary children.
Boys typically begin puberty somewhere between ages 9 to 14, but their need for accurate information starts well before that. “The earlier you talk about it, the more receptive and excited they are about these changes,” Dr. Hutchison says. And boys, she says, are actually eager to learn more about how female and gender non-conforming bodies work.
“Kids who know what’s ahead have more confidence and less anxiety,” Dr. Hutchison says.
In this episode, Jen, Janet, & Dr. Hutchison discuss:
- When boys start puberty
- Why it’s so hard to talk about puberty
- Sexual abuse prevention
- Seizing teachable moments
- How to get comfortable talking about puberty & sex
- Talking about gender identity w kids
- Social aspects of puberty
- Satisfying sexual curiosity
- Talking to boys about masturbation & pornography
- Supporting gender diverse kids
Links we mentioned (or should have) in this episode:
You-ology: A Puberty Guide for EVERY Body, by Dr. Trish Hutchison, Dr. Kathryn Lowe, & Dr. Melissa Homes
Guyology — online male puberty program
Girlology –– online female puberty program
Just the Facts: A Guy’s Guide to Growing Up (Girology/Guyology), by Dr. Trish Hutchison & Dr. Melissa Homes
Talk to Boys about Sex (w Amy Lang) — ON BOYS podcast
21st Century Sex Ed w Jo Langford — ON BOYS podcast
Turning Red — Disney/Pixar movie mentioned at 29:52
Period Education Project — nonprofit mentioned at 36:41
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