For 25 years, journalist peggy orenstein has been documenting and dissecting the inner lives of teenage girls exploring why some struggle with confidence or cling to secret Disney fantasies. But with the #MeToo movement shining an overdue light on sexual assault, she’s focusing on another urgent subject: the sex lives of teenage boys, and the lessons they’re learning (or not learning) about how to be a man.
Orenstein talks to teens, compiles their stories to share with the world and provides the rest of us with a nuanced look at all aspects of their lives. For the follow-up to her 2016 book, Girls & Sex (R322, loot. co.za), she asked more than 100 guys between the ages of 16 and 22 about intimacy, masculinity and consent. The result, Boys & Sex (R541, exclusive books.co.za), is a stunning portrait of young men in quiet crisis and the dilemma of the “man box”. Emotional vulnerability is taboo, and they’re afraid of the ridicule should they acknowledge it.
Here, she talks about the importance of open conversations, porn and intimacy and more.
GQ: The boys in your book were so honest. How did you approach them?
This story is from the April 2020 edition of GQ South Africa.
Subscribe to Magzter GOLD to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign in
This story is from the April 2020 edition of GQ South Africa.
Subscribe to Magzter GOLD to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign in
DYNAME DAYIMANI
Hacjivah Dayimani is undoubtedly a generational talent who takes on his dreams on and off the field
Shut up, bitch!
Why we really need to stop rewarding misogyny in popular culture
WHAT'S TRENDING IN TECH CAREERS?
The technology industry is booming and demand for certain skills has skyrocketed. If you want to know what the most in-demand careers are, we've got the answer
THE BUSINESS OF SPORTS SPONSORSHIPS
Never before has more money been thrown into marketing with athletes, sports teams or sporting events and this billion-dollar industry continues to grow
GO.
Blazing into the 2023 Cape Town E-Prix at a top speed of 322km/h, the Gen3 is the fastest, most efficient Formula E car yet
BOLD & beautiful
With its new 7 Series, Walter Hayward believes BMW has a future classic on its hands. Purists, calm down
INSIDE A RALLY DRIVER'S DAY
Henk Lategan, the Toyota Gazoo racer and one of SA’s most successful rally drivers, shows no sign of stopping.
STAY.
THE SEARCH FOR A PILL THAT CAN HELP DOGS, AND EVENTUALLY HUMANS, LIVE LONGER
ALWAYS EVOLVING
Seabelo Senatla's ready to reclaim his space on the rugby pitch and has no intention of stopping asking, what's next? His mission is to evolve into the complete person he's meant to be
YOUR HOME AWAY FROM HOME
Discover Badensfontein and Cellar 1848 - where your story begins
Adult Supervision at OnlyFans
Sexually explicit content helped turn the online creator community into a runaway hit-and nearly got it run out of business. The challenge for its 37-year-old CEO Amrapali Gan: Keeping the platform sex-positive, while ensuring content stays above board.
Activision Blizzard Settles SEC Charges for $35 Million
Government regulators announced that videogame maker Activision Blizzard has agreed to pay $35 million to settle charges that it failed to maintain controls to collect and assess workplace complaints with regard to disclosure requirements and violated a federal whistleblower protection rule.
The Revolution That Wasn't
It's been five years since #MeToo rocked Hollywood. Insiders say not enough has changed
SEX & LOVE The Body Image-Pleasure Connection
How to tune out negative thoughts for better sex
Stranger Dangers
How one website has become a magnet for kids and sexual predators, and what it might mean for the future of tech.
How Not to Be the Most Awkward Person at a Sex Party
Your guide to acting like you've been there before, as established by the people who have.
EU COURT LARGELY UPHOLDS $4B GOOGLE ANDROID ANTITRUST FINE
A top court largely rejected Google’s appeal of a record European Union antitrust fine imposed for throttling competition and reducing consumer choice through the dominance of its mobile Android operating system.
Hotel Sex at Home
It's not your imagination-it's science: Vacation sex hits different! Here's how to sneakily re-create those downright orgasmic vibes without cashing in a single frequent-flier mile.
(Un) Happy Ending
Sex addiction in women is on the rise in Australia, but even as cases increase and awareness of the condition grows, the shame, secrecy and stigma remain. Writer Alley Pascoe investigates the unspoken-about condition
Annabelle Knight – On Making Sexual Health a Priority
The role of Sex in a relationship has a lot more to it than just getting physical