Hybrid Masculinity and Young Men’s Circumscribed Engagement in Contraceptive Management

Abstract

This research explores how gender shapes contraceptive management through in-depth interviews with 40 men and women of color ages 15 to 24, a life stage when the risk of unintended pregnancy is high in the United States. Although past research focuses on men’s contraception-avoidant behaviors, little sociological work has explored ways men engage in contraception outside of condoms, such as contraceptive pills. Research often highlights how women manage these methods alone. Our research identifies how young men of color do help manage these methods through their engagement in contraceptive decision-making and use. Men accomplish this without limiting their partners’ ability to prevent pregnancy. This is despite structural barriers such as poverty and gang-related violence that disproportionately affect low-income young men of color and often shape their reproductive goals. However, men’s engagement is still circumscribed so that women take on a disproportionate burden of pregnancy prevention, reifying gender boundaries. We identify this as a form of hybrid masculinity, because men’s behaviors are seemingly egalitarian but also sustain women’s individualized risk of unintended pregnancy. This research points to the complexity of how race, class, and gender intersect to create an engaged but limited place for men in contraceptive management among marginalized youth.

Strategic Silence: College Men and Hegemonic Masculinity in Contraceptive Decision Making

“…This article makes both empirical and theoretical contributions. First, with few exceptions, little work has explored young men's approaches to pregnancy prevention and resolution methods besides condoms (Fefferman and Upadhyay 2018). Our research speaks to this by focusing on men's views of condoms as well as other methods.…”

Examining HPV Awareness, Sexual Behavior, and Intent to Receive the HPV Vaccine Among Racial/Ethnic Male College Students 18–27 years

“…College men may not perceive themselves at risk for HPV or HPV-related complications. Studies have indicated that college men are more concerned about pregnancy prevention than STI prevention, therefore both supporting and giving responsibility to women in their use of female contraception ( Breny & Lombardi, 2017 ; Fefferman & Upadhyay, 2018 ). Considering that HPV-related cancers are slow growing, the messaging to adolescent and young men may need to focus more on the prevention of genital warts instead.…”

Zika Virus Public Health Crisis and the Perpetuation of Gender Inequality in Brazil

“…Thus, the ier portrayed in Figures 4a-4b openly advised a pregnant woman to protect her dwelling against the mosquito. The Brazilian communication situated women as competently dealing with pregnancy and caring during the Zika epidemics while the male remained detached from caring and parenting responsibilities (60). Across all material studied, we did not discover a single piece speaking directly to men.…”

“…Advantaged women did not reveal complications associated with contraception management. Nevertheless, some participants acknowledged men did not like condoms, so women had resort to other methods (5,30,34,(58)(59)(60)63):…”

“…Prevalent cultural perception purporting men were not committed to pregnancy prevention explained why women usually were charged with this duty. Essentialist beliefs legitimized traditionally gendered roles (60). Pregnancy aversion during the Zika epidemic expected women to assume the prevention burden, fomenting uneven responsibilities distribution (34).…”