Our longtime partner Dove Men+Care is teaming with the National Basketball Players Association in an effort to better society for Black men. The Commit to C.A.R.E (Care About Racial Equity) Now Initiative will showcase, honor and celebrate the humanity of Black men while addressing issues such as public safety, safe and fair voting, community engagement and the accurate portrayal of Black men in media. "Black men and our community have been suffering far too long from the negative portrayals that have been built into our society, which is why we are honored to partner with the NBPA to … [Read more...]
Father’s Day: Celebrate Masculinity Evolving, Dads’ Unique Roles
“Is Father’s Day outdated?” That's what Mary Schmich, a columnist for the Chicago Tribune, asked in 2018. For me, the answer is a resounding “no.” As long as there are men, fathers will be relevant and worth celebrating. And, I don’t just mean “father” as though it were interchangeable with the word “parent.” A parent, in my view, can be of any gender or none at all. If you are willing and capable of taking on the responsibility of parenthood, you can be a parent. A parent’s responsibility is to educate, entertain, guide, protect, provide for and love their child. My success as a parent … [Read more...]
One Dad’s Animated Battle Against Gender Stereotypes
If some gender stereotypes seem cartoonish by today's standards, is there a better way to discuss them than in animated video? That exactly what our own Whit Honea, a Los Angeles City Dads Group member, does in a recent piece for The Atlantic online magazine. Honea narrates "Outdated Gender Stereotypes Are ‘Very Much Alive,’" a three-minute essay on his family's experience with the assigning of old-fashioned gender roles in the modern world. The video is part of Home School, an animated series about parenting produced by The Atlantic. Previous episodes tackled issues such as … [Read more...]
Short Hair Locks Daughter into Unfair Gender Assumptions
A mom at preschool was admiring my daughter's short hair the other day. She complimented the adorable style and turned to her own preschooler -- a girl with shoulder length hair -- to encourage her to get the same cut. "It's so cute and so easy and comfortable," the mom said. "Don't you want to cut your hair into a pixie cut like that?" Her daughter resisted a bit. "Yes, it is all that," I told her. "But are you prepared for it?" I think I genuinely shocked them with my brief warning. My daughter wanted short hair. We were encouraging and the kids' salon we use has a stylist who … [Read more...]
4 Ways to Parent Without Labels, With a Growth Mindset
Have you ever labeled one of your children — e.g., the “smart” one, the “clumsy” one, or the “whiny” one? Of course you have! Because you’re human. But as we know now, labeling a child is not healthy. A label often becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, and even a positive label can constrain a child’s identity by compelling him or her to perform that limited role. Hence, labels could be considered part of a “fixed mindset,” to borrow from Carol Dweck’s celebrated research on a fixed vs. growth mindset. In their recent book, Mindsets for Parents, Mary Cay Ricci and Margaret Lee attempt to … [Read more...]