Shirts bearing the motto "Boys are stupid — throw rocks at them" are marketed to tween girls; recent TV shows portray men as idiots (see Cavemen, Carpoolers) and wimps (see Cashmere Mafia, Lipstick Jungle); and more women are starting families with little to no male participation. So where does this leave men? Purposeless and hopeless, says syndicated columnist Kathleen Parker, whose new book, Save the Males, argues it's time to give back some of the power. Go ahead, roll your eyes. We're for anything that makes that hapless Mr. Mom slouching behind his CEO wife stand up straighter. Parker's suggestions:
PLAY NICE. "Feminism has always been important to me," says Parker, who as a '60s teen thought that anything helping women was progress. Then she had a son and decided we'd gone overboard. "Boys hear how awful they are day in and day out," she says. "We seem to understand that girls need high self-esteem to perform in school and society, but we pretend that boys don't." Teachers need to dial back their girl-coddling, she says, and society needs to better balance boys' needs with girls'.
RAISE THE BAR. If you expect nothing of men and assume the worst, they're likely to oblige. "Guys have no responsibility," says Parker. "They're getting as much sex as they can possibly ask for, and as far as they're concerned, nothing is wrong." We need to ask more of them and give them something to shoot for — other than horny Guitar Hero champion.
BE PRO-DAD. Thanks to artificial insemination, the rah-rah-ing of single motherhood, and the ever-worsening prejudice against fathers in custody hearings, dads have no power in the family, argues Parker. She says we need laws to prevent dad from being pushed out: "We should honor the role as much as that of mom." Please note: Gawking at photos of Brad carrying Pax on his shoulders doesn't count.
IT'S RAINING ON MEN:
30 to 40% of all American children sleep in a home separate from their fathers.
60% of bachelor's degrees awarded in this country in 2012 will go to women.
Stay In The Know
Marie Claire email subscribers get intel on fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more. Sign up here.
4 prime-time, family-focused shows (in a study of 102) portrayed the father as present and involved in his children's lives.
-
Celebrate Earth Month With Our Feel-Good Fashion Report
Your guide to being more sustainable in 2024.
By Anneliese Henderson Published
-
Anne Hathaway Details the "Gross" Audition Request She Once Endured
"Now we know better."
By Meghan De Maria Published
-
The Emotional Ending of 'Baby Reindeer,' Explained
Netflix's latest miniseries from Richard Gadd is based on the true story of the comedian and his stalker.
By Quinci LeGardye Published
-
The 22 Best Vibrators, According to Sex Toy Experts
The best options, for every preference and price range.
By Gabrielle Ulubay Last updated
-
The Best Period Sex Tips, According to Sex Experts
Who says messy can't be sexy?
By Gabrielle Ulubay Last updated
-
The 20 Best Sex Games for Couples in 2023
Who said game nights need to be wholesome?
By Gabrielle Ulubay Last updated
-
The 14 Best Lubes for Every Need
Good sex should always go smoothly.
By Gabrielle Ulubay Last updated
-
COVID Forced My Polyamorous Marriage to Become Monogamous
For Melanie LaForce, pandemic-induced social distancing guidelines meant she could no longer see men outside of her marriage. But monogamy didn't just change her relationship with her husband—it changed her relationship with herself.
By Melanie LaForce Published
-
100 Sex Songs That Won't Make You Cringe
Dim the lights and hit play on this sex songs — the perfect playlist of songs to have sex to.
By The Editors Published
-
75 Real Sex Scenes in Movies
These actors aren't faking anything.
By Mehera Bonner Last updated
-
33 Unexpected Valentine's Day 2023 Date Ideas
A.k.a. not dinner and roses.
By The Editors Published