Tag Archives: Maturing men

Is it OK to tell boys to “be a man”? Time Magazine 13th Jan 2014

Time Magazine has the world’s largest circulation for a weekly of about 3.3 million. So it is a big event when it leads with a major article ‘Masculinity Is More Than a Mask.

The article looks at the old-school brutalising messages US adolescent boys still receive about how to be a man – “Toughen up”, “Don’t cry”, “Stop with the emotions”, “Man up” – and the long-term harmful effects of these aggressive messages. A new documentary to be released later this year The Mask You Live In has sparked the debate. And it is BIG: the YouTube preview has already had in excess of 1.5 million views!  mqdefault

 Read the  article..it’s good! It is also well worth looking through the 100 or so comments (so far) at the end of it. There’s arguments on both sides, supportive and against, and some complaining that there is a ‘feminist anti-man’ thing going on, although I would guess the full blown raging conspiracy guys have been moderated out.

 What’s the place of older men in the debate? MB50 has a clear answer. The role of older men on this issue is to give voice, be present, listen and be heard, and help us rethink and move beyond hard “Yes/No” divisions. Let’s do it!