Gender masculinities of present fathers: Perceptions, experiences and challenges of fathers living with children

Abstract

Fathers play a key role in the life of a child in a family. In South Africa, statistics indicate that 71% of children who have a male adult living in the family, only 36% live with their biological parents. This predicament is exacerbated by the fact that culture presents gender masculinities as a key aspect that informs how fathers treat their children. Gender masculinities refer to socially constructed stereotypes that inform attributes, behaviours, and roles that are generally associated with boys and men. This study explored the perceptions, experiences and challenges of present fathers with regard to gender masculinities.