Boys Will Be Boys

I received an advance readers copy in exchange for an honest review.
Very thorough exploration and breakdown of toxic masculinity , inspired by the feminist author's baby boy. Very moving to read as about boy mom myself . I don't worry that my son's will face false accusations- I worry that toxic masculinity will sweep them up and turn them into men that lack empathy for women in pain . We need more books like this. Should be required reading for all parents of boys

This was just what I expected it to be which is great. I wanted a feminist to talk about toxic masculinity and what is happening with rape culture. Even though this writer is from Australia, she does a great job of including cases from other places through the US and Europe. I especially liked her sarcasm. Anyone who knows me knows that I am the queen of sarcasm and Clementine Ford has got skills.

This book approaches deep topics which are not always easy to read but they are important topics that need to be recognised and discussed (homophobia, rape, assault). I particularly like how the book starts by explaining some of the terms that will be used within the book as it sets a level playing field for this who are reading it and may not be familiar with them. It enables the reader to feel engaged and welcomed into the discussion which is an incredibly powerful thing. This is a really interesting, powerful which I think it important for everyone to read.

An imminently disturbing and frightening look at the politics of race and gender in the world today. Ford lays out a blistering critique of the way the expectations of male power are destroying human potential. There are moments that will make you shake your head with the sheer idiocy of the nonsensical way (*not all*) men frame their defense of the war on women (and anyone else they perceive as weaker than they are). This isn't just a disease that attacks women, but one that also drags men down into the depths of a most bizarre sickness. By shining a light on the way western culture sets out to keep women in "their place" Ford gives us a starting place for raising our boys to be better.

Boys Will Be Boys is an exploration of the rise of toxic masculinity and Ford's infuriation at the fact that it is not being addressed as an issue in modern society. Her words are literally FIRE and you can see how passionate she feels about this topic. It's incredibly thorough and well researched but can be a little dry in places, so if you don't have a deep interest in the subject it may not be for you. That said, I was engrossed throughout and thought the discussion and points made were solid and credible. Sadly, we see examples of inequality of the sexes everywhere; males often get paid more than women despite doing the same job and societal standards are different based on whether you are male or female. Rape culture, rampant homophobia and the #metoo movement are also part of toxic masculinity.

The author uses case studies from all around the world to back up her words, which I found fascinating, and it's an engaging and very intriguing read. I loved that Ms Ford uses plenty of sarcastic humour to break up the heavy topic, and it worked very well. This is an important book that everyone should read as it approaches toxic masculinity by discussing a broad set of issues and is the best book I've picked up on the subject so far. I also appreciated the glossary at the beginning as it introduces the reader to words that will recur throughout and allows those who have no previous knowledge of the subject to immerse themselves fully within its pages. It's high time boys were brought up to be better and for society to treat men and women as equals. Many thanks to Oneworld Publications for an ARC.

A good overview of the problems caused by toxic masculinity. Very readable and engaging without a lot of off putting language or jargon. I really liked her focus early on towards our treatment of gender in regards to babies. With things like gender reveal parties, I have long since bulked at the immediate push towards violence for boys (guns or glitter, etc). I have also wondered why the push towards gender norms with babies? As Ford addresses, there’s really not a difference in the interests of an infant male and an infant girl. I don’t know that I’ll be using this text immediately, but I would like to use in my classes in the near future as a way to discuss gender with my students.