Year: 2011
Type: dissertation
Abstract: This thesis investigates the role of masculinities on men’s sexual and reproductive \nhealth in Botswana. Botswana is currently in the throes of a severe heterosexually \ndriven HIV/AIDS epidemic that has eroded some of the developmental gains the \ncountry had achieved since independence. A unique feature of Botswana’s HIV \nepidemic is the rapid and phenomenal increase in infection and prevalence rates in the \nface of good levels of knowledge of HIV prevention and an early and comprehensive \nHIV prevention strategy that guaranteed access to free HIV prevention and treatment \nservices, including ARV treatment. \nThe lack of effectiveness of the country’s HIV efforts and subsequent increase in \ninfection rates have been blamed on men’s risky sexual behavior and lack of support of \ntheir partners’ decisions to utilize these services. In fact, quantitative studies on men’s \nsexual behavior and HIV such as the Botswana AIDS Impact Surveys show that men are \nless likely to use VCT services and more likely to engage in risky sexual behavior that \nincreases risk of HIV infection to themselves and their partners. While studies provide \nthe evidence that implicates men in the rapid growth Botswana’s HIV epidemic, the \nstudies provide little or no explanation of factors that motivate men’s behavior in \nreproductive health. This lack of insights on factors that motivate men’s behavior leads \nto stereotypes about male promiscuity and may contribute to the lack of effectiveness of \nHIV prevention strategies. \nThe current HIV epidemic has thus thrust heterosexual masculinities at the centre of \nHIV prevention efforts and provides an opportunity for research to interrogate the role \nof heterosexual masculinities in reproductive health, especially HIV transmission and \nprevention. The thesis employs qualitative data to provide in-depth appreciation of the \nprevalent masculine norms and beliefs and to highlight contextual factors and processes \nthat shape and give rise to various masculinities. It further uses quantitative data to \nprovide measures of levels of men’s masculine and gender role beliefs that may \ninfluence HIV prevention and transmission and to test the association between \nmasculinities and men’s sexual and reproductive health attitudes and practices. \nThe results show that men’s sense of identity is socially constructed, and revolves \naround the notion of superiority to women, independence and having and being in \ncontrol of the family. However, men face many challenges to the realization of this \nmasculine ideal. Men’s perceived difficulty or failure to live up to socially constructed \nMen, Masculinities and Sexual and Reproductive Health in Botswana \nvii \nnotions of masculinities affects their experience of sexual and reproductive health \nprograms, especially women’s empowerment and HIV prevention programs. By their \nnature, these programs tend to challenge men’s dominance of women’s decision on \nsexuality, and are therefore experienced as a threat to some men’s sense of identity. \nQuantitative results indicate an association between masculinities and sexual and \nreproductive health. While men’s sense of masculinities is not the overriding factor \ndetermining their sexual and reproductive health attitudes and practices, the results \nshow a strong association traditional masculine beliefs and negative sexual and \nreproductive health beliefs and practices. \nHowever, there is also strong evidence that men and masculinities are responding to \ncontextual factors, such as the HIV epidemic, which has become a specific stress on the \nlocal construction of masculinities. In focus group discussions, many men challenged \ntraditional masculine norms, beliefs and practices that increase their vulnerability to \nHIV infection and those that either encourage or condone violence within intimate \nrelationships. Significantly high proportions of men had positive attitudes towards HIV \nprevention programs. It is evident that now more than ever (and thanks to the \nHIV/AIDS epidemic) many men are ready to question the predominant masculine \nnorms, beliefs and practices that increase their vulnerability to infection and disease. \nThese voices of change represent a window of opportunity for research and programs \ncan meaningfully engage with men and masculinities on issues of sexuality, gender \nroles, sexual and reproductive health and HIV/AIDS prevention and transmission. \nThere is need for future research and interventions to move away from focusing \nexclusively on individual models of preventive health behaviors to more multilevel, \ncultural and contextual explanations. Taking account of multilevel, cultural and \ncontextual factors that shape masculinities and men’s sense of identity will ensure \nincreased effectiveness of sexual and reproductive health programs, especially \nHIV/AIDS prevention programs. On the other hand, failure to account for cultural and \ncontextual factors that shape individuals’ behavior will only ensure that the \nshortcomings of such intervention program will continue to be blamed on the \nindividual.
Author: Serai Daniel Rakgoasi
Language: English
Subfield: Gender Studies
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W36162671