logo

31 pages 1 hour read

Boys & Sex: Young Men on Hookups, Love, Porn, Consent, and Navigating the New Masculinity

Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2020

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Book Brief

logo
Peggy Orenstein

Boys & Sex

Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2020
Book Details
Pages

304

Format

Book • Nonfiction

Setting

2020s

Publication Year

2020

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

Roundup icon

Super Short Summary

Boys & Sex by Peggy Orenstein explores modern masculinity and its relationship to sexuality, based on numerous interviews with young men of diverse backgrounds. The book delves into the impact of pornography, hookup culture, and toxic masculinity on sexual and emotional intimacy, including key issues of consent and gendered racism. Orenstein examines how emotional validation can help boys develop into compassionate adults. This work discusses sexual assault and issues surrounding sexual consent.

Informative

Challenging

Emotional

Unnerving

Contemplative

Reviews & Readership

4.4

7,002 ratings

85%

Loved it

12%

Mixed feelings

3%

Not a fan

Roundup icon

Review Roundup

Peggy Orenstein's Boys & Sex delves into contemporary male sexual experiences and attitudes, offering valuable insights. Critical acclaim highlights its candid interviews and nuanced discussion. However, some suggest it lacks diversity in perspectives and depth in exploring potential solutions. Overall, it's a crucial contribution to understanding modern male sexuality.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Boys & Sex?

Ideal readers for Peggy Orenstein’s Boys & Sex are parents, educators, and those interested in adolescent development and gender studies. If you appreciated books like Girlhood by Melissa Febos or Missoula by Jon Krakauer, you would likely find Orenstein’s insightful exploration of masculinity and sexuality engaging.

4.4

7,002 ratings

85%

Loved it

12%

Mixed feelings

3%

Not a fan

Character List

Peggy Orenstein

An award-winning journalist and author who explores modern masculinity by interviewing over a hundred teenage boys, providing insight into male views on sexuality.

A gay college sophomore in San Francisco who shares his experiences of living openly and the challenges he faced in hiding his sexual orientation.

A thoughtful African American college student grappling with expectations of sex and intimacy, as well as the complexities of being part of an underrepresented group at his college.

A college athlete who embodies the white male jock stereotype but feels constrained by societal expectations to conform to this identity.

A college freshman and lacrosse player who rejects the bro culture of locker rooms, choosing to transfer schools to align his environment with his principles.

A trans man and college swimmer who navigates his transition and experiences in a male locker room, aiming for healthy and consensual sexual communication.

A Latinx gay man who struggles to fit into hyper-masculine norms, dealing with the pressure of scholarship status at a private school and the challenges of identity expression.

A college student who becomes an advocate for affirmative consent after engaging in a restorative justice process following a non-consensual encounter.

Book Details
Pages

304

Format

Book • Nonfiction

Setting

2020s

Publication Year

2020

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

Continue your reading experience

Subscribe now to unlock the rest of this Study Guide plus our full library, which features expert-written summaries and analyses of 8,000+ additional titles.