Masculinity is a complicated thing. And there’s no more masculine way for a man to express his, well, masculinity than by making babies. That explains why being infertile or having erectile dysfunction (ED) is so strongly connected with depression (in both directions—depression itself can cause ED, and ED and/or fertility problems can cause depression). Infertility...Continue reading
Category: Masculinity
From Penn State to Afghanistan–Why Do We See No Evil When Boys Are Sexually Abused?
When I was about 12 years old, my mother took me to visit one of her cousins. As the evening approach, she and her cousin decided to go to a concert and they left me in the care of her cousin’s husband. Since I didn’t really know him, I decided to go into one of the...Continue reading
Breaking the Mother-Son Dynamic: Resetting the Patterns of a Man’s Life and Loves
Thomas Wolfe says, “You can never go home again.” However, to go forward, I have to go backward from time to time. I return to the places where the dreams began: my hometown and the small college where I did my undergraduate work. That’s where I’m sitting right now, writing these pages. Through the windows I see the amphitheater...Continue reading
How Far Would You Go to Prove Your Masculinity?
There seems to be no end to the things guys will do to prove their masculinity–especially around someone whose attention we’d like to attract. If you’ve ever read Mark Twain’s classic book Tom Sawyer, you probably remember how Tom tries to win the heart of Becky Thatcher by doing all sorts of crazy (and dangerous)...Continue reading
Grooming “Down There”: Fashion Trend, Or Health Hazard?
Trimming or removing pubic hair has become incredibly common for men as well as women. And while it may make you feel sexy, clean, and attractive, “manscaping” might also cause some unanticipated health hazards for you… But hey, it’s your decision. People elect to modify their pubic hair for a variety of reasons. At the...Continue reading
What Knot to Do to Keep Your Hair
If you’re one of those guys who follows celebrity fashion trends and hairstyles (and even if you’re not), you’ve noticed that a growing number of men are tying their hair up into a single knot on the top or back of their head. If you’ve been tempted to do the same to your hair, you...Continue reading
Are men an endangered species?
How come men don’t live as long as women? Is it because they do things like big wave surfing, base jumping in squirrel suits or highlining between buildings? Maybe we have a testosterone-fueled, Evil Knievel gene within us, right next to the air guitar and channel surfing genes, and are simply destined to break 433 bones, just...Continue reading
Pumping Iron: Quite Possibly the Best Workout Ever
Sure-fire, get-in-the-best-shape-of-your-life-or-your-money-back fitness methods have been around for thousands of years. But there’s one method that won’t ever show up on a list of fads, but, despite the absence of hype, it may very well be the most beneficial of the bunch: good, old-fashioned weight lifting. Let’s take a look at some of the proven...Continue reading
Engaging Men in Health: A Holiday Season Challenge
By Broderick Johnson, White House, and Armin Brott, Men’s Health Network As men, we don’t always prioritize our health the way we should. So many other responsibilities seem to come first, such as work, family, or making sure our friends and co-workers can count on us. Those things are immensely important, no question. But too often, we...Continue reading
The Boy with the Varicocele
The case of the month is an actual patient of The Turek Clinic His head was topped with bobbing red hair and his face full of freckles. Thin as a beanpole, he spoke softly as if trying to control his cracking pubertal voice. All in, he appeared to be the stuff that teenage boys are...Continue reading
