ABSTRACT
Chapter Five argues boys’ friendships are complex and nuanced. Boys need emotional and physical closeness in order to enhance their sense of belonging, of wellbeing, and of self-worth. Research demonstrates that boys need to share secrets safely, to talk to each other, and to maintain close friendships into adulthood. Significant obstacles to these needs are presented by traditional, societal expectations of men: the need to appear macho or the fear of appearing less masculine, right down to subtle or overt homophobia when seeking the intimacy of close, non-sexual friendship. This chapter argues for the importance of the ‘bromance’ for males when developing mutually supportive connections. Lesson planning is offered on how to deliver sessions on healthy male friendships, including how to present and discuss relationships in literary texts. Dialogue with boys is modelled for teachers seeking to talk more to boys about friendships, to facilitate emotional connection and to recognise and normalise loving, homosocial relationships. Practical advice on planning groupwork in classrooms, and an entire sequence for teaching listening and interview skills, round off this essential chapter for all educators on helping boys develop quality friendships which will enhance their mental and emotional health.
