Hugo Schwyzer says that according to ‘homosociality,’ American men find the approval of other men more desirable than sex itself. Pop psychology suggests that men are hardwired for promiscuity; women for monogamy. Men’s predilection for sexual variety may be oversold, but the urge for erotic novelty may be bolstered by something other than lust. Perhaps […]
Don and Jeanne Elium’s 1994 treatise, Raising a Son, addresses the task of raising healthy, sensitive boys in modern American culture. Almost two decades, three editions, and 500,000 copies later, it has just been published as an ebook. Author Don Elium talks with Family section editor Misty McLaughlin about what has changed, and what remains […]
If women continue to avoid the “what are you looking for in a relationship?” conversation with their male dates, Hugo Schwyzer says they’re perpetuating the myth that all men are terrified of commitment. We baby men. For all the very real progress we’ve made in recent years in breaking free of unhappy sexual stereotypes, one […]
You think you know fear? I was only knee-deep in icy seawater, but that was enough. Beside me, a half-dozen anxious Moms formed a loose human chain. We were trying to cordon off a horde of 6-year-olds, cheerfully running amok at the water’s edge. My eyes flicked around the shoreline, trying to keep track of […]
This article originally appeared on homemadedad.ca. Republished here with permission. In my search for accurate descriptors of my role in my family’s life, I have settled on this one (for now): primary parental unit. It is clear and descriptive. I am a father, a parent, but without the traditional absentee breadwinner connotation that “father” holds. […]
Confession: I love me some escapist television. I grew up with Airwolf, The A-Team and Knight Rider. I’ve no problem with the easy thrills of a show where the two-fisted hero wraps up life’s complicated problems in 50 minutes and a couple of commercial breaks. As I grew out of The A-Team, I discovered the […]
Reason One: Giving Up is Hard to Do I’m a strong believer that men gain a huge amount from feminism. It’s been a theme of my writing and public speaking for 30 years (including in my new book, co-written with Michael Kimmel, The Guy’s Guide to Feminism.) But, let’s face it, you don’t make omelets […]
This piece originally appeared on Daddyshome.org. Republished here with permission. First off, I’m probably not the one to be writing this. I should just step away from the computer, take my beer with me and head on down to watch the rest of the football game. All very manly tasks done by the average male […]
This was originally published at In Our Words: A Salon for Queers & Co. Republished with permission. Trigger warning: This post refers to very difficult subject matter and is not suitable for all audiences. Hi, there. You probably don’t even remember me. You probably couldn’t even pick me out of a line-up. I guess I […]
This originally appeared on CharlieGlickman.com. Republished here with permission. One of the difficulties that those of us who are looking to challenge the Act Like a Man Box (see my post The Performance of Masculinity for an explanation of that, if you aren’t familiar with it) is that the Box itself gets in the way. […]
I have been an at-home dad for nine years. Or, at least I thought I had been. It turns out I may have been an at-home or stay-at-home dad (SAHD) for only four years. Most of the last nine years I may have been only a primary caregiver. Confused? Yeah, me too. The confusion lies […]
This article originally appeared on the Good Men Project. Republished here with permission. Andrew D. S. James takes a look at his own personal views of masculinity in response to the debate sparked by Tom Matlack’s recent posts. Tom’s piece “Being a Dude is a Good Thing” has troubled me. His narrative about how men, […]
