Resisting The Macho Code: Raising Boys to Be Men

Canadians of a certain age might remember “Rock Em Sock Em Hockey”, a series of videotapes sold over the t.v. and chock full of bone-rattling hits, fights, and general mayhem. It was the 1980s, and if you went to a junior hockey team in any town, you were likely to see all-out brawls, with fans seemingly baying for blood. This was before concussion protocols. This was the heyday of the “enforcer”, or “goons”, big tough guys employed basically to take a few shifts, protect the team’s star, and occasionally, drop the gloves and fight.

We know better now. We know about trauma to the brain. We know about concussions. We know that tough guys have tender brains which can rattle around in their skull cages. We know that being “tough” shouldn’t have to mean sacrificing body and mind.

But still, stereotypes of “being a man exist”.

This post is prompted by a news story I once read about workplace bullying. One employee was suspended from the workplace for being a bully; another had already left the team due to the acts of bullying.

The workplace happened to be an NFL locker room. The details don’t matter (and they’re out there for you to find), but what matters is the response. I got a bit curious for a few days, and read a few articles. Of course, the player who taunted and used racial slurs…