Posts Tagged ‘boys’
Chinese Boot Camp Turns Boys into “Alpha Males” to Fight Rise of K-Pop Culture
This story pisses me off.
Photo Source: https://www.88883250.com/thread-2309-1-1.html
Let’s start with the premise: “K-Pop Culture” is making boys less masculine. OK, sure. Because that’s a thing. Maybe in China it is. But music and fashion doesn’t “make” anyone anything. It doesn’t alter levels of masculinity. It may call some of those notions into question, just as it did in the 60s here in the States. Men with long hair! Oh noes!
Then the term “alpha males”. This is lauded by a surprising number of people. Presidential candidates are “alpha males”, and some are mocked for not being that — one right wing dig at Beto O’Rourke is Beta O’Dork. Clever. (Note: not that clever.)
The term comes from the animal kingdom. An alpha male is “the dominant male animal in a particular group” according to the Internet.
It’s right up there with “winning”. So much winning.
You would think that we have progressed as a society past outdated notions of masculinity. You would be wrong. Look at the current Democratic Presidential candidates. There are real discussions about whether or not “a woman can win”. Lots of men have lost! For fuck’s sake if the best candidate is a woman give her a chance. Hillary lost. All that means is that Hillary lost. It doesn’t mean a woman can’t win.
At some point, everybody can’t be the alpha. Someone has to do the work. I’m a big believer in roles. Sports metaphors for the win! Someone is the coach, someone is the quarterback, and someone is on the offensive line. When the offensive lineman decides he should be the quarterback, it all falls apart.
What about teaching kids to be good people? To be nice? Is there any room for that at Real Man Camp? I’m guessing no. It’s probably a lot of chest beating and playing football. Football I’m in favor of, although maybe not because of head injuries.
What message do camps like this send? That there is one way to be a man. That if you do not conform to these notions of what a man is you have less value as a person. How is that positive?
Source: Chinese Boot Camp Turns Boys into “Alpha Males” to Fight Rise of K-Pop Culture
Skirting The Dress Code
Fun story about a group of kids who protested their school dress code by wearing skirts, hence my enormously clever “skirting the dress code” headline. Bam!
(The pic below is because this is a LINK to story elsewhere. Get it? A LINK? Have I over explained it yet?)
Based on the other links below, this is not a new idea. Regardless, I like it.
They wanted to wear shorts, but were told that breached their school’s uniform policy.
Source: Boys at Exeter academy wear skirts in uniform protest – BBC News
Related articles (Note: These are offsite links; DaddyTips takes no responsibility for outside content.)
Tweets Of Interest (Links)
Here are some tweets that we thought might interest you. Follow the links to find out more.
First up, a program to get boys to read more. My kids read constantly so this isn’t an issue in my house. But reading is fundamental so we’re all for any program that encourages kids, boys or girls, to read. (RIF still exists, by the way, I thought it had disappeared but it hasn’t.) Via @RookieMoms.
Just discovered http://t.co/0z6NYieefV program/blog/book list for getting boys into reading by @Jon_scieszka
— Rookie Moms (@rookiemoms) November 8, 2013
Next up, another boy thing: “When should boys use public restrooms alone?” That’s actually a tough question. At some point a boy is really too old to be going into the Ladies’ Room, and if it’s just mom and son out and about, well… I don’t have an answer for this one. As with so much of parenting, it’s like the old man said to the pharmacist – depends. There are so many factors to consider, including the age of the kid, your comfort level, and of course where you happen to be. The bathroom at a small restaurant is very different from one at a multiplex. Via @Mommyfriend and @BabbleEditors.
When should boys use public restrooms alone? http://t.co/aQoHlO1cdg
— Babble.com (@BabbleEditors) November 9, 2013
Female Sports Reporters Get Treated Like Crap
Today’s lesson for the boys — women should be treated with respect. For example, female sports reporters get treated like crap. They shouldn’t be.
