"Man, your penis is ashamed of you" : discursive constructions of young South African men's ideal masculine body-images.
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Date
2013
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Abstract
Socio-cultural constructions of the way in which individuals perceive their own bodies are a
fundamental aspect of personal identity, and how people view and pursue their relations with
others, and how they determine their position and role in society. Contemporary South
African consumer culture, facilitated by globalisation, has promoted increasingly
homogenous, unrealistic norms regarding what constitutes a “desirable” person. The aim of
this study is to explore young men’s accounts of ideal masculine body-image and discuss the
implications that these constructions have on their identities. It aims to provide an account of
the discourses participants use when discussing their own and other male bodies, explore the
ways in which consumerism and the media facilitate certain constructions of body-image
amongst young South African men and forefront particular practices, and to highlight the
social dynamics which facilitate emphasis on some discourses around the desirable ideal
male body and the silencing of others. This study uses a qualitative research design and a
social constructionist theoretical framework. Data was collected using semi-structured,
individual interviews with 12 young men between the ages of 18 and 26 from Durban, South
Africa and the data collected was analysed using discourse analysis. The results discussed six
main discourses evident amongst the texts, namely, the natural body, functionality over form,
the necessity of progression, the body for self and others, the body is secondary and the
homosexual aversion.
Description
Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal-Durban, 2013.
Keywords
Men--South Africa., Masculinity--South Africa., Men--Identity., Self-esteem in men--South Africa., Body image in men--South Africa., Theses--Psychology.