TY - JOUR
T1 - Staying strong
T2 - Gender ideologies among African-American adolescents and the implications for HIV/STI prevention
AU - Kerrigan, Deanna
AU - Andrinopoulos, Katherine
AU - Johnson, Raina
AU - Parham, Patrice
AU - Thomas, Tracey
AU - Ellen, Jonathan M.
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors would like to extend their gratitude to all the adolescents who participated in this study and openly shared their experiences and insights for the benefit others. We would also like to thank Clare Barrington, Shayna Cunningham, Barbara Glass, Aaron Goodfellow, Prince James, Jacky Jennings, and George Mitchell for their support and contributions to this project. This research was sponsored by National Institutes of Health through the National Institute of Mental Health, K01, MH64391, Gender, Environment and Adolescent Sexual Risk Behavior (2001–2006) as well as the National Institutes of Health through the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, R01 AI36986, Perceived Risk of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (1999–2005).
PY - 2007/4/11
Y1 - 2007/4/11
N2 - This paper explores adolescents' definitions of what it means to be a man and a woman, the psycho-social context surrounding the formation of gender ideologies and their relationship to HIV/STI prevention. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with 50 African-American adolescents living in Baltimore, Maryland. Female gender ideologies included economic independence, emotional strength and caretaking. Male gender ideologies emphasized financial responsibility, toughness and sexual prowess. Findings suggest that stronger adherence to male gender ideologies related to toughness and sexual prowess is influenced by male participants' perceived inability to fulfill their primary gender role as economic providers and the importance of gaining approval from male peers in the absence of adult male role models. Stronger adherence to female gender ideologies related to emotional strength and caretaking may be linked to a heightened desire for male intimacy and tolerance of male sexual risk behavior. Implications of the gender ideologies documented and their commonalities are discussed in terms of HIV/STI prevention.
AB - This paper explores adolescents' definitions of what it means to be a man and a woman, the psycho-social context surrounding the formation of gender ideologies and their relationship to HIV/STI prevention. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with 50 African-American adolescents living in Baltimore, Maryland. Female gender ideologies included economic independence, emotional strength and caretaking. Male gender ideologies emphasized financial responsibility, toughness and sexual prowess. Findings suggest that stronger adherence to male gender ideologies related to toughness and sexual prowess is influenced by male participants' perceived inability to fulfill their primary gender role as economic providers and the importance of gaining approval from male peers in the absence of adult male role models. Stronger adherence to female gender ideologies related to emotional strength and caretaking may be linked to a heightened desire for male intimacy and tolerance of male sexual risk behavior. Implications of the gender ideologies documented and their commonalities are discussed in terms of HIV/STI prevention.
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U2 - 10.1080/00224490701263785
DO - 10.1080/00224490701263785
M3 - Article
C2 - 17599274
AN - SCOPUS:34547100974
SN - 0022-4499
VL - 44
SP - 172
EP - 180
JO - Journal of Sex Research
JF - Journal of Sex Research
IS - 2
ER -