1. Boys’ Development
Boys’ gender treatment – a major issue
Theories:
1)male separation trauma from mom and poor male
figure identification and modeling (Chodrow,N)
2.
3. Boys’ Development
2) boys dominate classroom ,leading to lag in girls’ development
( an issue of female self esteem in 1990s) ( Gilligan,C)
3)raised with problematic ideals and alienation
(Pollock,W)
4) Innate goodness of boys despite harm from feminism
( Hoff Sommers,C)
4. 1981 “MYTH OF MASCULINITY” by Dr. Pleck
Absent childhood models
Maternal separation
Need for autonomy
Inherent isolation
Dysfunctional rearing
Constraining, inconsistent upbringing
7. How have boys progressed?
Remember girls have benefited from major social advances
Girls’ changes boys’ changes
Feminism
Self esteem
initiatives
Legislation
Focus on male
predatory behavior
Title 9
Male backlash
Under achievement
in school
Increased drop outs
More suicides
Family dysfunction
Emotional disorders
Decreased funding
Under achievement
in school
Increased drop outs
More suicides
Family dysfunction
Emotional disorders
Decreased funding
8. Pollock ( Real Boys) at Harvard:
gender disadvantages
Early disconnect at 5-6 years old
2nd
disconnect at adolescent stage
Boy code with gender stereotypes
Sublimated feelings:isolation,
alienation,silence, loneliness
9.
10. Problems
Depression
Suicides
Under achieved academics
Poor reading
Poor writing
67% of special ed. Classes = boys
10X more emotional disorders
11. So, one group of researchers has made boys
sound alienated, prone to
depression………….and a bunch of loose
cannons!
Boys actually do need: energy and
competition and daring
In colleges only 45% students boys
In AP courses, less boys
Among African-Americans, sex disparity
is even worse with college BAs 63%
WOMEN
12. Solutions?
Promote male heroes
Male only classes
Adventure literature
Activity emphasis
Less emphasis on demonization of
males
17. Male influential advantages
Dads help to develop controlled
behavior
Positive attitudes towards women, by
male example
Organizational abilities
Aggression well directed
Interpersonal cooperative ability
18. Studies poorly done
Some studies use
no control group
Boys not from every
social stratum
Biased samples
Poorly defined terms
Discrepancies
between studies
Male and boy
symptoms may vary
from girls’ symptoms
Emotive quality not
as easily assessed
19. Common ideas
Male mentors enliven and stimulate
To regard boys as “toxic” subjects child to
negative stereotyping
Some essence of maleness may be positive
Competition, aggression,winning,group
dynamics, side to side communication
Love thru action is OK
Over dependence on the “mask” of
inexpressiveness can harm
Boy code exists: oak strong, give ‘em hell,big
wheel, no sissy stuff
20. Common areas
Boys and girls benefit from a less gendered
society
Anger control---helped by male mentor or dad
Respect development--- male mentor or dad
Generativity--- male mentor or dad
Play development---male mentor or dad