ESPN’s Rod Franklin was “pulled off ESPN’s Saturday Fiesta Bowl radio broadcast by ESPN executives” according to Sports By Brooks. What did he do? He called reporter Jeanine Edwards “sweetcakes”. When Edwards, who is female, said “don’t call me sweetcakes, I don’t like being talked to like that,” Franklin replied, “okay then, a–hole.”
What a charmer.
I don’t watch college football much, and I hadn’t heard of Jeanine Edwards. So I Googled her. Admittedly, I did it to see what she looks like. Because I’m a guy. Here’s the first video that pops up, Billy Clyde Gillispie tells Jeanine Edwards she asked a dumb question.
[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrXeBAoF3sM]
Nice, right? I’m sure Gillispie would have said that to a male reporter.
Through the wonders of YouTube Suggestions, up pops Bruce Pearl feels up Erin Andrews.
[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsGCItJ7q4I]
Again, I’m SURE this would have happened if Pearl were being interviewed by Stuart Scott.
Those are both clips from ESPN. This next little gem is courtesy of a fan with a cell phone camera. Here is Rey Maualuga grinding on Hotty Erin Andrews.
[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdDGYsYXHKc]
You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. Look at that. Are you serious? Was Rey Maualuga raised by wolves?
Unfortunately, probably not. A lot of guys seem unaware that there is a behavior line that shouldn’t be crossed; “they just don’t get it”, to bring back a popular phrase from the Anita Hill-Clarence Thomas days. Jezebel points out that Ron Franklin has made similar comments in the past. And look at what happened with Ines Sainz and the Jets earlier this year. I can guarantee you that very few of the players and coaches who were involved in hooting, hollering, and trying to get a better look at her ass think that they did anything wrong. They all need to learn what Bill Clinton never could — that “harass” is one word.
Obviously I’m not immune to looking at women. This post started because I wondered if Jeanine Edwards was hot. The difference is that I’m a guy with a laptop Googling someone’s name. I’m not putting my hands on a woman. Or sneaking up behind her like a serial killer. Or even referring to her as “sweetcakes”, followed by “a-hole” when she tells me to cut it out.
Women are allowed to be hot, and to get jobs that based in part on their hotness. Erin Andrews is a perfect example. Not that she’s not a good reporter; I have no idea if she is or isn’t. I do know that she’s way hot. Which is why someone creep made a video of her showering, which led to her appearance on Dancing With The Stars. If she looked like Ernest Borgnine, would either of those things have happened? It’s OK for her to want to be looked at, and it’s OK for me to look at her. It is not OK for her to be spoken to in a rude manner based solely upon her being female. It is even more not OK for her to be touched, fondled, or be subjected to backdoor grinding, especially when she’s trying to do her job.
In case this seems like a double standard, here are some visual aids.
This video is tacky (and a tiny bit amusing). It is the work of an anonymous person with minimal video/photo editing skills. It is certainly in poor taste but doesn’t really hurt anyone.
[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEI9k_oxtZo]
This video is of a gigantic guy physically imposing himself on a woman who is doing her job. It’s ridiculous behavior.
[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdDGYsYXHKc]
Do I want my kids to be making videos celebrating Erin Andrews’ posterior? I would hope that they would be more creative and have better things to do. I wouldn’t care if they watched it, however. (When they’re older.) But if they thought it was acceptable to speak to a woman with disdain due to her gender? Or worse, put their hands on her, or sneak up behind her and make grinding motions because they think she’s hot?
Here’s a tip. Make sure your boys know that it’s one thing to be Beavis with your buddies. It’s another to be a Butthead in public. Make sure they know how to treat women with respect.
How Dad Looks In Kiddie Books
I’ve noticed something about a lot of the books I read to my youngest son.
Dad usually looks the same.
There are variations, but certain themes seem to pop up.
Here are some examples: Read more »
Young Girl Talking About Herself Song
[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HN1ru6_u8lY 285 247]
Funny and catchy tune (at least as good as most Britney Spears junk). Read more »
What Our Boys Are Doing In Their Rooms
They must have spies in every teenage boys’ room in the U.S.A. What happened to privacy???
