Gendered Perceptions of Boyhood: The Perceptions of Male and Female High School Learners in Eswatini

Gendered Perceptions of Boyhood: The Perceptions of Male and Female High School Learners in Eswatini

Gibson Makamure

Issue: Vol. 6 No. 11 2025 Article 9 pp. 1175 – 1190
DOI : https://doi.org/10.38159/jelt.20256119 | Published online 25th November, 2025.
© 2025 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

23 Downloads

DOWNLOAD PDF

ABSTRACT

This study explored how male and female high school learners in Eswatini have gendered views of masculinity and how these views influenced their identities and actions in school. A qualitative case study methodology was used to gather data from 24 purposefully chosen 16–18-year-old students (12 boys and 12 girls) from four coeducational high schools in the Hhohho region, Eswatini, through semi-structured individual and focus group interviews. According to the research, boys frequently viewed aggression and risk-taking as innate qualities, demonstrating how hegemonic masculinity shapes ideas of masculinity. While girls reported experiencing sexual harassment from male students and authoritative figures, boys voiced opinions that justified risky and violent behaviors as necessary components of their masculinity. This study demonstrates how both male and female learners have a negative view of boys and associate them with sexual aggression and possible criminal activity. The study recommends that educational institutions confront and eliminate harmful masculine stereotypes in order to create spaces that support equity and students’ healthier gender identity expressions.

Keywords: Gender, Risk Taking, Masculinity, Hegemonic Masculinity, Sexual Harassment, Aggression.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Allen, Joseph P. “Rethinking Peer Influence and Risk Taking: A Strengths-Based Approach to Adolescence in a New Era.” Development and Psychopathology 36, no. 5 (December 16, 2024): 2244–55. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954579424000877.

Alsawalqa, Rula Odeh, Maissa Nasr Alrawashdeh, and Shahedul Hasan. “Understanding the Man Box: The Link between Gender Socialization and Domestic Violence in Jordan.” Heliyon 7, no. 10 (October 2021): e08264. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e08264.

Arandjelović, Ognjen. “Masculinity and the Questions of ‘Is’ and ‘Ought’: Revisiting the Definition of the Notion of Masculinity Itself.” Sexes 4, no. 4 (September 22, 2023): 448–61. https://doi.org/10.3390/sexes4040029.

Araújo, Eduardo, Anita Santos, Claúdia Oliveira, Olga Souza Cruz, and Diana Moreira. “Beliefs and Violent Behavior in Interpersonal Relationships of Young Adults: A Systematic Review.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 21, no. 11 (November 12, 2024): 1500. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21111500.

Barnwell, Ashley. “Listening to Interviews: Attending to Aurality, Emotions, and Atmospheres in Qualitative Analysis.” In Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung/Forum: Qualitative Social Research, Vol. 26, 2025.

Bertram, Tony, Chris Pascal, Helen Lyndon, Julia Formosinho, Donna Gaywood, Colette Gray, Jennifer Koutoulas, Eleni Loizou, Michel Vandenbroek, and Margy Whalley. “EECERA Ethical Code for Early Childhood Researchers.” European Early Childhood Education Research Journal 33, no. 1 (2025): 4–18.

Bhana, Deevia, Morten Skovdal, and Kaymarlin Govender. Young Masculinities and Sexual Health in Southern Africa. London: Routledge, 2025. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003468394.

Braun, Virginia, and Victoria Clarke. “Thematic Analysis: A Practical Guide,” 2021.

Chaurasiya, Neema. “DECONSTRUCTING GENDER.” Contemporary Perspectives on Childhood and Adolescence: Development, Diversity and Inclusion, 2025.

Connell, R. W. “Teaching the Boys: New Research on Masculinity, and Gender Strategies for Schools.” Teachers College Record: The Voice of Scholarship in Education 98, no. 2 (December 1, 1996): 206–35. https://doi.org/10.1177/016146819609800203.

Connell, Robert W, and James W Messerschmidt. “Hegemonic Masculinity: Rethinking the Concept.” Gender & Society 19, no. 6 (2005): 829–59.

Davis, Jared A., and Robert C. Schlauch. “Gender Differences in College Drinkers: A Test of the Precarious Manhood Hypothesis on Drinking Motivation.” Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology 43, no. 2 (April 2024): 152–79. https://doi.org/10.1521/jscp.2024.43.2.152.

DeGue, Sarah, Robyn Singleton, and Megan Kearns. “A Qualitative Analysis of Beliefs about Masculinity and Gender Socialization among U.S. Mothers and Fathers of School-Age Boys.” Psychology of Men & Masculinities 25, no. 2 (April 2024): 152–64. https://doi.org/10.1037/men0000450.

