Bumps on the Road
Length: 25:00
Type: Lecture
Description: A personal statement about gynecomastia and an exploration of the emotional landscape of a young man's journey with gynecomastia. An explanation of the condition but much more about the emotional impact. This video will leave you with a better understanding of gynecomastia, how to engage with it, and what to do about it.
Further Description:
Gynecomastia is the condition of a male having female-like breasts. The breast, or breast tissue, can range from a small hard lump under the nipple(s) to massive F size breasts.
There are both adult and adolescent onset forms of gynecomastia. The condition can affect pubescent boys as they are first becoming aware of their bodies and themselves as sexual beings. They are trying to figure out what it means to be male and what is needed to be a man. To be afflicted with at this point in their development, if not handled well, can cripple them emotionally, derail normal socialization with friends, impede romantic involvement and cause a lifetime of self-hatred and isolation.
It is imperative that we educate parents, teachers, doctors, nurses and coaches boy shirtless about the condition, so the boy can be informed about it without shame. The conversations should be normalized and appropriate treatment options be explored.
Adolescence is not for the meek. It is already a tough time in almost every child's life. Tour any Junior High School in this country and you will see children with emerging hormones, desperately trying to make sense of what is happening to them. For a boy trying to sort out his masculinity to then develop a secondary female characteristic, it can be devastating. But it does not have to be that way. With education and early intervention, we can make the journey out of childhood a little easier and a lot less traumatic for the boys with gynecomastia.