Exploring cultural norms, masculinities and sexual behaviours of black South African male students at the University of KwaZulu-Natal = Ukuhlola amasiko, ubudoda kanye nokuziphatha kocansi kwabafundi besilisa abamnyama baseNingizimu Afrika eNyuvesi yaKwaZulu-Natal.

Abstract

Background: Research evidence indicates that African male students are more likely to engage in risky sexual behaviour than their female counterparts. Sexual behaviour among male students is to a large extent influenced by their individual decisions and the social environment including immediate family and surrounding communities. It is therefore important to understand the context under which sexual behaviours are constructed and shaped. For many young people, the university environment period provides a critical developmental transition from adolescence to adulthood, during which young people establish patterns of behaviours and make lifestyle choices that affect both their current and future health. It is within this setting that young men interrogate their masculinities and sexual behaviours. The explanation of male students’ sexual behaviours can be determined through understanding the meaning and influence that they attach to the cultural norms related to sexual behaviours. Using the social constructionist paradigm that examines the development of masculinities as a mutual construct of individual, social, cultural, and historical contexts, the study aimed to explore cultural norms, masculinities and sexual behaviour of Black male students. This understanding is essential in order to develop recommendations to promote positive sexual behaviour messaging for university male students. The specific objectives of this study were (1) to explore how Black African male university students construct their sexual behaviours, (2) to explore the cultural norms associated with Black South African male students’ sexual behaviours, and (3) to explore the influence of the university behavioural intervention programmes on the sexual behaviours of male students.

Methods: The study population was selected using purposive sampling. Data were collected using four focus group discussions with 36 participants and three key informant interviews. Focus group discussions consisted of 8-10 participants and were conducted according to the current year of study of the students. Thematic analysis was utilized to identify the key patterns and the themes that emerged from the data.

Results: The results of the study reveal that versions of masculinities at institutions of higher learning are socially constructed, fluid over time and plural. An individual has multiple masculinities which are often exerted to suit their current discourse at any given point. The university setting appeared to be a space where a lot of toxic masculinities and sexual risk-taking occurred, which potentially exposed the young men in the study to sexually transmitted infections such as HIV. The results further reveal that the other influences on the sexual behaviours of the young men included family, peers and community. It was also discovered that poor knowledge and awareness, negative perceptions and attitudes, fear and lack of privacy, and negative experiences are the factors that lead to poor access and utilization of campus health services.

Conclusion: The university space is an important space that allows young men from different cultural backgrounds to explore their masculinities, sexualities and sexual behaviours. The cultural norms of black male students studying at university which are associated with masculinities, sexualities and sexual behaviours are influenced by an array of factors such as family, peers, community, and individual decisions. These factors shape and ultimately inform the behaviours of young men regarding their masculinities and sexual behaviours. A number of male students continue to delay or avoid seeking health care even with the available sexual health programs at the university. It is therefore essential that the university’s HIV and AIDS programs infuse socio-cultural norms and notions of masculinity in their health communication strategy to create more effective HIV prevention programs for young men.

Iqoqa

Isendlalelo: Ukuziphatha ngokocansi kwabafundi besilisa ngokwezinga elikhulu kuthonywa izinqumo zabo ngabanye kanye nendawo yenhlalo kubandakanya umndeni oseduze kanye nemiphakathi ebazungezile. Ngakho-ke kubalulekile ukuqonda umongo lapho ukuziphatha kocansi kwakhiwe futhi akheke ngaphansi kwaso. Intsha eningi, isikhathi sendawo yasenyuvesi sihlinzeka ngoshintsho olubalulekile lwentuthuko ukusuka ebusheni kuya ekubeni abantu abadala, lapho abantu abasha besungula amaphethini okuziphatha futhi benze ukukhetha kwendlela yokuphila okuthinta impilo yabo yamanje neyesikhathi esizayo. Kukulesi simo lapho izinsizwa ziphenya khona ngobudoda nokuziphatha kwazo ngokocansi.

Izindlela: Inani labantu bocwaningo likhethwe kusetshenziswa amasampula okuhlosiwe. Imininingo yaqoqwa kusetshenziswa izingxoxo zamaqembu amane okugxilwe kuwo nabahlanganyeli abangama-36 kanye nezingxoxo ezintathu ezibalulekile zabanolwazi. Izingxoxo zeqembu okugxilwe kuzo bezinabahlanganyeli abangu-8-10 futhi zaqhutshwa ngokonyaka wamanje wokufunda wabafundi. Ukuhlaziywa kwendikimba kusetshenziswe ukuze kutholakale amaphethini abalulekile nezindikimba ezivele emininingweni.

Imiphumela: Imiphumela yocwaningo iveza ukuthi izinhlobo zabesilisa ezikhungweni zemfundo ephakeme zakhiwe ngokwenhlalo, zishintshashintsha ngokuhamba kwesikhathi kanye nobuningi. Umuntu unezinto eziningi zesilisa ezivame ukusetshenziswa ukuze zivumelane nenkulumo yakhe yamanje nganoma yisiphi isikhathi. Imiphumela iphinde iveze ukuthi amanye amathonya ekuziphatheni kocansi kwezinsizwa kwakuhlanganisa umndeni, ontanga kanye nomphakathi. Kuphinde kwatholakala ukuthi ulwazi olubi nokuqwashisa, imibono engemihle nezimo zengqondo, ukwesaba nokuntula imfihlo, kanye nolwazi olubi yizinto eziholela ekufinyeleleni okubi nasekusetshenzisweni kwezinsizakalo zezempilo zesikhungo.

Isiphetho: Indawo yasenyuvesi iyindawo ebalulekile evumela izinsizwa eziqhamuka ezindaweni ezahlukene zamasiko ukuthi zihlole ubudoda bazo, ubulili kanye nokuziphatha kwazo ngokocansi. Idlanzana labafundi besilisa liyaqhubeka nokulibazisa noma ligweme ukufuna usizo lwezempilo ngisho nezinhlelo zezempilo zocansi ezikhona enyuvesi. Ngakho-ke kubalulekile ukuthi izinhlelo zenyuvesi ze-HIV ne-AIDS zifake imikhuba yezenhlalo namasiko kanye nemibono yobudoda esu labo lezempilo lokuxhumana ukuze bakhe izinhlelo ezisebenza ngempumelelo zokuvikela i-HIV ezinsizweni. Amagama asemqoka: amasiko, ukuziphatha kocansi, ubudoda, abafundi besilisa abasebasha, inyuvesi, eNingizimu Afrika