Prostate cancer: embodied experience and perceptions of masculinity

Abstract

While some argue that gender differences, which refer to the social classification into 'masculine' and 'feminine', have their source in 'culture', others argue there is no need to have an absolute dichotomy between culture and nature, or between constructionist and anti-constructionist epistemologies. Although there has been much theorising about the body, until recently little attention has been paid to empirical evidence. This paper looks at the way in which prostate cancer and its treatment affects men's bodies, their roles and sense of masculinity. Interviews were conducted with 52 men, exploring their experiences of prostate cancer. Findings suggest that many men are reluctant to consult their doctors, because 'men don't cry', thus reinforcing the notion that 'masculinity' is a social construction. However, while the illness and the side effects of surgical and radiotherapy treatments sometimes led to impotence and incontinence, the treatments that involved hormones were reported to have an additional, sometimes profound effect on libido, energy, ability to work, body shape and competitiveness. These side effects reduced some men's sense of masculinity. We conclude that the physical body as well as culture should be considered when trying to explain what it means to be masculine, and how illness may affect men's sense of masculinity.

“I wish I’d told them”: A qualitative study examining the unmet psychosexual needs of prostate cancer patients during follow-up after treatment

“…Patients have reported particular difficulties in the domains of self image, masculinities [15][16][17] and sexuality [18,19] which appear to relate to losses consequent on treatments for prostate cancer. Radical curative treatments can result in nerve or tissue damage, either eradicating erections or taking up to two years for partial erections to be recovered [20] and hormonal treatments can result in side effects that might be experienced as challenging to masculinity (e.g.…”

Re-constructing masculinity following radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer

“…This reflects broader ignorance of the everyday experiences of men and their changing sense of masculinity when disease affects their genital organs [12]. The existing evidence is mixed.…”

“…The existing evidence is mixed. Fergus et al [13] found that prostate cancer and its treatment pose a significant threat to masculine identity and has a negative effect on men's sense of masculinity while Chapple and Ziebland [12] reported no major effects. It seems plausible that men's masculine identity is likely to be challenged by the experience of having prostate cancer and, in particular, by the consequences of surgical treatment.…”

The Effects of Age, Ethnicity, Sexual Dysfunction, Urinary Incontinence, Masculinity, and Relationship with the Partner on the Quality of Life of Men with Prostate Cancer

“…Studies that have examined the effects of prostate cancer treatment on masculinity have used qualitative research designs and have reported a great sense of shame and embarrassment expressed by men as a result of their inability to perform sexually. Their decreased sense of masculinity arises from their inability to meet the perceived socially expected roles of being a man (Chapple & Ziebland, 2002;Fergus et al, 2002;Oliffe, 2005). Masculinity and men's perception of their relationships with their partners were considered as the environmental characteristics and independent variables since they represent the social influences on QOL in men with prostate cancer.…”

“…Seeking medical help is viewed by men as a form of weakness, and they reportedly preferred to deal with their symptoms and learn to live with them (Solomon, Greenberg, & Psyszczynski, 1991). This reluctance in seeking medical attention is especially true when symptoms are considered to be embarrassing and shameful such as urinary incontinence and sexual dysfunction (Chapple & Ziebland, 2002;Gray et al, 2002).…”