Dlamini, T. “Culture, Institutional Policies and Gender Equity in Physical Education: A Case Study of One Teacher Training College in the Kingdom of Eswatini,” 2024.

Duek, Revital, Ronit Kark, and Svetlana Chachashvili-Bolotin. “Macho or Nerd: Perceptions of Masculinity, Social Environment, and Science Capital Utilization Among Adolescent STEM Students.” Sex Roles 91, no. 4 (April 14, 2025): 30. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-025-01569-3.

Fielding-Miller, Rebecca, Fortunate Shabalala, Sakhile Masuku, and Anita Raj. “Epidemiology of Campus Sexual Assault among University Women in Eswatini.” Journal of Interpersonal Violence 36, no. 21–22 (2021): NP11238–63.

Frosh, Stephen, Ann Phoenix, and Rob Pattman. Young Masculinities: Understanding Boys in Contemporary Society. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2017.

González, L. E., D. L. Cortés, and R. Martínez. “Understanding the Roots of Aggression: The Role of Societal Expectations on Male Behavior.” Journal of Male Studies 12, no. 1 (2023): 15–30.

Harvey, Mattison, and Patrick Morse. “Femininity.” In Encyclopedia of Religious Psychology and Behavior, 1–12. Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-38971-9_240-1.

Hendrickx, Marie, Mamothena Carol Mothupi, Diane Cooper, Sara De Meyer, Lucia Knight, Kristien Michielsen, and Hanani Tabana. “Same but Different? Comparing Attitudes Regarding Gender, Gender Diversity, and Sexual Diversity Among Early Adolescents in South Africa and Belgium.” Journal of Adolescent Health 71, no. 4 (October 2022): 446–54. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2022.05.006.

Hoyt, Rylee. “The Lasting Effect of Athlete Aggressive Behavior beyond Sport,” 2025.

Hurst, D. “Masculinities in Transition: The Challenge of Gender Norms in South Africa and Eswatini. .” Southern African Journal of Gender Studies, 2021.

Jain, Nikita, and Alisha Juneja. “Impact of Social Support on Adolescents with Substance Abuse: A Case-Based Exploration.” International Journal of Interdisciplinary Approaches in Psychology 2, no. 11 (2024): 126–50.

Khabibah, Siti, Heppy Mutammimah, and Fajarman Fajarman. “The Social Construction of Gender in the Experience of Vocational School Adolescents. A Critical Approach.” Jurnal Dimensi Pendidikan Dan Pembelajaran 13, no. 1 (January 13, 2025): 95–108. https://doi.org/10.24269/dpp.v13i1.10723.

Kimmel, Michael. “Is ‘Jewish Masculinity’an Oxymoron?” European Journal of Jewish Studies 1, no. aop (2025): 1–17.

Kimmel, Michael S. “The Contemporary ‘Crisis’ of Masculinity in Historical Perspective.” In The Making of Masculinities (Routledge Revivals), 121–53. Routledge, 2018.

Koester, Diana, and Rachel Marcus. “How Does Social Media Influence the Gender Norms among Adolescent Boys.” A Review of Evidence, 2024.

Langa, M. Becoming Men: Black Masculinities in a South African Township. Wits University Press, 2020.

Larocque, Jason. Understanding Masculinity: Exploring the Personal and Professional Lives of Male Middle School Directors of Private, All-Boys’ Middle Schools. Lesley University, 2024.

Lim, S. “Applying Grounded Theory in Education Research: Exploring Lecturer Experiences in Overcrowded Classrooms.” International Qualitative Research in Education 11, no. 2 (2024): 102–19.

Makamure, Gibson, and Pholoho J Morojele. “Gendered Spaces: Students’ Experiences of the Social School Spaces in High Schools in Hhohho Region, Eswatini.” African Perspectives of Research in Teaching and Learning 7, no. 1 (2023): 76–83.

Marshall, Brett, Celia Mehou-Loko, Sindisiwe Mazibuko, Makhosazana Madladla, Lucia Knight, and Hilton Humphries. “Exploring Perceptions of Gender Roles amongst Sexually Active Adolescents in Rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.” Plos One 19, no. 1 (2024): e0296806.

Mazza, Marianna, Francesco Maria Lisci, Ester Maria Marzo, Valeria De Masi, Francesca Abate, and Giuseppe Marano. “Why Do They Do It? The Psychology behind Antisocial Behavior in Children and Adolescents.” Pediatric Reports 17, no. 2 (2025): 26.

