Michael Reichert, founding director of the Center for the Study of Boys' and Girls' Lives at the University of Pennsylvania, shares insights on the complexities of boys' behavior and societal expectations. He debunks myths surrounding masculinity, advocating for empathy and emotional support. Discussing the importance of safe spaces for boys, Reichert emphasizes nurturing environments to foster emotional expression. He highlights the role of parental influence in shaping boys' identities and calls for a deeper understanding of their unique challenges.
01:00:07
forum Ask episode
web_stories AI Snips
view_agenda Chapters
menu_book Books
auto_awesome Transcript
info_circle Episode notes
question_answer ANECDOTE
Michael Reichert's Violent School Memory
Michael Reichert recounts witnessing a violent school fight in which a boy was kicked to death at age 14. - This shocking event prompted him to transfer schools and shaped his understanding of male violence.
insights INSIGHT
Violence Is Learned, Not Natural
Boys are not inherently violent; violence stems from cultural conditioning and violations of their fundamental social needs. - Negative boyhood outcomes reflect broken relational connections, not biology alone.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Build Resistance to Masculine Tropes
Parents cannot shield sons from hyper-masculine stereotypes but can build their resistance to such limiting norms. - Teach boys to recognize and critically evaluate traditional masculine tropes.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
In 'To Raise a Boy', Emma Brown delves into the world of American boyhood, uncovering shocking statistics and stories that highlight the need for change. Through extensive research and interviews, Brown exposes the crisis in young men's emotional and physical health, offering insights into how society can better support boys. The book combines investigative journalism with scientific research to challenge traditional notions of masculinity and promote healthier development for boys.
Michael C. Reichert, PhD (http://www.michaelcreichert.com/)is founding director of the Center for the Study of Boys' and Girls' Lives at the University of Pennsylvania and a clinical practitioner specializing in boys and men, who has also conducted extensive research globally. In his recent book, How to Raise a Boy, he shares powerful stories and research about the behaviors, roles and expectations we place on young boys and how that often locks them into ways of being that are destructive not only to their own lives, but also potentially to their relationships in all parts of life and to society writ large. In our conversation, Reichert also addresses a number of societal myths and offers more constructive, science-backed reframes. At a time when we’re all reexamining questions of gender, identity, behavior and the way we bring ourselves to the world and our roles in teaching those who look to us as models of behavior and values, this topic has never been more important.
-------------
Have you discovered your Sparketype yet? Take the Sparketype Assessment™ now. IT’S FREE (https://sparketype.com/) and takes about 7-minutes to complete. At a minimum, it’ll open your eyes in a big way. It also just might change your life.
If you enjoyed the show, please share it with a friend. Thank you to our super cool brand partners. If you like the show, please support them - they help make the podcast possible.
Good Life Project 