Cherishing the Masculinity of Boys, by Kate Moreland

Sticks, dirt, and noise; competition; the drive to conquer that increases exponentially with every XY chromosome that enters the arena of play—this is boyhood. American culture has lost an appreciation for the manliness of men, and mothers especially are left unequipped to raise their sons as men. We try to tame them, feminize them, and teach our boys to be gentle and soft. Their way is wrong, and the feminine ideal is better. This is contrary to their very bodily structure. It is a handicap to their character and sense of self.

When a group of boys are together, they are often willing to test the boundaries of safety and sense in an effort to win the micro-competitions happening within the group. On an adult level, this might happen through conversation, career, or sometimes physical effort, but the base desire is there. Fight. Win. Succeed. There is a need to push the limits of their physical and mental abilities against the world to see just where the line of the possible is drawn in the sand of life. …

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