
About this episode
Ruth Whippman and Neil Levine discuss their journey to raise emotionally intelligent boys in the context of modern challenges and the #MeToo movement.
When the #MeToo movement exploded in 2017, journalist Ruth Whippman — nearly nine months pregnant with her third son — experienced a profound conflict. As a feminist, she celebrated the movement; as a mother, she worried: "How am I gonna raise these boys to be good?" This tension launched Ruth on a quest to understand modern American boyhood and what's not working. Ruth and her husband Neil Levine tell Anita about their journey of putting Ruth’s research into practice, working to give their sons the emotional tools to thrive in a changing world — and what’s at stake if we don’t shift our approach to raising boys. Meet the guests: - Ruth Whippman is the author of " BoyMom: Reimagining Boyhood in the Age of Impossible Masculinity " - Neil Levine is Ruth's husband Read the transcript | Review the podcast on your preferred platform Follow Embodied on Instagram Leave a message for Embodied Please note: This episode originally published May 8, 2025.
People in this episode
Host: Anita
Guests: Ruth Whippman, Neil Levine
Topics covered
- raising boys
- feminism
- emotional tools
- modern boyhood
- parenting
- gender roles
Keywords
- boyhood
- parenting
- emotional intelligence
- masculinity
- gender
- feminism
- child development
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Embodied, WUNC
Books & works: BoyMom: Reimagining Boyhood in the Age of Impossible Masculinity
More episodes of Embodied
- Building A Queer Life In The Country · June 11, 2026 · 50 min
- Faceblindness & A Journey To Rediscover Your Brain Midlife · June 4, 2026 · 50 min
- Making The Kid Decision ... And Learning To Live With It · May 28, 2026 · 50 min
- Why The Former ‘Fastest Girl In America’ Wants To Change Sports · May 21, 2026 · 50 min
- Stuttered: Diversifying The Way We Speak · May 14, 2026 · 50 min
- How A Mother Learned To Connect Without Language · May 7, 2026 · 50 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Embodied podcast page.