What it Means When There are No Boy Scouts

I feel like the move to allow girls into the boy scouts, and next year change the name to "The Scouts" is part of a trend of stigmatizing masculinity. When someone says the words "be a man," it has come to imply emotional isolation and stoicism, and acts of reckless aggression. It's not a healthy male attitude at all. But men cannot unbecome what they are, and part of that involves healthy, mature relationships with other men. That in turn means being vulnerable and masculine simultaneously, but healthy, readily available venues for that are disappearing. What are some thoughts on this in the community about this trend? And where is left that men can foster these relationships and learn what they are? I put this in this forum because I feel like it's an important part of men's wellbeing that gets neglected at least, trivialized by the term "bromance," and even forsaken or criticized.

I agree with you, i think its scary to see equality being used by people who's sole agenda is to force their sameness onto us. Where i live this has backfired bigtime and we now consider seperate swimming etc.. I , as a typical female with some typical female hobbies feel more under pressure to join all these man things , and i can fully understand womans and guys nights out. We are not the same, even if we are equal. As the breadwinner of my family since 1993, i have done enough man stuff ....:laugh:

Our inequalities go back hundreds of thousands of years. I have grown to think that as long as humans have the same sexual dimorphism of primates in general we will never be 100% equal, no matter what social constructs we put in place.

MAGNUS wrote: Our inequalities go back hundreds of thousands of years. I have grown to think that as long as humans have the same sexual dimorphism of primates in general we will never be 100% equal, no matter what social constructs we put in place.

Agreed. Its the differences that make life interesting, and attempts to remove these differences only serves to highlight our differences.

attempts to remove these differences only serves to highlight our differences.

Exactly , this is already visible in the social media , just look at the average teenage pictures , hyper feminine : long hair , eyebrowes visible from the moon, boobies that seem to try to escape , thinner thinner waist etc...and the hyper masculine: Beards that make mountain man look bleek, emphasis on muscular structure and bravoure and jackass behaviour that is encouraged ...Children that have difficulties with thier own identity and are being told they are wrong to have one or the other ...its sad really

I will never find any one organisation that can satisfy every Member. Somlong as there are other human beings involved there will always arise some form of conflict. With every tool there CAN be a danger to its use as well as benifit and even profit. In the Great 48 as I call it - the culture of passing things like fishing hunting and outdoors y things is coming back. I can only speak for myself - so when I say I’m glad this “movement” is coming back some may disagree and thats ok too!
We see what we often focus on so with that in mind my eyes are usually set on the benefits more than the not so benifishal most of the time. The human potential has never really changed but the dynamic we all face can differ from one heart to another. My goal in my own practice is to find and express a possible balance that can be found by any individual willing to try it. I look foward to what this discussion yields . The dynamic of man has over time revolves as we humans have learned to adapt and even function where we choose or where we are. Happy seeking and may the Force we share find us both in the seek !

What I'm hearing here is a distaste for anything outside of one's preferred normal behaviors and tastes. I agree that equality is a lie. Nobody is ever going to be equal to another, literally. This moral outrage over the omission of "boy" from Boy Scouts to include more kids is hysterical.

I disagree. I think that avenues to foster and promote positive male-to-male relationships are disappearing. The Boy Scouts was one such place, but we are losing that. And I think we're losing it needlessly. Society's perception of what it means to, "be a man," is being lost, and it's no wonder. There is an increasing aversion to responsibility in today's world, and precious few strong male role models for young boys.

MAGNUS wrote: I disagree. I think that avenues to foster and promote positive male-to-male relationships are disappearing. The Boy Scouts was one such place, but we are losing that. And I think we're losing it needlessly. Society's perception of what it means to, "be a man," is being lost, and it's no wonder. There is an increasing aversion to responsibility in today's world, and precious few strong male role models for young boys.

Don’t get me wrong I believe in the Boy Scouts too and brownies and any one who take time from their everyday to share what they know with the next generation. There’s even Jedi who do his very thing in inner city places. It’s a tough gig. It’s tonight to see that some can only get this if they pay ... or join this or that. There was a day when these organizations weren’t even needed - makes me thing of all the save and sigh up programs that are running around now a days as well - sigh up with us and save even more - uhh dude - I shop here , why can’t my faithfulness just be rewarded without joining your silly club... but some days that’s he nature of the beast. It’s a hard thing in life - the Indian in the cubbard is one of my sons favs right now where regardless of how the main character gets it - he finds what he needs to grow up into something he would have not normally had. Tough stuff

If you want positive masculine role models enroll your children in, or join yourself, martial arts. Emphasis not on "man" but "masculine".