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How can women, and men, raise feminist sons? How, for example, can mothers and fathers encourage their sons to grow up to respect girls and women? Here are some some recent and accessible discussions of raising boys. (Note that some links are to external sites, while others are to PDF downloads of the item.)
- Arsenault, Boys Will Be the Boys We Teach Them to Be, April 28 2016;
- Brasco, 10 Tips for Talking About Sexual Violence with Your Sons, August 19 2014
- Brown, 7 Toxic Phrases Parents Need to Stop Saying to Their Sons, June 13 2018
- Dastagir, How to raise a feminist in 6 not-so-easy steps, March 5 2018;
- de la Cretaz, 11 Ways To Raise A Feminist Son Because Feminism Is Good For Everyone, Nov 7 2015
- Duczeminski, 15 Ways a Feminist Dad Makes You Stronger;
- Ferrere, A quiet revolution - Feminists with sons, June 1989
- Fitzgerald, Five Things Feminist Dads Do, 2017
- Full Stop Foundation Tip Sheets, Raising Ethical Sons (2017):
- Gillespie, How to raise feminist boys, Feb 27 2020;
- Juschka, How to raise kids who believe in gender equality, Feb. 11 2015;
- Kehler, Beyond the locker room - Coronavirus isolation is an opportunity to teach boys about toxic masculinity, May 26 2020;
- Kole, Dismantling the Patriarchy while Raising Pro-Feminist Sons, Dec 24 2012
- Kolody, The Conversation You Must Have With Your Sons, Sept 6 2013
- Lamont, How to raise a boy: my mission to bring up a son fit for the 21st century, Aug 1 2021
- Mackay, Raising Boys/Children: The Feminist Way – Or: Some ideas for raising children without gender constraints (2018);
- Mesbur, How to raise feminist boys, March 7 2016
- Miller, How to Raise a Feminist Son June 1 2017
- Mtshali, How we talk to young boys is key to curbing gender-based violence in South Africa Nov 28 2023
- Moyer, How to stop sexism and raise a son who respects women Nov 6 2017
- Obama, President Barack Obama on Feminism, Michelle, and His Daughters, Aug 4 2016
- Organ, 25 Rules For Raising Feminist Boys
- Our Watch, Challenging gender stereotypes in the early years: the power of parents (Evidence Review), 2018;
- Plan International and Promundo, 9 tips for parents: Raising Sons to Embrace Healthy, Positive Masculinity, 2019;
- Promundo, Raising children more gender equitably: A Guidance Note to Inform the Development of National Policies and Programmes Based on Results from the International Men and Gender Equality Survey (IMAGES) – Middle East and North Africa, 2019
- Richards, How To Teach Young Boys To Be Feminists, Sept 9 2019
- Rogers, How Feminist Mothers Can Raise Feminist Sons;
- Ruiz, How to raise boys so they're comfortable with their emotions, 2020;
- Sanchez, The case for raising feminist boys 2014;
- Schroeder, 6 Ways Parents Can Help End 'The Boy Crisis', July 3 2023;
- Shapiro, A Truly Alpha-Dad Knows That Feminism Is For All, June 17 2021;
- Shroeder, 18 Easy Ways to Raise Feminist Boys Mar 4 2016;
- Thomson, 10 Science-Backed Tips For Bringing Up Your Child Gender Neutral, Oct 30 2017;
- UN Women, Gender equality starts at home: Seven tips for raising feminist kids, 2019;
- Valenti, What feminists can do for boys, July 25 2018.
- van der Zee, A feminist's guide to raising boys, March 9 2019
- Yousafzai, What Being Malala's Father Taught Me About Feminism, June 14 2019
Also see this bibliography of 'how to’ books on fathering, raising sons, and raising daughters. And see also pieces on mothers raising boys, here.
These online pieces focus on teaching about violence, abuse, and consent in particular:
- Brasco, 10 Tips for Talking About Sexual Violence with Your Sons, Aug 19 2018
- Braxton, How talking with young men can help prevent sexual assault, April 13 2022
- Flood, Raising boys into nonviolent men, 2014
- Flood, What fathers can do, as fathers, to prevent domestic and sexual violence, 2024
- Gordon, On parenting and rape culture, April 15 2014
- Hatvany, I Taught My Son How Not to Be a Rapist April 28 2017
- Levkoff, How To Raise Boys, Not Predators, Nov 11 2017
- Moyer, Ending Sexual Violence by Raising Better Boys, Oct 8 2018
- Pixel Project, Ways to Teach Boys and Young Men How Not to be Violent towards Women and Girls, Dec 4 2020
There are great campaigns and resources on raising boys, and parenting, in gender-equitable and anti-sexist ways. See e.g;
- Toolbox: Respectful relationships (A series of resources, including tipsheets, videos, etc.). (White Ribbon New Zealand, 2018)
- Men Speak Up: A toolkit for action in men’s daily lives (White Ribbon Australia, 2011), pages 11-12, 17-18
- It’s Time We Talked: Resources for parents (and others) on talking to young people about pornography
- Because Why: On parents and gender stereotypes (Our Watch, 2018)
- How to Talk to Your Children About Developing Healthy Relationships (Love Is Not Abuse, Parent’s Handbook, 13pp.)
- Love, Sex, and Intimacy: Respect and safety in relationships (Engender Equality, 2023)
- Open and Honest: A parent’s guide to talking with your child about sex and sexuality (New Zealand Family Planning, 2017, 36pp.)
- Talk soon. Talk often. A guide for parents talking to their kids about sex (Western Australian (WA) Department of Health, 2018)
- Tough Talk: What boys need to know about relationship abuse (Liz Claiborne and Futures Without Violence, 2004)
- Global Boyhood Initiative, Conversation starters for kids
- The Line: Resources for parents and carers (Our Watch, Australia)
- Support for Dads (Relationships Australia): Resources for dads
- Level Playground: For early childhood educators, parents and caregivers, and aims to challenge rigid gender stereotypes and gender norms in their everyday interactions with young children (Eastern Domestic Violence Service (EDVOS, Australia)
Other materials on XY include:
- Raising boys into non-violent men, by Michael Flood
- Consent: An XY collection on encouraging sexual consent and respect
- White Ribbon NZ's new toolbox for fathers, to support them developing their son’s respectful sexual behaviour
- Bibliography: ‘How to’ books on fathering, raising sons, and raising daughters
- Bibliography: Growing up male
- Bibliography: Working with boys and young men
Additions and suggestions are most welcome.