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Positive Masculinities, Gender-Based Violence, Men, Manhood, and Identity

15 March 2023 | Story Chelepe Mocwana | Photo Grand Epic Photography

Opinion article by Chelepe Mocwana, Senior Officer in the University of the Free State Unit for Institutional Change and Social Justice, Gender Equality and Anti-Discrimination Office.

Gender-Based Violence Challenges Facing Men and Young Boys

Men in South Africa and male students at higher education institutions (HEIs) are faced with the challenge of the social construction of what constitutes a ‘man’. This difficulty is rooted in social norms that are embedded in hetero-patriarchal social systems and beliefs. The manifestation of these beliefs is projected in social realities that are configured within power structures. The scourge of gender-based violence and femicide against women and girls, gender and sexual minorities, is a playout of power dynamics that enable the perpetrator to violate their subject. This form of violence is often perpetuated by men against women or gender and sexual minorities. This is exacerbated and compounded by several issues.

This includes poverty, socialisation, heteronormativity, political history, mental health, unhealthy sexual practices, and toxic masculinities. Men – especially young men – find themselves without a safe space to express themselves about the challenges they face in society today. Other than men feeling that they have no space to engage, there seems to be a general resistance among men to achieve gender equity and partner with women(x) to eradicate gender-based violence. Some of the resistance is due to the socialisation of men. These are behaviours and cultures that men have adopted over time, normalised, and end up accepting as norms and acceptable behaviour. Men today are faced with the challenge of identity and manhood.

This begs the question. What does it constitute to be a ‘man’ in this time and age? Issues of manhood and identity among young men today are complex and multifaceted. Historical, cultural, and social factors have played a role in shaping these concepts. In African societies, rituals play a major role in forming our identity and manhood. Some of the narratives around these rituals have led to toxic masculinities and related practices formed by men. Globalisation and social media have influenced men’s views on manhood; therefore, a concerted effort is needed to focus on establishing an identity and manhood that is relevant and applicable to the Global South.

Why Positive Masculinities

Men must find a space to look at their masculinity again. Therefore, we submit that positive masculinity programmes must be promoted as men engage. The objective of such programmes is to promote healthy and constructive expressions of masculinity. Masculinity that makes men comfortable to express their emotions and to be vulnerable. Spaces where they can engage without being judged when they express themselves. Masculinity that are based on values of respect, empathy, responsibility, and emotional intelligence. Men must challenge harmful gender norms and stereotypes, harmful cultural and social norms that perpetuate toxic and violent expressions of masculinity, gender-based violence, and homophobia, and start to promote more inclusive and equitable social norms.

Men are needed who will empower boys and men. Positive masculinity aims to empower men to become positive role models and leaders in their communities. This involves promoting a sense of responsibility and accountability and encouraging men to use their influence to promote positive social change. Ultimately, the objectives of positive masculinity are to promote a more inclusive, equitable, and just society, where individuals of all genders can thrive and reach their full potential. Accountability entails having awareness and acknowledgment of the power and privilege that comes with patriarchy and male privilege; robustly engaging with institutional policies, procedures, and culture to achieve gender equity; respecting and promoting women’s leadership in the gender space and society in general, and continued cooperation with women and gender activists.

Going into the future

It is time for men to speak up and stop being bystanders and onlookers. It is through the promotion of positive and healthy expressions of masculinity that the scourge of gender-based violence can be eliminated. We will achieve equity when we strive to put women, girls, LGBTQI people, and the most marginalised communities at the centre of our awareness and advocacy efforts. No one should be left behind. Men must be partners in eliminating gender-based violence. Men should listen and take women and children seriously; protect women and children and keep them safe; help them to know their rights to be free from violence and abuse; and choose the man they want to be and/or become.

News Archive

Weideman focuses on misconceptions with regard to survival of Afrikaans

2006-05-19

From the left are Prof Magda Fourie (Vice-Rector: Academic Planning), Prof Gerhardt de Klerk (Dean: Faculty of the Humanities), George Weideman and Prof Bernard Odendaal (acting head of the UFS Department of Afrikaans and Dutch, German and French).
Photo (Stephen Collett):

Weideman focuses on misconceptions with regard to survival of Afrikaans

On the survival of a language a persistent and widespread misconception exists that a “language will survive as long as people speak the language”. This argument ignores the higher functions of a language and leaves no room for the personal and historic meaning of a language, said the writer George Weideman.

He delivered the D.F. Malherbe Memorial Lecture organised by the Department Afrikaans at the University of the Free State (UFS). Dr. Weideman is a retired lecturer and now full-time writer. In his lecture on the writer’s role and responsibility with regard to language, he also focused on the language debate at the University of Stellenbosch (US).

He said the “as-long-as-it-is spoken” misconception ignores the characteristics and growth of literature and other cultural phenomena. Constitutional protection is also not a guarantee. It will not stop a language of being reduced to a colloquial language in which the non-standard form will be elevated to the norm. A language only grows when it standard form is enriched by non-standard forms; not when its standard form withers. The growth or deterioration of a language is seen in the growth or decline in its use in higher functions. The less functions a language has, the smaller its chance to survive.

He said Afrikaans speaking people are credulous and have misplaced trust. It shows in their uncritical attitude with regard to the shifts in university policies, university management and teaching practices. Afrikaners have this credulity perhaps because they were spoilt by white supremacy, or because the political liberation process did not free them from a naïve and slavish trust in government.

If we accept that a university is a kind of barometer for the position of a language, then the institutionalised second placing of Afrikaans at most tertiary institutions is not a good sign for the language, he said.

An additional problem is the multiplying effect with, for instance, education students. If there is no need for Afrikaans in schools, there will also be no need for Afrikaans at universities, and visa versa.

The tolerance factor of Afrikaans speaking people is for some reasons remarkably high with regard to other languages – and more specifically English. With many Afrikaans speaking people in the post-apartheid era it can be ascribed to their guilt about Afrikaans. With some coloured and mostly black Afrikaans speaking people it can be ascribed to the continued rejection of Afrikaans because of its negative connotation with apartheid – even when Afrikaans is the home language of a large segment of the previously oppressed population.

He said no one disputes the fact that universities play a changing role in a transformed society. The principle of “friendliness” towards other languages does not apply the other way round. It is general knowledge that Afrikaans is, besides isiZulu and isiXhosa, the language most spoken by South Africans.

It is typical of an imperialistic approach that the campaigners for a language will be accused of emotional involvement, of sentimentality, of longing for bygone days, of an unwillingness to focus on the future, he said.

He said whoever ignores the emotional aspect of a language, knows nothing about a language. To ignore the emotional connection with a language, leads to another misconception: That the world will be a better place without conflict if the so-called “small languages” disappear because “nationalism” and “language nationalism” often move closely together. This is one of the main reasons why Afrikaans speaking people are still very passive with regard to the Anglicising process: They are not “immune” to the broad influence that promotes English.

It is left to those who use Afrikaans to fight for the language. This must not take place in isolation. Writers and publishers must find more ways to promote Afrikaans.

Some universities took the road to Anglicision: the US and University of Pretoria need to be referred to, while there is still a future for Afrikaans at the Northwest University and the UFS with its parallel-medium policies. Continued debate is necessary.

It is unpreventable that the protest over what is happening to Afrikaans and the broad Afrikaans speaking community must take on a stronger form, he said.

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