Life is more complex than the way we think, what is your norm depends on how you have been socialised. What you think is progress can be viewed otherwise.
I have come to realise that a boy brought up in the village and the one brought up in town have different expectations on what is being a man. This happens to be the biggest cause of unhealthy relationships of our generation. Men and women are creatures of socialisation,and woe unto you if you socialise your male new borns to be women or you have been socialised as that.
And what is this love? ..and how is it expressed in men and women? . ..Our understanding of what is love definitely is critical in our expression or perceived expression.
Let me talk about myself and not what ought to be, because what we think ought to be is just that,because each one of us socialise our kids and manages our relationships in what we think will be the best for us and our generations to come. It pisses me when we sometimes preach how we bring up our children as if it is the gospel; as if there is no other way.

Women require affirmation, they need to be told they are loved, whatever love is because it's something nice. They need to be spoilt, once in while.

For me, if love is kindness, don't tell me, show me. . As a man respect and loyalty comes first. .but when we rear a newborn male like a woman, he will definitely require affirmation. .and then it is just lying in the bed we have laid for ourselves.
And then some of us will call it progress...my foot

Good one @gathundi,you have put it right.

A father (male) does not need to be told "I love you", but he needs to be shown, he needs to see it in actions. I do not mean there is anything wrong if you keep telling them. But reserve this to your mother, sister, wife, daughter, aunt etc... You can even tell your mother "I love" you 24 times a day and she will be so happy...

For you to develop self-respecting male boys, you need to start valuing and respecting them... And teach them to be strong willed, good leaders, who can care and protect their families in future etc.

A possible explanation is that we are more white collar than blue collar these days but that said... it's likely that we will out live those fellows... Masculinity Is Killing Men: The Roots of Men and Trauma

Nobody is in disagreement that culture is ever evolving. Will we manage this transition to deliver men from boys instead of women by way of upbringing?,or will we deliver social misfits?.
Which way? Those are the choices we have to make,..

Ihii itithiaga uthoni
Those boys have raised very pertinent issues.
The boy child was neglected and all the focus and resources channeled to girls.
There is inua dada,women fund,women rep but who is fighting for the empowerment of boys.
Girls are mentored in their lives and careers.Who is mentoring the boys?
How is a boy supposed to know what manhood entails.He is supposed to know everything and not being a sissy by asking for guidance.The men who go to maendeleo ya wanaume become laughing stock.Let them go drying.