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Boy

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"Boys" redirects here. For other uses, seeBoys (disambiguation)andBoy (disambiguation).

Tigrayboy inEthiopia
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Human growth
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Aboyis a youngmalehuman.The term is commonly used for achildor anadolescent.When a male human reaches adulthood, he is usually described as aman.

Definition, etymology, and use

According to theMerriam-Webster Dictionary,a boy is "a male child from birth to adulthood".[1]

The word "boy" comes fromMiddle Englishboi, boye( "boy, servant" ), related to otherGermanicwords forboy,namelyEast Frisianboi( "boy, young man" ) andWest Frisianboai( "boy" ). Although the exactetymologyis obscure, the English and Frisian forms probably derive from an earlierAnglo-Frisian*bō-ja( "little brother" ), a diminutive of the Germanic root *bō-( "brother, male relation" ), fromProto-Indo-European*bhā-,*bhāt-( "father, brother" ). The root is also found inNorwegian dialectalboa( "brother" ), and, through a reduplicated variant *bō-bō-,inOld Norsebófi,Dutchboef"(criminal) knave, rogue",GermanBube( "knave, rogue, boy" ). Furthermore, the word may be related toBōia,anAnglo-Saxonpersonal name.[2]

Poor Neapolitan children
African boy transporting fodder
Tanzanian boy transporting fodder

Specific uses

Race

Historically,[when?]in the United States and South Africa, "boy" was used not only for domestic servants but also more generally as a disparaging term for black men; the term implied a subservient status.[3][4][5][6]Thomas Branch, an early African-American Seventh-day Adventist missionary to Nyassaland (Malawi) referred to the native students as "boys":

There is one way by which we judge many of our present boys to be quite different from some of those who were here long ago: those that are married have their wives here with them, and build their own houses, and all are busy making their gardens. I have told all the boys that if they wished to stay here and learn, those that had wives must bring them.[7]

Multiple politicians – including New Jersey GovernorChris Christieand former Kentucky CongressmanGeoff Davis– have been criticized publicly for referring to a black man as "boy".[5][6]

During an event promoting the 2017bo xing boutbetweenFloyd Mayweather Jr.andConor McGregor,the latter told the former to "dance for me, boy."[8]The remarks led several boxers – including Mayweather andAndre Ward– as well as multiple commentators to accuse McGregor of racism.[8][9][10][11]

Biology

Sex determination

A child's genetic sex is determined by the sex chromosome of the sperm involved. Typically, if an egg is fertilized by a sperm containing an X chromosome, the fetus will have two X chromosomes and its chromosomal sex will be female. If an egg is fertilized by a sperm containing a Y chromosome, the fetus will have XY chromosomes and its chromosomal sex will be male.

Human sex is determined atfertilizationwhen thegeneticsexof thezygoteis determined by whether thespermcellcontains an X or Y chromosome. If the sperm cell contains anX chromosome,the fetus will be XX and, typically, agirlwill develop. A sperm cell carrying a Y chromosome results in an XY combination, and typically a boy will develop. Variations from this general rule result inintersexfetuses.[12]

In utero development and genitalia

Armenianboys at play
bangladeshi boys
Bangladeshiboys, sitting on a tree

In male embryos at six to seven weeks' gestation, "the expression of a gene on the Y chromosome induces changes that result in the development of the testes". At approximately nine weeks' gestation, the production of testosterone by a male embryo results in the development of the male reproductive system.[13]

Filipinoboy

Themale reproductive systemincludes both external and internal organs. The external organs include thepenis,thescrotum,and thetesticles(or testes). The penis is a cylindrical organ filled with spongy tissue. It is the organ used by boys to expelurine.The foreskin of some boys' penises is removed in a process known ascircumcision.The scrotum is a loose sac of skin behind the penis which contains the testicles. Testicles are oval-shaped gonads. A boy generally possesses two testicles. Internal male reproductive organs include thevas deferens,theejaculatory ducts,theurethra,theseminal vesicles,and theprostategland.[14][15]

Physical maturation

Pubertyis the process by which children's bodies mature into adult bodies that are capable of reproduction. On average, boys begin puberty at ages 11–12 and complete puberty at ages 16–17.[16][17]

