Vulnerable masculinities : implications of gender socialisation in three rural Swazi primary schools

• Published in: South African journal of childhood education Vol. 9; no. 1; pp. 1 - 11
• Main Authors: Morojele, Pholoho J., Motsa, Ncamsile D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Johannesburg AOSIS 2019; African Online Scientific Information Systems (Pty) Ltd t/a AOSIS; AOSIS (Pty) Ltd; University of Johannesburg
• Subjects: Acquired immune deficiency syndrome; AIDS; AIDS (Disease); Boys; Children; Children & youth; Constructionism; Death; Disadvantaged; Education; Education, Special; Educational Experience; Educational Needs; Elementary School Students; Elementary schools; Equal Education; Eswatini; Foreign Countries; Gender; Gender Differences; Gender equality; Gender equity; Gender identity; Girls; Heads of Households; Heterosexual relationships; Heterosexuality; HIV; Households; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humiliation; Inclusion; Individualized Instruction; Language & Linguistics; Males; Management; Masculinities; Masculinity; Mathematics, Applied; Meaning; Orphans; Parents; Patriarchy; Photography; Poverty; Primary Education; Ridicule; Rural communities; Rural Schools; School construction; Schooling; Sex Role; Sexuality; Social aspects; Social class; Social constructionism; Social Sciences, Interdisciplinary; Socialization; Socioeconomic factors; Socioeconomic Status; Student Attitudes; Swaziland; Vulnerable boys; Well Being; Eswatini; South Africa; Swaziland; vulnerable boys; poverty; gender equality; schooling; Swaziland; masculinities
• ISSN: 2223-7674; 2223-7682; 2223-7682
• DOI: 10.4102/sajce.v9i1.580

Background: This article draws on social constructionism to explore vulnerable boys’ constructions of gender within three primary schools in Swaziland.Objectives: It seeks to understand the ways in which vulnerable boys make meaning of masculinities and the implications of these on their social and academic well-being in schools.Method: The study adopted a qualitative narrative inquiry methodology, utilising individual and focus group semi-structured interviews and a participatory photovoice technique as its methods of data generation. The participants comprised 15 purposively selected vulnerable boys – orphaned boys, those from child-headed households and from poor socio-economic backgrounds, aged between 11 and 16 years.Results: The findings denote that vulnerable boys constructed their masculinities through heterosexuality where the normative discourse was that they provide for girls in heterosexual relationships. The vulnerable boys’ socio-economic status rendered them unable to fulfil these obligations. Failure to fulfil the provider role predisposed vulnerable boys to ridicule and humiliation. However, some vulnerable boys adopted caring attitudes as they constructed alternative masculinities.Conclusion: The study recommends the need to affirm and promote alternative masculinities as a strategy for enhancing gender-inclusive and equitable schooling experiences for vulnerable boys.