"We've begun to raise daughters more like sons... but few have the courage to raise our sons more like our daughters"

Gloria Steinem reflects on evolving patterns in the upbringing of children, drawing attention to the way society handles gender roles. Over time, there's been a recognizable effort to encourage girls to pursue paths and exhibit traits traditionally associated with boys, strength, independence, ambition, and assertiveness. Steinem notes this shift as positive progress toward greater equality, empowering daughters to envision themselves in roles once deemed inappropriate or unattainable for women.

However, Steinem's observation is not merely celebratory; she points to an imbalance that persists. While society supports giving daughters access to the traits and opportunities formerly reserved for sons, there is hesitancy, fear, even, when considering the converse. Few parents or cultural institutions promote in their sons the traits stereotypically seen as feminine: vulnerability, empathy, nurturing, expressiveness, and emotional intelligence. These qualities, undervalued in patriarchal structures, remain largely underdeveloped in boys due to persistent social anxieties about masculinity and the stigma attached to men who express sensitivity or softness.

Steinem’s words challenge the notion of progress that is one-sided. True gender equality involves not just expanding the options for girls but also liberating boys from the narrow confines of traditional masculinity. The courage she references is the willingness to question why gentleness, expressiveness, and compassion should be discouraged in boys. She invites a reconsideration of what it means to be strong and successful, encouraging both parents and society to foster environments where boys can grow into well-rounded, emotionally healthy individuals. Only by allowing sons to embody qualities long considered feminine can society move toward real equality, benefiting not only individual children but also the collective well-being and humanity’s broader understanding of gender itself.