Top Posts of 2018
2018 was an interesting year. The #MeToo movement gained strength, bringing discussions of sexual harassment and assault into national conversation. Famous men fell from their perches, and subsequently, a whole lot of us started talking about how to raise good, decent boys. More than 300 mass shootings occurred here in the U.S. — including massacres […]
Teaching Consent to a 12-Year-Old Boy
The word “consent” has crept to the forefront of national conversation lately, thanks to the #MeToo movement and allegation after allegation after allegation of inappropriate behavior by famous (and not-so-famous) men. Even God, a.k.a, Morgan Freeman, has now been accused of sexual harassment. None of this was on my mind when I received an email […]
BuildingBoys Book Club: Blurred Lines
This month’s book might be an uncomfortable read. But if you have high school or college-aged sons, I recommend joining us anyway. Sex and consent are two topics we can’t shy away from, and they’re the central focus of journalist Vanessa Grigoriadis’ new book, Blurred Lines: Rethinking Sex, Power, & Consent on Campus. The book is […]
Talking to Boys About Donald Trump & “Locker Room Banter”
The news is impossible to miss: Donald Trump said, on tape, that he grabs women by the pussy. That he kisses them without consent. Many others will debate and discuss what this means for American politics. What this moment means for American parents is that we all — ALL — need to have a talk […]
A Better Way to Talk to Boys About Rape Culture
Ask them, “What do you think about the words, ‘rape culture?’” Then listen. Listen to what they say and to what they express. Listen for the silences and hesitation. Listen past the defensiveness. Bite your own tongue, if you must, but instead of building a rebuttal, try to hear what’s behind your boys’ words. Paraphrase […]