Much of the research that has been done on gender socialization has focused primarily on girls. In article 5 in Annual Editions, "Boys Will be Boys," the author points to many of the difficulties that boys face in society.
English: Percent of Youth 4-17 ever diagnosed with...
English: Graph showing the number of articles writ...
Me And My ParentsBoys are more likely to have discipline problems at school and to be diagnosed with attention deficit disorder or also known as ADD. Even in special education classes, boys far outnumber girls and are also known more likely to commit violent crimes and end up in jail. A recent study that was done at children's hospital in Boston found that boy babies are more emotionally expressive than girls are, which explains why boy babies are more inclined to cry when they're unhappy. In the article, it is stated that "boys have higher levels of testosterone and lower levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin, which inhibits aggression and impulsivity. That may help explain why more males than females carry through with suicide, become alcoholics and are diagnosed with ADD." Researchers also believe that boys who are obligated to shut down positive emotions are left with only one socially acceptable outlet, which is anger. "When boys repress normal feelings like love because of social pressure, they've lost contact with the genuine nature of who they are and what they feel. Boys are in a silent crisis. The only time we notice it is when they pull the trigger." In later adolescence, it is stated that the boys do want and need the attention, but often just do not know how to ask for it.
The author explains that for parents to help their boys cope with these issues, a strong parental bond is the most important protection against everything from smoking to suicide. Another way a parent may help is to constantly...