An illuminating deep dive into the complexities of raising boys within the confines of harmful cultural norms-and how parents can challenge those social pressures, guiding their sons to become connected, emotionally nuanced humans.
As a lifelong feminist, journalist and cultural critic Ruth Whippman was thrilled by the emergence of the Me Too movement. But as a mother of three boys, she found herself frightened, conflicted, and surprisingly defensive. The sheer volume of terrible male behavior was impossible to deny, but she looked at her sons and found it hard to believe they could ever cause harm. These complex emotions, shared by so many mothers of boys, led Whippman to ask herself the question: How do we raise our sons to be compassionate, relationally literate men in a world where toxic masculinity is still the norm? And where are we going wrong?
Combining memoir, social science research, popular culture, and reporting from the frontlines of contemporary American boyhood, “BoyMom” takes on our collective anxiety about boys and what will become of them. Determined to expand the possibilities for her sons amid the reality of entrenched gender roles for boys and men, Whippman interviews parents, educators, psychologists, and boys themselves. She unpacks surprising and controversial truths about boy socialization and dissects how masculinity is constructed from the ground up, exploring topics like boys in school, gaming and internet dependence, sex, loneliness, and male friendships. And she uncovers the importance of building emotional literacy in young boys by introducing stories that center friendships and emotions, giving them different models for how to behave.
With wit, insight, and honesty, Whippman uses her experience as a mom and a journalist to upend the cultural conversation around raising boys, offering parents a new framework to support their sons and give them the tools they need to thrive.
