FIND OWN YOUR

TV's Dr Ranj Singh has written a new book called How To Be A Boy And Do It Your Own Way and is on a mission to encourage young people to be true to themselves.

Dr Ranj Singh, best known as a celebrity contestant on Strictly Come Dancing and for dispensing health advice on Morning Live on BBC One, is on a mission to ensure every young person feels confident in their own skin. His new book How To Be A Boy And Do It Your Own Way reads like an owner’s manual for boys and young men, equipping them with the right tools to help them look after their mental health, enjoy a positive body image and navigate peer pressure and bullying. It also unpacks gender stereotypes, leadership, allyship and respect for women, and reflects on what it takes to be kind and responsible in today’s world.

Dr Ranj is out to reassure readers that there isn’t one way to be a boy; what’s important is to be true to oneself and kind to others. In exploring this he uses insights from his role as an NHS paediatrician, as well as extracts from high-profile personalities, including Army Cadets National Ambassador Jordan Wylie.

Why did you write the book?

Just like many parents, carers and teachers, I feel concerned about the kind of messages boys and young men get through the media, especially social media. They are being bombarded with messages and images of how they should be, yet nobody is guiding them to how they could be. I wanted to help them discover who they really are, celebrate how brilliant they are and be the best version of themselves, which doesn’t necessarily reflect the kind of masculinity they might see online or on screen.

What do you hope readers get from the book?

There are themes of being confident, kind, compassionate and emotionally intelligent. I hope readers (of any age or gender) can take on those messages and feel they can be all of these things.

I'd like them to celebrate themselves but also other people. There’s a thread in the book about kindness and being a decent human being and about showing respect for others’ individuality and diversity.

No matter who the reader is, their background, abilities, or where they're from, I hope they take away positive messages that don't always get aired. I'd like it to give them permission to be themselves – and to be brilliant!

How did gender stereotypes affect you when you were growing up?

We talk a lot in the book about expectations. These might be expectations of boys based on their gender, culture and race. I come from quite a traditional Indian background and, like in many other cultures, boys are expected to behave in a certain way – to be the leaders, the macho ones, the ones in charge. If somebody had told me when I was younger that I could be whatever I wanted to be, without pressure to be a certain way, I think I would have been happier.