Ever since I plunged into the world of children's literature, shortly after the birth of my first child, I've been struck by the absence of strong, positive, male role models in the stories that they most love to read. As a child, the moment I realized that my cousins had the Hardy Boys was when my copies of Nancy Drew went into the attic. Today's boys however, have the anti-hero: Artemis Fowl; or the hero in search of himself: Harry Potter; or the clueless hero: Percy Jackson. The really interesting books all involve groups of boys and girls: The Mysterious Benedict Society.
Anecdotally, I've heard that it's easier for a young man to get into certain competitive colleges - even in stem disciplines.
And once you enter the work force, it's the young women who have pulled ahead. Citing higher motivation and better work ethic from young women, the NY Times points out the lack, at the top, of young men.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/14/us/14iht-letter14.html?_r=1&src=recg
What does this mean for my sons? For our society in general?
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