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Masculinity constructions of White, Afrikaans-speaking, cisgender, heterosexual, tertiary-educated young men
Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2025.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2025
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| _version_ | 1867613964941131776 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Kellerman, Mia Rita |
| author2 | Lesch, Elmien |
| author_browse | Kellerman, Mia Rita Lesch, Elmien |
| author_facet | Lesch, Elmien Kellerman, Mia Rita |
| author_sort | Kellerman, Mia Rita |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/134265 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:44:30.757Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/134265 Masculinity constructions of White, Afrikaans-speaking, cisgender, heterosexual, tertiary-educated young men Kellerman, Mia Rita Lesch, Elmien Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Psychology. Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. Kellerman, M. R. 2025. Masculinity constructions of White, Afrikaans-speaking, cisgender, heterosexual, tertiary-educated young men. Unpublished masters thesis. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/94f63a7d-9652-4e54-915a-78d9cb711aed A significant gap exists in current knowledge about masculinity constructions in South Africa. Research has predominantly focused on, and problematised, the masculinities of Black men with lower educational levels, or those living in low-income communities within the context of public health issues, e.g. HIV/AIDS and gender-based violence (GBV). Limited research has been conducted on masculinity ideas and practices amongst groups with tertiary education or from higher socio-economic communities. This gap is crucial, as tertiary-educated students are more likely to embrace new ideas due to their exposure to diverse, and liberal, ideologies on campuses. Consequently, they could play a crucial role in driving gender transformation in South Africa. Additionally, few studies have engaged with the masculinity ideas of South African, White, Afrikaans, heterosexual-identifying men, a group that is often associated with hegemonic masculinity ideas. Studies suggest that the masculinity constructions of this demographic are under severe strain in the post-Apartheid era, prompting a shift away from traditional Afrikaans masculinity ideas like providership and heterosexuality. This indicated possible shifts towards more flexible and progressive masculinity constructions. This study, therefore, aimed to explore the masculinity constructions of White, Afrikaans, cisgender, heterosexual, tertiary-educated, young men. More specifically, informed by Anderson’s Inclusive Masculinity Theory (IMT), it aimed to investigate whether their constructions incorporated more inclusive and progressive masculinity ideas. IMT proposes that modern tertiary-educated young men are incorporating contemporary beliefs and questioning various hegemonic masculinity ideas, including homophobia, domination and marginalisation. Anderson proposes that as homophobic beliefs decline, peer tactility and emotional openness are more accepted and incorporated, leading to inclusive constructions of masculinity. To explore this, semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with fifteen White Afrikaans heterosexual cisgender male students between the ages of 21 and 25 years. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to systematically identify and organise patterns in the data, reflecting the collective ideas and experiences of the participants. From the data, three overarching themes emerged. The first theme highlights the maintenance of hegemonic masculinity ideas amongst participants. More specifically, these young men aspired to be hard-working and steadfast, while viewing their mothers as the ideal nurturing and moral feminine partners. They also identified with traditional gender roles of men as providers and protectors, and mostly endorsed conservative sexual values and behaviours. Additionally, the persistence of locker room talk, normative alcohol use and violence as an understandable response to threats from other men were featured. The second theme engages with inclusive masculinity incorporation, particularly a reduction in homophobia and homohysteria, paired with selective emotional and physical intimacy and help-seeking behaviours. Participants also showed a critical stance towards traditional Christian masculinity ideas. The third theme focuses on how the participants negotiated certain masculinity stereotypes and their responses to calls for gender transformation, with the majority of participants finding it challenging. These themes reveal that constructions of masculinity among the White, Afrikaans heterosexual cisgender participants are fluid and evolving. While hegemonic or orthodox masculinity ideas still featured strongly in their accounts and how they navigate the world, a flexibility in their adherence to traditional gender roles within heterosexual relationships, and a sense of tolerance and acceptance towards sexual diversity also emerged. Masters 2025-11-04T11:48:14Z 2025-11-04T11:48:14Z 2025-03 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/134265 en Stellenbosch University 198 pages application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Kellerman, Mia Rita Masculinity constructions of White, Afrikaans-speaking, cisgender, heterosexual, tertiary-educated young men |
| title | Masculinity constructions of White, Afrikaans-speaking, cisgender, heterosexual, tertiary-educated young men |
| title_full | Masculinity constructions of White, Afrikaans-speaking, cisgender, heterosexual, tertiary-educated young men |
| title_fullStr | Masculinity constructions of White, Afrikaans-speaking, cisgender, heterosexual, tertiary-educated young men |
| title_full_unstemmed | Masculinity constructions of White, Afrikaans-speaking, cisgender, heterosexual, tertiary-educated young men |
| title_short | Masculinity constructions of White, Afrikaans-speaking, cisgender, heterosexual, tertiary-educated young men |
| title_sort | masculinity constructions of white afrikaans speaking cisgender heterosexual tertiary educated young men |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/134265 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT kellermanmiarita masculinityconstructionsofwhiteafrikaansspeakingcisgenderheterosexualtertiaryeducatedyoungmen |