7 days ago
PORTLAND (NEWS CENTER) -- From TV shows and movies, to books and toys, the message to boys is everywhere. That message is be over the top, be tough, be strong. And if you can't be a winner all the time, be a slacker. Lyn Mikel Brown and Mark Tappan, both professors at Colby College, have written a book on the topic called "Packaging Boyhood". They say it is a cultivated "I don't care" position that is being marketed to boys. And that they say could start affecting boys motivation to do well in school. They also say ads show boys that they should treat women as sexual objects, and that relationships aren't cool. That they say is affecting boys perceptions of girls, and vice versa. They says they are already starting to see anxiety in boys around the difference between the images in ads, and the reality in their lives. That's why they say it's important for parents to talk with their kids. They say start early talking about stereotypes and the patterns they see. They suggest listening to what kids like, and why they like them. And then, talk to kids about your concerns about the images. The goal they say to not the shield kids from these messages. They say that is impossible. But they say they hope to get kids thinking more critically about the images other people are trying to sell them. Lyn Mikel Brown and Mark Tappan are speaking on this topic Thursday night from 7 to 9pm at the Dana Auditorium at Maine Medical Center.
