We seem to live in a world where culture and education are more feminised. In schools, for example, things as diverse as emotional and personal development discussions during circle time and PHSE and selling off playing fields are pointed to as signs that traditional masculine values and behaviours are being demoted. In the West the increasing academic and professional success of girls and women is clear. Some complain that while we live a world where women are promoted as being equal to men, boys’ views of girls and relationships are being affected by the “bombardment” of pornography. That means that although girls are doing well, they now have more strongly to fend off boys who have got a distorted view of who they are and how they will behave. 

So have boys become disorientated? Is envy of girls’ success making them either so aggressive towards or shy of girls that they need mentors to help them negotiate their relationships, and even chat up girls? Do boys need better male role models, or better sex education, or even perhaps wider moral development education, to help them succeed? Or are boys and girls equally sensitive and strong enough to be able to find their own way in the world?

Speakers

Sally Millard
Sally is co-founder of the Institute of Ideas Parents Forum which was set up in 2006 to provide a meeting place for those who want to discuss policy developments in relation to children and parenting so that they can work out how to challenge them.

Olga Fotakopoulou

The debate is chaired and produced by Rosamund Cuckston.

Recommended resources

Sexual advice charities such as Brook say teachers should not stop pupils from watching pornography

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/sex/better-sex-education/10667832/Teachers-should-not-stop-pupils-watching-pornography.html

Ally Fogg appeals for better sex and relationships education for boys

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jan/29/dont-treat-young-men-like-sex-crazed-monsters

Fraser Nelson argues that now, in the fight for equality, we should be looking out for young men
http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/2013/07/feminism-vs-egalitarianism-my-response-to-the-guardians-ally-fogg/

Laurie Penny observes that we don't have any models for post-patriarchy masculinity

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/may/16/masculinity-crisis-men

Birmingham University's Knightly Virtues programme for schools is aimed at both boys and girls

http://www.jubileecentre.ac.uk/417/projects/development-projects/knightly-virtues

A programme to teach boys how to chat up girls
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/10522300/Schoolboys-taught-to-chat-up-girls-in-mentoring-scheme.html