As someone who thinks about family in both immediate and generational terms, the reality that I’m raising my grandchildren’s parents is a sobering reminder that my actions will have a profound effect on people I’ve yet to meet. This is why I feel a particular responsibility to model the types of traits and behaviors I want my two sons to embody as they grow from boys to men.
American boys and men are in a state of crisis. The notion that masculinity and traditional gender roles are “toxic” forces of oppression is a common refrain in our cultural commentary and political discourse. Men are dropping out of the labor force and dying deaths of despair. We live in a culture where legislation aimed to promote fatherhood is criticized and drag queens reading to children in public libraries are celebrated.
