Our Boys Are Not Broken—But They Are Breakable
In a recent Substack essay titled “Boys Need a Permission Structure,” author and researcher Rebekah Peeples explores how boys-only choirs, like the Birmingham Boys Choir, provide a powerful framework for developing healthy masculinity in today’s world.
Drawing on conversations with dozens of choir directors for her upcoming book, Peeples highlights the role of music, mentorship, and male role models in shaping the next generation of men. Among those featured is our own director, Ken Berg, who has led the Birmingham Boys Choir for nearly 50 years.
“One of the things that is consistent with boys throughout the generations is they thrive with permission,” Berg says. “I think that's why the hierarchy of the military is so appealing to boys… they crave someone noble, someone good, to follow and to emulate.”
Berg explains that while society regularly gives boys permission to be athletic, it rarely gives them permission to be artistic. That’s what makes organizations like the Birmingham Boys Choir so vital. We offer more than musical training—we offer boys a place to belong, to express, to create, and to grow.
Peeples reflects on this dynamic beautifully in her essay:
“When the curtain goes up, and there are a hundred boys standing there singing, all facing the same direction, doing the same thing… they’re creating something that’s really kind of cool.”
We’re honored to be part of a broader conversation about what boys need to thrive, and grateful to Rebekah Peeples for shining a light on the role of choirs in helping boys develop character, compassion, and confidence.
As Ken Berg once said at a concert:
“Our boys are not broken—but they are breakable. The only material we have to build the men of the next generation is the boys of this generation.”
📖 Read the Full Essay
Boys Need a Permission Structure by Rebekah Peeples →
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