--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We need to stop raising boys to think…" description: "\"We need to stop raising boys to think that they need to prove their masculinity by being controlling or by not showing emotion or by not being little g..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d38/gloria-steinem-277_boys_we-need-to-stop-raising-boys-to-think-th_801332.jpg" --- # We need to stop raising boys to think that they need to… ![“We need to stop raising boys to think that they need to prove their masculinity by being controlling or by not showing emotion or by not being little girls.” quote by Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d38/gloria-steinem-277_boys_we-need-to-stop-raising-boys-to-think-th_801332.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d38/gloria-steinem-277_boys_we-need-to-stop-raising-boys-to-think-th_801332.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d38/gloria-steinem-277_boys_we-need-to-stop-raising-boys-to-think-th_801332.jpg) > “We need to stop raising boys to think that they need to prove their masculinity by being controlling or by not showing emotion or by not being little girls.” [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Society should allow boys to express emotions and reject harmful masculinity norms, fostering healthier identities. **In simple terms:** Boys need freedom to feel and be themselves. Key Takeaway Promote emotional openness in all genders. Themes gender equality masculinity emotional health Mood hopeful determined Type advocacy educational When to use this quote - parenting - education - media representation - mental health initiatives Key Concepts Feminism social conditioning Questions to Reflect On - What early experiences shape a boy’s view of masculinity? - How can schools teach emotional intelligence? A Different Perspective Changing deep‑seated cultural expectations is slow and may meet resistance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Boys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boys/) [Emotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotion/) [Girl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/girl/) [Masculinity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/masculinity/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [I really think that Muslim people should stop raising their boys and girls that way. They instill a macho culture right from the start…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sibel-kekilli/i-really-think-that-muslim-people-should-stop-raising-their-boys-and/) [Sibel Kekilli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sibel-kekilli/) > [“Males must prove their masculinity constantly, throughout their lives, from cradle to grave, in an endless series of rites and performances. And a woman’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuval-noah-harari/males-must-prove-their-masculinity-constantly-throughout-their-lives/) [Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/) > [I got into sports because that was a way to prove your masculinity. I was good at it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caitlyn-jenner/i-got-into-sports-because-that-was-a-way-to-prove-your-masculinity-i/) [Caitlyn Jenner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caitlyn-jenner/) > [The best way to get rid of criminals is to stop raising them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-rice/the-best-way-to-get-rid-of-criminals-is-to-stop-raising-them/) [John R. Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-rice/) > [I had a great family. Nobody ever told me that I should stop raising my hand in class or that I should become -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marielle-heller/i-had-a-great-family-nobody-ever-told-me-that-i-should-stop-raising/) [Marielle Heller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marielle-heller/) > [I'll never stop eating animals, I'm sure, but I do think that for the benefit of everyone, the time has come to stop raising…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-bittman/i-ll-never-stop-eating-animals-i-m-sure-but-i-do-think-that-for-the/) [Mark Bittman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-bittman/) > [Instead of raising awareness for bullying, how about parents just stop raising assholes?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/instead-of-raising-awareness-for-bullying-how-about-parents-just-stop/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [I won't give up, I'll never stop raising my voice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-rudiger/i-won-t-give-up-i-ll-never-stop-raising-my-voice/) [Antonio Rudiger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-rudiger/) > [I'm just doing my best to have a tremendous impact on their growth, raising them from boys to young men. 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Mother would come out and say, 'You're tearing up the grass';…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harmon-killebrew/my-father-used-to-play-with-my-brother-and-me-in-the-yard-mother/) [Harmon Killebrew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harmon-killebrew/) > [I was a social worker most of my life while raising my two boys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karamo-brown/i-was-a-social-worker-most-of-my-life-while-raising-my-two-boys/) [Karamo Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karamo-brown/) ## More by Gloria Steinem > [People waste more time waiting for someone to take charge of their lives than they do in any other pursuit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/people-waste-more-time-waiting-for-someone-to-take-charge-of-their/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [Nothing will happen automatically. Change depends on what you and I do every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/nothing-will-happen-automatically-change-depends-on-what-you-and-i-do/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [Women are never again going to be mindless coffee-makers or mindless policy-makers in politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/women-are-never-again-going-to-be-mindless-coffee-makers-or-mindless/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [The state of female artists is very good. 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