Edith Cowan University Research Online Theses: Doctorates and Masters Theses 1-1-2004 Male sexuality and masculinity: Implications for STIs/HIV and sexual health interventions in Bangladesh Sharful I. Khan Edith Cowan University Follow this and additional works at: https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses Part of the Gender and Sexuality Commons, and the Public Health Commons Recommended Citation Khan, S. I. (2004). Male sexuality and masculinity: Implications for STIs/HIV and sexual health interventions in Bangladesh. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/815 This Thesis is posted at Research Online. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/815 Edith Cowan University Copyright Warning You may print or download ONE copy of this document for the purpose of your own research or study. The University does not authorize you to copy, communicate or otherwise make available electronically to any other person any copyright material contained on this site. 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Male Sexuality and Masculinity: Implications for STis/HIV and'Sexual Health Interventions in Bangladesh Sharful Islam Khan MBBS (Dhaka Medical College, Dhaka, Bangladesh) M.A. (Health Social Science, Mahidol University, Thailand) A Thesis Submitted in Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Award of Doctor of Philosophy (Sociology/ Anthropology) School oflntemational, Cultural and Community Services Faculty of Community Services, Education and Social Sciences Edith Cowan University Perth, Western Australia December IO, 2004 ABSTRACT My thesis concerns male sexuality as revealed by men living in contemporary urban and rural Bangladesh. I pursue what men think it means to be a man. dimensions o 1· manliness and manhood, and male innuences in the construction of male/female relationships. Significant meanings men attribute to sexual acts, pleasure, pain. risk and safety in multiple social realities, panicularly in the era of HIV/AIDS, were explored. A social constructionist perspective guided my research. Using qualitative research methods, l conducted 50 in-depth inter\'iews with men aged between 1S and 58 years from diverse socio-occupational backgrounds. Twenty key informants included religious leaders. traditional and Western medical practitioners, teachers, community and religious leaders, professionals in\'olved in the media. Ten focus group discussions were held. I spent time in various male venues to observe men's sucial lives and interactions. The 15 month fieldwork was conducted in \1ohammadpur n1ana of Dhaka City and some villages of Sadar and Panchbibi Up:ila of Jaipurhat district. Tape recorded interviews iu Bangla were transcribed and data analy5is performed by inter-subjective interpretations through content, contextual and thematic analysis. I have analyzed the social construction of manliness and manhood and its innuences on male-female relationships, men's construction of sexual risk, safety and pleasure, and meanings of sex and sexual health concerns. Bangladeshi men's manhood and relationships with women are expressed within the obligutory marital framework of patriarchy. Notions of men as 'providers' and 'protectors' construct male sexual authority over women originating from gender inequalities and power relations with women. This creates a sexual double standard and undermines women's sexual rights. pleasure and equ aI it y in relationships. Pornographic movies and advenisements of traditional practitioners on sexual matters also innuence the construction of male sexuality within a narrow framework of sexual competence to ''Nin' women via the penis, penetration and performance. The 'perfect' female and male body images of Western pornographic stars create a discrepancy between men's 'expectations' and nctual 'achievements' in their sexual lives. Male roles as traditional providers are increasingly threatened in the context of economic hardship and women's participation in income generation in Bangladesh. The crisis of masculinity is reflected in exaggerated notions of male sexual prowess which are often hard to achieve, resulting in much frnstration among men. This negatively affects men's sexual health and relationships with women. If public health priorities do not correspond to these general sexual health concerns of men and ignore the pleasure. preference and emotions of male-female sexuality, conventional HIV intervent•ons based on disease and safety models are less likely to be effective. Generalizing about issu~s of male sexuality is difficult. Meanings of male sexuality are fluid, contested and contradictory among and between men. A minority of men opposed the dominant v~rsion of male sexuality, claiming to live pleasurable and responsible sexual lives. My thesis identifies a space for a creative rethinking of male sexuality recognizing that while men are beneticiaries of patriarchy. they are also vulnerable because of patriarchy An alternate version of male sexuality can be constructed through a strategy of working to empower men to value the role of women. Educating men by providing positive information on sexual pleasure, eroticism, c11en's and women's bodies and their sexual needs may contribute to improving tile sexual health of men and women. 1\len must be encouraged to reconstruct their roles of caring and loving fathers and husbands, together with sharing the providers' roles with women. An attempt to reconstruct traditional male sexuality affects both men and women as masculine sexuality is not isolate~ from the socio-cultural construction of feminine sexuality. Research needs to focus on social­ cultural institutions contributing to hierarchical relationships of inequality between men and W•)men in all spheres oftife including the sexual. DECLARATION I certify that this thesis does not, to the best of my knowledge and belief: (i) incorporate without acknowledgement any material previously submitted for a degree or diploma in any institution of higher education (ii) contain any material previously published or written by another person c;,;cept due reference is made in the tcx:t; or (iii) contain any defamatory material. Signature: Date: __ jk{. ,o -z.ac-4 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to express my sincere grntitude to a number of individuals and institutions who, m one way or another, assisted me in completing this thesis. Firstly, I grntefully remember all participants of this study who offered their valuable time and shared imimate issues of thdr lives 011 which my thesis is \Hii!en. I run committed to improve the quality of their sexual health through my work. I run extremely fonunate to be associated wilh my supervisors Dr. ;,,;ancy Hudson-Rodd and Professor Sherry Saggcrs. \Ve made an excellent team since 1he beginning of the proposal writing. I received invaluable academic insights and incredible encouragement throughout the period ofmy thesis work. Their accessibility. generosity, scientific integrity and immense patience in reviewing my writings helped me to complete this thesis on time. Thdr e:.traordinary hospitality and caring attitudes made my life lively at Perth. [ \VOUld like to gratefully acknowledge the moral encoura~emem :md administranve supp(lrt of Dr. Abbas Bhuiya, the Head of the Social and Behavioral ScienC1.'S l'nit (SBSU). Pub he Health Science Division of ICDDR.B: The Center for Health and Population Research. Db aka, Bangladesh. l also com'<.'Y my gratitude to Dr. Tasnim Aziz, Head of the HIV/AIDS Program of ICDDR,B for her inspiration to continue good work. I received valuable and friendly assistance from SBSU and all other rele,·ant departments of ICDDR,B in carrying out this project. In this aspect, I remember \1r. Tazek Ahmed Chowdhur;o· and Harnfur Rahman for their managerial suppon I convey special thanks to my energetic proJect staff. particularly Muhammad Mal1bubul Islam Bhuiyan and ,\shraful-ul- Karim for their devoted hard work. I gratefully remember Mob:immad Ullah. the 11urstng manager of ICDDR,B for offering his enthusiasuc in51ghts and valuable advice. I also thank Ayesha ,\pa. Tanmnna Simonin, Sahana Parvin, Ashraful Alam. Manzoor Ahmed Hanifi and '.'lazmul Sahel for their various supports. During fieldwork, I received assisiance from various institutions. I especially remember the D11s1lw Mmwho1ar Seba Smmha (DMSS) of Khanjanpur. Jaipurhat, a local non-government organization who offered valuable suppon during my fieldwork. Mr. Apurbo Sarker, the Executive Director of DMSS should be remembered for his suppon during fieldwork. Khondoker Ohiduzz:iman Labu and his family will be remembered for their warm hospitality. ! would like to take the opportunity to express my gratitude to Edith Cowan University