Encounter with a feminist mother of a boy

By Dottie Lamm

The young woman strode toward me eyes blazing and mouth set.  Oh, oh, I thought – here it comes!

I had just given a talk to a group of feminist women on why I thought boys might be the new disparaged and discriminated against group.  That boys and young men were dropping behind academically and not rising to their leadership potential.  That perhaps we feminists should take them on as a cause, like we have always taken on the issues of women and girls.

Many in the audience seemed receptive, but having written an article along the same vein, and having received comments from feminists like:

“Boys are still favored and men still run the world, so what are you worried about?!”

“Some feminist you are!!”

“So now that you have grandsons, are you only worried about them, and no longer about the plight of girls?”

I now expected more push back.

So bracing my self for an attack from this young determined woman, I tried to relax into a smile and told myself to just listen.  And I’m glad I did, for here is what she said:

“I am the mother of an eight-year-old boy now in the second grade.  He seems to have lost his interest in learning, and so have some of his friends. Though the girls in his class are all ‘eager beavers’ – dashing ahead, he just isn’t performing, though earlier tests show he is bright enough. I thought maybe you could tell me where we could get some help……….”

Take home message:  Feminist moms have boys too!