Gun Violence Is Not An Act of Passion
In her latest post, DAME contributor Andrea Grimes confronts the media’s portrayals of the causes of boys’ violence. She writes, “…weaponized misogyny and male entitlement [are] the hallmarks of a culture of toxic masculinity that teaches boys and men that they are owed the time and bodies of girls and women… that boys will be boys, and girls will soothe and accommodate.”
What parents of boys should bear in mind about the ‘spurned’ Texas school shooter
In raising boys, we must help them – and the men they become – understand that girls and women do not exist in order to tend to the emotional and sexual needs of boys and men, and that such misguiding thinking contributes to domestic and sexual violence. Collectively, we must also call out media reports that normalize harmful gender norms, including when such reports absurdly place blame for school shootings on girls who say “No” to the unwanted sexual advances of boys.
What Parents of Boys Should Bear in Mind About the ‘Spurned’ Texas School Shooter
Teaching Men to Be Emotionally Honest
This article in the NYTimes highlights the sad reality so many young men face– appearing emotive is hazardous, but appearing to work hard in school would be a social disaster. Could this pressure help explain why boys are falling behind in school? When Andrew Reiner asked one of his male students why he didn’t openly worry about grades the way many of his female classmates did, the student responded, “Nothing’s worse for a guy than looking like a Try Hard.”
Ending violence against women by changing the way we raise boys
In the wake of yet another tragic act of violence against women – van plows through busy Toronto sidewalk – this New York Times column makes a compelling case for changing the way we raise boys.
“The truth is that in addition to not protecting women, we are failing boys: failing to raise them to believe they can be men without inflicting pain on others, failing to teach them that they are not entitled to women’s sexual attention …” Click link for full article.
An open conversation about what boys really need
This article, from the Irish publication, Independent, aims to start an open conversation about what boys really need.
Given the lawlessness and disrespect in so many sports, we need to have an open conversation about boys
Supporting boys’ close friendships for healthy manhood
Supporting boys’ close friendships is essential to men’s well-being. This article offers practical tips for challenging male stereotypes and encouraging boys to show emotional vulnerability.
Should we talk to little boys the way we talk to little dogs?
A preliminary glance at the title of this piece may leave you scoffing at the disrespectful notion of talking to boys like animals, but take a closer look. The author, a clinical psychologist, presents a compelling case for how often we talk to our animals in loving and tolerant tones, yet our children don’t regularly receive the same. It’s an interesting lens through which to view how we talk–and how we listen– to young boys. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/10/well/family/whos-a-good-boy.html
#KidLitWomen: a blog entry by Megan Dowd Lambert
As a MERGE Children’s Book Campaign consultant, Megan Dowd Lambert contributes her rich experience and passion to our work in Developing Healthy Boys. See her latest response to the #KidLitWomen dialogue here, where she details her diversity audit practice to ensure diversity and equity ideals are represented in book selections.
#KidLitWomen: The Diversity Audit as a Tool for Accountability and Inclusion
Changing the Way We Raise Boys is Key to Violence Prevention
Review a recent column written by MERGE Executive Director John Engel, appearing in the Daily Hampshire Gazette:
