"When Men Speak Women Listen": Gender Socialisation and Young Adolescents' Attitudes to Sexual and Reproductive Issues

Abstract

This paper discusses findings from separate focus group discussions among boys, girls, and parents in two communities in Ghana on the kinds of attitudes expressed with regard to specific gender roles and sexual and reproductive behaviour. The FGDs also point to some of the ways adolescents recognise sex role disparities in their own socialisation and that of other young people. The two communities reflect two lineage types, one matrilineal and the other patrilineal. The data show that with few exceptions patriarchal attitudes essentially prevail across age, sex and lineage type. The paper concludes by suggesting programmatic implications for strengthening the abilities of young males to be responsible in their sexual relations.

Social Norms and Beliefs Regarding Sexual Risk and Pregnancy Involvement among Adolescent Males Treated for Dating Violence Perpetration

“…Thus, young men we spoke with felt it was not their responsibility to consider the concerns of young women with whom they have sex, including cases involving coercion or force to obtain sex, and that they do not bear responsibility when a pregnancy occurs. Avoidance of responsibility has been described in other studies of adolescent men; 35,40 however, our results suggest that when pregnancy does occur, it may be seen as validation of these adversarial beliefs (i.e., Fthis girl is out to get me_), leading young men to further abuse young women who become pregnant; several focus group participants described male peers' abusive responses to female partners' disclosure of pregnancy. Further study is needed to assess whether such abusive responses relate to findings documenting high homicide rates among pregnant adolescent girls.…”

Community-based participatory research (CBPR) in South Africa: Engaging multiple constituents to shape the research question

“…We selected equal numbers of Blacks and Coloreds, and girls and boys. Boys were included because of the interconnectedness of gender, sexuality, and adolescent health (Ampofo, 2001;Varga, 2001). …”

Food Vending Among Men in Kumasi: Socio-Cultural Advantages, Constraints, and Coping Strategies

“…The male vendors in Ghana similarly take these gender-related privileges with them into a female-dominated occupation of food vending-even within an informal sector lacking any clear managerial and hierarchical structures and within a traditionally matrilineal society like Kumasi. Within the study context of patriarchal values (Ampofo, 2001), like in other patriarchal societies, men are often considered to possess the qualities for effective management, and male attributes are often used to describe who a good manager is (Heilman, 2001;Eagly & Carli, 2008). This is more so when culturally and socially prescribed male attributes in Ghana include authority, power, and good leadership while those for women include submissiveness, obedience, conformity and empathy (Ampofo, 2001).…”

“…Within the study context of patriarchal values (Ampofo, 2001), like in other patriarchal societies, men are often considered to possess the qualities for effective management, and male attributes are often used to describe who a good manager is (Heilman, 2001;Eagly & Carli, 2008). This is more so when culturally and socially prescribed male attributes in Ghana include authority, power, and good leadership while those for women include submissiveness, obedience, conformity and empathy (Ampofo, 2001). This may explain why, even though some MTFVs are not directly involved in the preparation of foods, consumers and the public trust that the mere presence of a man assures order in terms of hygiene.…”