I can see the point the author is trying to make in the story about having to be gentle with girls, but I think I’d be conflicted about it if I had a son. Later in life there are severe social and legal consequences for a man that is too rough with women and I’d hate to set my kid up for failure.
I realize there is a difference between “playing rough” and abuse but there can be grey areas at the border. There are many situations were I would physically subdue a man (both playful and serious) but not a woman, partly for fear of causing harm but mainly because of the social blowback and potential for getting arrested.
I might be overly sensitive to this line of thinking because I have a military background, but I think teaching a son that he should behave as if girls and boys are the same physically is sub-optimal (in terms of setting him up for success and long-term hapiness).
I can see the point the author is trying to make in the story about having to be gentle with girls, but I think I’d be conflicted about it if I had a son. Later in life there are severe social and legal consequences for a man that is too rough with women and I’d hate to set my kid up for failure.
I realize there is a difference between “playing rough” and abuse but there can be grey areas at the border. There are many situations were I would physically subdue a man (both playful and serious) but not a woman, partly for fear of causing harm but mainly because of the social blowback and potential for getting arrested.
I might be overly sensitive to this line of thinking because I have a military background, but I think teaching a son that he should behave as if girls and boys are the same physically is sub-optimal (in terms of setting him up for success and long-term hapiness).