You want to raise a kind, confident, thoughtful man who knows how to speak up for what’s right. You want your son to know that all his emotions and dreams are valid - and you know that at some point he’s going to feel society’s pressure to ‘be a man’. You want to help him understand consent on a fundamental level, and you want to be ready for those inevitable conversations about gender bias, sexism in the media and (gulp!) pornography that will happen one day. You want your home to be a place that builds your son’s character on a foundation of fairness and equality.

Where do you start?

You’ll take an in-depth look at what it takes to raise the kind of boys who can listen to their own hearts, stand up to the pressures of toxic masculinity, and use the privilege our society affords them to speak out against bias and discrimination. There are 4 modules, each with its own workbook and video to help you explore the issues and uncover an approach to raising feminist boys that works for your family.

The modules are:

Stereotypes and Toxic Masculinities
Unpacking Consent and Sexist Media
Honouring Diverse Identities
A Feminist Family Culture

You’ll also have access to ongoing discussions on the private course Facebook group, where I’ll be available to answer questions, direct you to resources, and help you to grow your confidence to address sticky, sensitive issues that may come up in your family, including finding a way to talk to your extended family about raising a feminist son.

The self-directed course is £45 and you can take as long as you like to go through the modules. You’ll have ongoing access so you can re-read and reflect again and again.

Ready to dive in? Click here to book your space.

All parents and carers are welcome. It’s not just for mothers! Dads and male carers are very welcome to join. We will discuss issues which are relevant for boys of all ages, and will touch on some issues which are relevant for older boys, like dating relationships and pornography, but most of the content is geared towards the younger, pre-adolescent age group.

I know how hard it can be to find the right words when you see a sexist ad on the bus shelter, or if an older family member teases your son for wearing nail polish and liking his sister’s dolls - not to mention figuring out how to make your son feel resilient enough to shrug off some of the unkind and untrue stuff he’s bound to hear from peers. That’s why we’ll discuss a range of situations, topics, and perspectives, including:

· Stereotypes men and boys face, and the culture of ‘toxic masculinity’ that rewards these stereotypes and limits other types of self-expression

· What neuroscience says about the difference between male and female brains

· How to talk about consent, bodies, and personal responsibility in a way that sticks

· The influence of media on boys’ identities (including pornography) and how we can help our boys understand the power of potentially harmful images

· Getting comfortable talking to kids about sexism and racism

· Teaching boys about listening to girls and speaking up for others

· Shared domestic responsibility and life skills for boys

· Rebalancing your bookshelves, media and language to model an equitable society

I’d love to have you join the conversation. Click here to book your space.

A little about me:

I am a mother of two boys, and a former nanny of too many boys to count. I am a lifelong feminist, with a BA in Women’s Studies and an MA in gender studies, alongside years of study of a range of developmental and educational theories. I’ve spent the past 20 years thinking about how we can empower boys and men to stand up to negative aspects of masculinity which limit their options for having rich emotional lives and encourage the use of power, control, and violence over women and other less socially advantaged men. I’ve seen firsthand the positive effect of working with boys and young men to build their understanding of social diversity, bodily autonomy, and the cultural messages which shut down men’s options for connection and self-expression. As a ‘boy mom’ I am very concerned about the epidemic levels of mental health problems that young men experience, linked closely to men’s emotional isolation which is expected in our culture. I want to feel confident that when my boys go out into the world, they will listen to girls, honor their wishes, and amplify their stories.

I know that we can raise better, happier, kinder boys who will grow into the men our society needs. Let’s do this together.

Are you ready to join me?

Raising Feminist Boys: The E-Course

Self-directed course now booking!!