Building Boys Bulletin 2-6-23

Listen to the boys

Talking to — and LISTENING to our boys — is the path toward a more peaceful, more equitable future.

Photo by Oleksandr Pidvalnyi

That statement might sound crazy to some. After all, males have had the power and podium for years. “Mansplaining” is now a relatively common term because the phenomenon of (often over-confident, under-informed males) explaing things to females (who did not ask for nor require an explanation) is so prevalent that it was just easier to have one catchy word to describe the practice.

There are plenty who would say it’s time for boys and men to sit down and shut up. Time for them to listen for a change.

I agree that boys and men need to listen (respectfully!) to the thoughts, experiences, and opinions of others. But I don’t think it’s fair or smart to basically expect a generation (or more) of males to silently sink into the background.

Theoretically, moving the previously oppressed group to the forefront and requiring the oppressors to exit the stage makes sense. But practically? Doing so will only make things worse.

Today’s boys and young men are not the ones who created the patriarchy. (Today’s old men aren’t even the ones who created the patriarchy.) They may be