Book description
A poignant, practical, light-hearted and celebratory look at raising
boys with a strong and controversial message, asking that parents and
the education system take responsibility for the 'feminisation' of boys,
in much the same way as attention was paid to the 'masculinisation' of
girls. Media and government attention is now being focussed on the fact
that girls are outperforming boys academically but no mention is made of
what kind of husbands and fathers they will make. With many families
stretched to breaking point on the rack of mismatched expectations, boys
need guidance on juggling work and family in the same way as girls are
expected to; becoming domesticated as well as surviving in the jungle of
accepted notions of 'masculinity'. The vital message is that boys, like
girls, should have choices and should not be forced into the
stereotypical role of the male as absent father or football fan. That's
My Boy! covers boys' lives from birth to 18 and discusses everything
from how a mother deals with the shock of caring for and maintaining a
member of the opposite sex, how to endure hours spent on a rugby
touchline, how to read the signs that indicate a longing for physical
affection and whether or not to laugh at sexist jokes they bring home.
Jenni Murray has been the regular presenter of Radio 4's Woman's Hour
since 1987. She also presents Weekend Woman's Hour each Saturday. In the
Queen's Birthday Honours 1999 she was awarded an OBE for radio
broadcasting. Jenni is the author of The Woman's Hour, a history of
women since World War, and, for Vermilion, Is it me, or is it hot in
here? She contributes to numerous newspapers and magazines and is an
occasional documentary film-maker.
