Gendered representations of fatherhood in contemporary South African church imagery from three Afrikaans corporate churches

Koenig-Visagie, Leandra; Eeden, Jeanne Van

doi:10.4102/ve.v34i1.760

Cited by 7 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…A South African patriarch is also expected to be head of a household and a provider, although in practice this is emphasized in the masculinity of older men (26). Men are expected to be strong and tough, and by implication healthy (12,27).…”

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confidence: 99%

Impact of HIV on and the constructions of masculinities among HIV-positive men in South Africa: implications for secondary prevention programs

Sikweyiya

Jewkes

Dunkle

2014

Global Health Action

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BackgroundTo date, whilst there have been many published studies exploring the links between masculinity and HIV, not much work has been done to explore how an HIV-positive diagnosis impacts men's sense of masculinity and contextualizing the masculinities as fluid and changing.ObjectiveTo explore how human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) impacts the lives of men and their constructions of masculinity through interviews with 18 men living with HIV.DesignQualitative study involving conveniently and purposively selected black South African adult men who lived with HIV. In-depth interviews were conducted with 18 men who resided in Johannesburg and Mthatha, South Africa.ResultsOur analysis suggests that the performance of risky masculinity may influence the acquisition of HIV. Yet, it also reveals that HIV can have a significant effect on men and their masculinities. Men's constructions of harmful notions of hegemonic masculinity pre-HIV diagnosis negatively affected their help-seeking behavior and coping and adjustment to living with HIV, post-diagnosis. The dominant discourse that men are strong and healthy visibly presented challenges for men when faced with an HIV-positive status. They interpreted HIV diagnosis as a loss, a sign of failure as a man, and evidence of an inability to retain control. Being sick undermined their ability to perform roles expected of them, and this led to feelings of powerlessness, worthlessness, and distress.ConclusionsInterventions with men living with HIV need to provide safe spaces for men to critically explore gender and constructions of social identities and the pressures these place on men and implications for their health. With this approach, harmful constructions of masculinities may be challenged and mitigated, and this process may render men amenable to change.

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confidence: 99%

Impact of HIV on and the constructions of masculinities among HIV-positive men in South Africa: implications for secondary prevention programs

Sikweyiya

Jewkes

Dunkle

2014

Global Health Action

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“…That study identified strong connections between breadwinning, male headship, and fatherhood. Images created by these churches fathers were mainly found to be represented as patriarchs, heads of the household and active outdoor adventurers (Koenig-Visagie and Van Eeden, 2013).…”

Section: Research On Representations Of Fatherhoodmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fatherhood Images and Ideals : Transforming, Circulating, and Responding to the Swedish Dads Photo Exhibition

Mitchell

2021

Linköping Studies in Arts and Sciences

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“…In a similar fashion, Koenig-Visagie and Van Eeden (2013) investigated the different representations of gender roles in the media of three corporate Afrikaans churches in Gauteng, South Africa, and found that the media of these churches sideline fatherhood in relation to infant care, as a possible result of the 'feminisation of the family and of the home', and might be rejected as such from dominant discourses on masculinity (Koenig-Visagie & Van Eeden 2013:10). In fact, they found that in general, the conceptualisation of male leadership took place in three broad categories: home, church and workplace (Koenig-Visagie 2012:162, 206).…”

Section: Fatherhood and The Christian Faithmentioning

confidence: 99%

Restructuring the Christian Fatherhood Model: A practical theological investigation into the ‘male problematic’ of father absence

Meyer

2018

HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies

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IntroductionZeno of Cyprus, a Greek philosopher, is said to have conceived of a cosmic unity which preceded the Roman concept of universal brotherhood, already three centuries before the birth and life of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ then extended on the idea of the brotherhood of man by proposing that God was the Father of all people (cf. Bardis 1964:1). Emory Bogardus (1955:15) suggests that, in his teachings, Jesus Christ supported the family system, at times even more ferociously than the church or the state. Additional influences in the development of the early Christian family were the Roman Civilisation and the arrangement of certain barbarian customs during the Middle Ages (cf. Bardis 1964:1). However, Christianity was and is still today one of the few religions that correlates family values with Christian teachings, as visible through the countless family life metaphors and similes used by Jesus (and presently the church) during his teachings, and through his emphasis on 'God's fatherhood and man's brotherhood' (cf. Bardis 1964:2).As the above paragraph shows, the concept of fatherhood is as old as Christianity itself. It is, however, a concept not limited to the Christian religion (e.g. Islam and Confucianism), although the Christian concept of family and fatherhood was greatly influenced by both the Roman civilisation and barbarian customs in protest of their corrupt and self-indulgent culture (cf. Bardis 1964:1-2).Fatherhood is a concept that has prevailed for 200 centuries and is understood in different ways by different cultures and religions globally and is therefore socially constructed. Despite these small differences in the construction of the concept, a golden thread can be seen in the meaning that most cultures and religious affiliations attach to it. Most understandings then entail a patriarchal notion, which inherently also links to the provision and protection role of the pater. As a general and broad definition, fatherhood is understood as a position of power over one's biological or adopted children which is justified by the provision, protection and disciplinarian role inherent in the conceptualisation of 'father ' (cf. Clare 2000:184-185; Marsiglio & Pleck 2005:256). From this definition, it is clear that a family that constructs fatherhood in this manner might experience many benefits of such a presence. The opposite, however, is also true. Past narratives of traumatised families indicate that abuse of such patriarchal power can result in devastation, often perpetuated by generations that follow.In South Africa -as elsewhere in the world -ideas around fatherhood, parenthood and family life are greatly shifting as people find themselves caught up between traditional and contemporary In South Africa, ideas around fatherhood, parenthood and family life are greatly shifting as people find themselves caught up between traditional and contemporary understandings of fatherhood and motherhood. Even though more than 70% of young South Africans stated in a national survey that parenthood is one...

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Gendered representations of fatherhood in contemporary South African church imagery from three Afrikaans corporate churches

Cited by 7 publications

References 5 publications

Impact of HIV on and the constructions of masculinities among HIV-positive men in South Africa: implications for secondary prevention programs

Impact of HIV on and the constructions of masculinities among HIV-positive men in South Africa: implications for secondary prevention programs

Fatherhood Images and Ideals : Transforming, Circulating, and Responding to the Swedish Dads Photo Exhibition

Restructuring the Christian Fatherhood Model: A practical theological investigation into the ‘male problematic’ of father absence

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