0. ON A HOT SUMMER AFTERNOON in 1953, I answered the doorbell at our family home in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. I was fourteen years old, and alone in the house at the time. I opened the front door and looked through the screen door to see a black man, naked to the waist and sweating...
Category: Masculinity
Do Men Really Care About Contraception?
You will never guess what the CDC just revealed about single American men in the US. Recall that this federal agency monitors and prevents disease outbreaks, from autism to zika, and also maintains nationwide health statistics. They do good work and, like me, are keenly interested in men’s health. I applaud them. So what are sexually active young American men...Continue reading
In Search of My Lost Body: Real Men Eat Meat and Other Masculinity Myths
It’s January and once again I begin thinking about losing weight. I keep track of my weight and keep losing and gaining the same 20 pounds. I eat pretty well, but I eat too much. Like most people, there are a million reasons why I weigh more than I want to weigh. I’ve always been...Continue reading
Is There a Link between Dental Health and Men’s Fertility?
By now, we’ve all heard about the health risks of poor oral hygiene, which go far beyond toothaches, cavities and tooth loss. Neglecting your dental health can put you at greater risk for heart disease, respiratory problems, diabetes, stroke, arthritis and other medical issues. According to new research, it may also affect your ability to...Continue reading
Accusations of Sexual Assault: Today’s Salem Witch Trials?
I can write this because I am a woman. A man would be afraid to touch it… More than 400 years ago, nearly 100 years before ratification of the U.S. Constitution, mass hysteria took hold throughout the Massachusetts Bay Colony, most famously in Salem Village, outside of Boston. Almost 70 years ago the same fever...
Man or Marionette? Pinocchio and the Metamorphosis of Manhood
Since it was published in 1883, The Adventures of Pinocchio by Italian writer, Carlo Collodi, has become one of the most widely read and adapted fairy tales of all time. This may be because the character of Pinocchio represents the archetype of the classic hero- one who experiences a metamorphosis and rebirth as a result...Continue reading
Can Men Survive the Demise of the Bread-Winner Role?
Like many men, my father grew up knowing that he had to be successful as the family breadwinner. Then, as now, it wasn’t always easy to fulfill that crucial role that is at the core of a man’s self-esteem. While his brothers all went into business, my father’s passion was to be an actor. When...Continue reading
Has a Father’s Absence Impacted Your Life? Take the Quiz to Find Out
When I was five years old, my father had, what was called at the time, “a nervous breakdown,” and was hospitalized. He never came home again and he and my Mom got a divorce. I was raised by a single Mom and it never occurred to me that my father’s absence might have been harmful...Continue reading
How Much Is Too Much? Why It’s Important to Know Your Limits with Alcohol
Imagine showing up at your friend’s house to watch the big game, and there’s no beer in sight. That would be an anomaly, wouldn’t it? Alcohol is so ingrained in our culture that most social settings seem bare without it. So you have a beer. And then another. From here, the most important question is...Continue reading
Sexual Harassment Is Everyone’s Problem
Dear Mr. Dad: Over the past month, I don’t think there’s been a day without a news story of some famous person being accused of sexual assault or harassment. I’m disgusted by these men’s behavior, but I’m concerned that one group of victims is being left out: men who are assaulted or harassed by women....Continue reading