Understanding masculinity from an African perspective

Abstract

Understanding of masculinity has been largely approached from Western epistemology which universalises the conception of gender. However, different societies have different ways of organising gender roles which can contribute to a better understanding of masculinity such that we can begin to address gender inequalities holistically. This study focuses on understanding masculinity from an African perspective. It pays attention to factors such as poverty, upbringing, culture and generational differences that shape varied experiences and conduct among men. The study used qualitative research methods to collect data. The researcher spent six weeks in the field, conducted five in-depth interviews, and two focus group discussions with ten participants, and used participant observation to collect data. In this study, the data analysis employed a thematic coding process informed by theoretical perspectives on masculinity and post-colonialism. The findings reveal that young men’s understanding of masculinity is influenced by both Western definitions and related concepts like gender and patriarchy. This highlights the complexity of South African masculinities and their potential to influence violent behaviours toward women and other men. The study concludes that African masculinity is multifaceted, reflects individual socio-economic conditions and impacts behaviour and the assertion of masculinity. There is thus a need for further academic research that addresses the complexities of South African masculinity in the post-apartheid era, emphasising the importance of understanding these complexities to grasp how masculinity is asserted and what its societal impact is.

Tlhaloso ya bonna e tlhagisitswe thata go tswa mo epistemology ya Bophirima e e dirang gore kgopolo ya bong e nne ya lefatshe lotlhe. Le fa go ntse jalo, ditšhaba tse di farologaneng di na le ditsela tse di farologaneng tsa go rulaganya ditiro tsa bong tse di ka thusang gore go tlhaloganngwe botoka gore banna ke bomang le gore re kgone go simolola go bua ka go sa lekalekane ga bong gotlhelele. Thutopatlisiso eno e bua thata ka go tlhaloganya bonna go ya ka pono ya SeAforika. E ela tlhoko dilo tse di jaaka lehuma, tsela e motho a godisitsweng ka yone, setso le go farologana ga dikokomana tse di bopang maitemogelo a a farologaneng le boitshwaro jwa banna. Thutopatlisiso e dirisitse mekgwa ya patlisiso ya boleng go kokoanya tshedimosetso. Mo dibekeng di le thataro tse ke di feditseng ke le mo lefelong la dipatlisiso, ke ne ka tshwara dipotsotherisano tse di tseneletseng di le tlhano, dipuisano tse pedi tsa ditlhopha tse go tlotliwang thata ka tsone le batsayakarolo ba le lesome, le batho bao ba elang tlhoko go tsaya tshedimosetso. Ke ne ka dirisa mokgwa wa go sekaseka tshedimosetso ka go tlhagisa kgang nngwe le nngwe mme ka dirisa mokgwa wa bonna le wa pele ga nako ya bokoloni jaaka letlhomeso la tiori. Diphitlhelelo di bontsha gore tsela e banna ba basha ba tlhaloganyang bonna ka yone e tlhotlhelediwa ke ditlhaloso tsa Bophirima le dikgopolo tse di amanang le bong le go nna tlhogo ya lotso. Se se gatelela go raraana ga bong jwa banna ba Aforika Borwa le bokgoni jwa bone jwa go tlhotlheletsa boitshwaro jwa tirisodikgoka kgatlhanong le basadi le banna ba bangwe. Thutopatlisiso e konotela ka gore bonna jwa Seaforika bo na le dikarolo di le dintsi, bo bontsha maemo a loago le ikonomi ya motho mme bo ama boitshwaro le tlhomamiso ya bonna. Ka jalo go na le tlhokego ya patlisiso e nngwe ya seakatemi e e buang ka mathata a bonna jwa Aforika Borwa mo nakong ya morago ga tlhaolele, go gatelela botlhokwa jwa go tlhaloganya mathata a gore bonna bo tlhomamisiwa jang le gore seabe sa jone mo setšhabeng ke eng.

Ukuqonda ubudoda kuye kwakhulunywa kakhulu ngolwazi nemigomo yenkolelo yeqiniso elilungisiwe lapho amanyuvesi ecabanga ngobulili. Kodwa, imiphakathi eyahlukene inezindlela zayo zokuhlela izindima zobulili ezingaba nomthelela ekuqondeni kangcono ubudoda kangangokuthi singakwazi ukuqala ukubhekana ngokungalingani kobulili ngokuphelele. Loluncwaningo lugxile ekuqondeni ubudoda ngokombono wase-Afrika. Inaka izici ezinjengobumpofu, indlela esikhuliswe ngayo amasiko kanye nokwehluka kwezizukulwane ezakha ulwazi nokuziphatha okwahlukene phakathi kwamadoda. Ucwaningo lusebenzisa izindlela zocwaningo olusezingeni eliphezulu ukuqoqa imininingwane. Emasontweni ayisithupha engiwachithe ensimini, ngenze izingxoxo ezimbili zamaqembu engigxile kuwo nabayishumi, kanye nokubheka kwababambe iqhaza ukuze ngiqonde idatha. Ngisebenzise indlela enesihloko ukuhlaziya idatha kanye nezindaba zomlando njengezinhlaka. Okutholiwe kuveza ukuthi ukuqonda kwezinsizwa ngobudoda kuwumthelelal wezincazelo zaseNtshonalanga ngobulili kanye nokubonwa kwamadoda engaphezulu kwabesifazane. Lokhu kuqgamisa inkimbinkimbi yabesilisa baseNingizimu Afrika kanye namandla abo ukuba nomthelela ekuziphatheni okunodlame kubantu besifazane namanye amadoda. Lolucwaningo luphethe ngokuthi ubudoda base-Afrika bunezimo eziningi, bubonisa izimo zezenhlalo nezomnotho zomuntu ngamunye futhi zinomthelela ekuziphatheni kanye nokugomela ubudoda. Ngakho-ke kunesidingo sokuthi kuqhutshekwe nocwaningo lwezemfundo olubhekana nobunzima bobudoda baseNingizimu Afrika esikhathini esenzeke ngemuva kobandlululo, okugcizelele ukubaluleka kokuqonda lezi zinkimbinkimbi ukuze kuqondwe ukuthi ubudoda bugonyelwa kanjani nokuthi uyini umthelela wako emphakathini.