In boys, puberty begins with the enlargement of the testicles and scrotum. The penis also increases in size, and a boy develops pubic hair. A boy's testicles also begin making sperm. The release of semen, which contains sperm and other fluids, is called ejaculation.[18]During puberty, a boy's erect penis becomes capable ofejaculatingsemenand impregnating afemale.[14][15]A boy's first ejaculation is an important milestone in his development.[19]On average, a boy's firstejaculationoccurs at age 13.[20]Ejaculation sometimes occurs during sleep; this phenomenon is known as anocturnal emission.[18]

When a boy reaches puberty,testosteronetriggers the development of secondary sex characteristics. A boy's muscles increase in size and mass, his voice deepens, his bones lengthen, and the shape of his face and body changes.[21]The increased secretion of testosterone from the testicles during puberty causes the male secondary sexual characteristics to be manifested.[22]Male secondary sex characteristics include:

Adolescent boys inUruguay

Group and gender norms

Boys across various age groups are often part of social circles that establish their own unique norms. These norms serve as a benchmark for boys to assess their peers. The adherence to these group norms often holds more weight than the mere affiliation to the group. In fact, boys who do not conform to these norms are often evaluated lower than those who, despite being strangers, conform to the group’s norms. This phenomenon underscores the powerful influence of group norms in shaping attitudes and actions, and the social implications of conformity.[26][27][28] Boys who defy gender norms may face a higher risk of abuse, and may experience more depression than gender-conforming peers, as well associal stigmafrom parents[29]and peers.[30][31]Thegender policingtowards them can increase the risk of alcohol use, anxiety, and depression in adulthood.[32]

In some cultures, the birth of a male child (boy) is considered prosperous.[33]

Boys and child labor

Boys perform the majority ofchild laboraround the world compared to girls; 88 million child laborers are boys and 64 million are girls. Boys are also the primary victims of hazardous child labor. They are mainly employed in theagriculture,constructionandminingsectors. Boy workers also account for about 87 percent of those who died on the job between 2003 and 2016 in the US.[34]

Boys working in textile millsMassachusetts,1912

Boys are given a basic reading, writing and mathematics skill and then forced to pursue their father's profession in order to alleviate financial burden of the family. This is one of the main reasons why boys are preferred over girls by the rural communities in poor countries. InIndia,by contrast, the majority of adopted children are girls even though boys are preferred in general compared to girls.[35][36][37]