Merdassa, Adugna Bersissa. “Traditional Masculinity, Peer Pressure, and Sensation Seeking as Correlates of Risky Behaviours.” International Journal of Adolescence and Youth 29, no. 1 (December 31, 2024). https://doi.org/10.1080/02673843.2023.2298087.

Meydan, C. H., and H. Akkaş. “The Role of Triangulation in Qualitative Research: Converging Perspectives.” In Principles of Conducting Qualitative Research in Multicultural Settings , 98–129. IGI Global, 2024.

Mittal, Shalini. “Rethinking Gender: Beyond the Binary and into the Unknown.” Integrative Psychological and Behavioral Science 59, no. 1 (2025): 19.

Nkosi, S., K. Ratele, Y. Sikweyiya, and N. Morojele. “Exploring Hypermasculinity as a Moderator between Sexual Violence Victimization and Adverse Mental Health Effects among Sentenced Incarcerated Men.” Journal of Men’s Health 20, no. 10 (2024): 89. https://doi.org/10.22514/jomh.2024.169.

O’Neil, J. “Gender and Aggression.” Psychology of Men and Masculinity 26, no. 1 (2025): 1–11.

Otto, Shirley. “Women, Alcohol and Social Control.” In Controlling Women, 154–67. Routledge, 2024.

Reeser, Todd W. Masculinities in Theory: An Introduction. John Wiley & Sons, 2023.

Sharma, Santosh Kumar, and Deepanjali Vishwakarma. “Transitions in Adolescent Boys and Young Men’s High-Risk Sexual Behaviour in India,” June 8, 2020. https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-15663/v3.

Shongwe, T. S., and S. Mkhonta. “Examining the Influence of Peer Pressure on Adolescent Masculinity: Risky Behaviors Among Boys. .” Journal of Adolescent Research 38, no. 4 (2023): 467-483.

Siann, Gerda. Accounting for Aggression: Perspectives on Aggression and Violence. Routledge, 2024.

Sibanda, Sharon. Kanene: The Untold Stories of Psychological Wounds of Combat after South Africa’s Demobilisation among Black SANDF Soldiers. UJ Press, 2025.

Skipper, Yvonne, and Claire Fox. “Boys Will Be Boys: Young People’s Perceptions and Experiences of Gender within Education.” Pastoral Care in Education 40, no. 4 (October 2, 2022): 391–409. https://doi.org/10.1080/02643944.2021.1977986.

Smith, J., and R. Jones. “Male Aggression and Mental Health: Understanding the Duality of Perception.” Psychology of Men & Masculinity 25, no. 2 (2024): 285–99.

Storm-Mathisen, F. “ ‘Violence Is Completely Normal’: Managing Violence Through Narrative Normalization.” The British Journal of Criminology 65, no. 1 (2025): 37–53.

Thompson, A. J., and K. Clarke. “Gendered Perspectives on Masculinity: Understanding the Complexities of Male Behavior. .” Journal of Gender Studies 30, no. 1 (2025): 15-30.

Wagner, Zachary. Non-Toxic Masculinity: Recovering Healthy Male Sexuality. InterVarsity Press, 2023.

Wedgwood, Nikki, Raewyn Connell, and Julian Wood. “Deploying Hegemonic Masculinity: A Study of Uses of the Concept in the Journal Psychology of Men & Masculinities.” Psychology of Men & Masculinities 24, no. 2 (April 2023): 83–93. https://doi.org/10.1037/men0000417.

Whiteside, Adam. “”Guys Are Going to Be Guys”: How Fraternity Men Discursively Construct Masculinity and Navigate Perceptions of Toxic Masculinity.” Kent State University, 2024.

Young, Alinda M., Mpho Moji, Zoe Duby, Siyanda Tenza, Millicent Atujuna, Thesla Palanee-Phillips, Alexandra M. Minnis, and Elizabeth T. Montgomery. “The ‘Ideal Man’: How Gender Norms and Expectations Shape South African Men’s Masculinity, Sexual Identities, and Well-Being.” The Journal of Men’s Studies 33, no. 2 (June 27, 2025): 417–40. https://doi.org/10.1177/10608265241303734.

AUTHOR(S)

Dr. Gibson Makamure is a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Educational Leadership and Management at the University of South Africa (UNISA). His research focuses on educational leadership, gender and education, and the gendered experiences of individuals within educational institutions and broader social settings. He is particularly interested in how leadership and policy intersect with issues of equity and inclusion in education.

TO CITE ARTICLE

Makamure, Gibson. “Gendered Perceptions of Boyhood: The Perceptions of Male and Female High School Learners in Eswatini.” Journal of Education and Learning Technology 6, no. 11 (2025): 1175 – 1190. https://doi.org/10.38159/jelt.20256119.