See also

References

  1. ^"Definition of BOY".
  2. ^See:
    • Etymology Online- entry for "boy"
    • H. H. Malincrodt,Latijn-Nederlands woordenboek(Latin-Dutch dictionary)
    • Webster's Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary
    • Buck, Carl Darling(1988) [1949].A Dictionary of Selected Synonyms in the Principal Indo-European Languages.Chicago: University of Chicago Press.ISBN978-0-226-07937-0.
  3. ^Corriher, Billy (2011-12-21)."Court finally says 'boy' comments are racist".Harvard Law and Policy Review.Retrieved2017-07-18.
  4. ^Ifill, Sherrilyn A. (24 August 2010)."When 'Boy' Is Not a Racist Remark".The Root.Retrieved2017-07-18.
  5. ^abMartin, Roland S. (15 April 2008)."Understanding why you don't call a black man a boy".CNN.Archived fromthe originalon 2022-05-25.Retrieved2017-07-18.
  6. ^ab"Racist Or Not? Gov. Chris Christie Calls Black Man 'Boy' In Town Hall [VIDEO]".News One.2013-03-16.Retrieved2017-07-18.
  7. ^Branch, Thomas H. (January 3, 1907)."British Central Africa"(PDF).Review and Herald.84(1). Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Publishing Association: 18.RetrievedMay 5,2015.
  8. ^ab"Floyd Mayweather accuses Conor McGregor of racism and uses homophobic slur".The Guardian.2017-07-15.ISSN0261-3077.Retrieved2017-07-18.
  9. ^Chiari, Mike (13 July 2017)."Andre Ward Doesn't Like Conor McGregor Calling Floyd Mayweather 'Boy'".Bleacher Report.Retrieved2017-07-18.
  10. ^Callahan, Yesha (13 June 2017)."Yes, Conor McGregor Is a Racist".The Root.Retrieved2017-07-18.
  11. ^Bell, Gabriel (14 July 2017)."Conor McGregor denies being a racist with racist statement".Salon.Retrieved2017-07-18.
  12. ^Fauci et al. 2008,pp. 2339–2346.
  13. ^Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Understanding the Biology of Sex and Gender Differences (November 28, 2001). Wizemann, Theresa M.; Pardue, Mary-Lou (eds.).Sex Begins in the Womb.National Academies Press (US) – via ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
  14. ^ab"Male Reproductive System Information".Cleveland Clinic.
  15. ^ab"The Male Reproductive System".WebMD.
  16. ^Kail, RV; Cavanaugh JC (2010).Human Development: A Lifespan View(5th ed.).Cengage Learning.p. 296.ISBN978-0-495-60037-4.
  17. ^D. C. Phillips (2014).Encyclopedia of Educational Theory and Philosophy.SAGE Publications.pp. 18–19.ISBN978-1-4833-6475-9.On average, the onset of puberty is about 18 months earlier for girls (usually starting around the age of 10 or 11 and lasting until they are 15 to 17) than for boys (who usually begin puberty at about the age of 11 to 12 and complete it by the age of 16 to 17, on average).
  18. ^ab"Puberty: Adolescent Male | Johns Hopkins Medicine".Hopkinsmedicine.org.Retrieved2020-02-27.
  19. ^"Male puberty milestones".Health24.Retrieved2020-02-27.
  20. ^(Jorgensen & Keiding 1991).
  21. ^abcdefgBjorklund DF, Blasi CH (2011).Child and Adolescent Development: An Integrated Approach.Cengage Learning.pp. 152–153.ISBN978-1133168379.
  22. ^Van de Graaff & Fox 1989,p. 933-4.
  23. ^Pack PE (2016).CliffsNotes AP Biology, 5th Edition.Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.p. 219.ISBN978-0544784178.
  24. ^ab"Help is here!".hartnell.edu.Archived fromthe originalon February 8, 2009.
  25. ^"Secondary Characteristics".hu-berlin.de.Archived fromthe originalon 2011-09-27.
  26. ^McGuire, Luke; Palmer, Sally B.; Rutland, Adam (2022)."Children's and adolescents' evaluations of peers who challenge their group: The role of gender norms and identity".Social Development.31(2): 423–437.doi:10.1111/sode.12546.
  27. ^Smith, Joanne R. (2020)."Group Norms".Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Psychology.doi:10.1093/acrefore/9780190236557.013.453.ISBN978-0-19-023655-7.Retrieved2024-03-25.
  28. ^Levitan, Lindsey C.; Verhulst, Brad (2016)."Conformity in Groups: The Effects of Others' Views on Expressed Attitudes and Attitude Change".Political Behavior.38(2): 277–315.doi:10.1007/s11109-015-9312-x.Retrieved2024-03-25.
  29. ^Bridges, Dori (24 April 2019)."Parents more uncomfortable with gender-nonconforming behaviors in boys, study finds".PsyPost.Retrieved19 August2020.
  30. ^"Gender Nonconforming Children, Particularly Boys, Are Less Popular With Peers".The Good Men Project.20 January 2020.Retrieved19 August2020.
  31. ^Roberts, Andrea; Rosario, Margaret; Slopen, Natalie; Calzo, Jeren (2012)."Childhood Gender Nonconformity, Bullying Victimization, and Depressive Symptoms Across Adolescence and Early Adulthood: An 11-Year Longitudinal Study".Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.52(2): 143–152.doi:10.1016/j.jaac.2012.11.006.PMC3635805.PMID23357441.Retrieved19 August2020.
  32. ^Bauermeister, José A.; Connochie, Daniel; Jadwin-Cakmak, Laura; Meanley, Steven (May 2017)."Gender Policing During Childhood and the Psychological Well-Being of Young Adult Sexual Minority Men in the United States".American Journal of Men's Health.11(3): 693–701.doi:10.1177/1557988316680938.ISSN1557-9883.PMC5393921.PMID27903954.
  33. ^Brink, Susan (26 August 2015)."Selecting Boys Over Girls Is A Trend In More And More Countries".NPR.org.Retrieved2021-05-14.
  34. ^"Child Labor Facts and Statistics about Child Labor Around The World - Compassion International".compassion.Retrieved2021-05-26.
  35. ^"10 Basic Facts about Child Labor Globally – stopchildlabor".stopchildlabor.org.16 July 2018.Retrieved2021-05-26.
  36. ^"World Day Against Child Labour: 152 million children are forced to work for a living".India Today.June 12, 2018.Retrieved2021-05-26.
  37. ^"The number of Children available for adoption is less than 1/4th the demand despite the simplification in adoption process".FACTLY.2016-07-11.Retrieved2021-05-26.

Further reading

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