Constructing masculinity in response to women's sexual advances

Area of Science:

• Sociology
• Gender Studies
• Psychology

Background:

• Traditional sexual scripts often position men as proactive initiators in heterosexual encounters.
• Men's experiences with unwanted sexual contact are less frequently explored, particularly concerning their responses.
• Masculinity norms can influence how men perceive and react to sexual advances.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore how masculinity shapes men's experiences with unwanted sexual contact from women.
• To understand the role of sexual gatekeeping in men's negotiation of sexual encounters.
• To examine how men maintain agency and traditional gender roles in response to sexual advances.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative research design utilizing in-depth interviews.
• 20 adult men reporting unwanted sexual experiences with women were interviewed.
• Thematic analysis was employed to identify patterns in participants' narratives.

Main Results:

• Men actively engaged in 'sexual gatekeeping,' setting limits on women's sexual advances.
• Sexual gatekeeping was a conscious strategy to assert agency and uphold masculine roles.
• Initiating women were perceived as potentially violating men's proactive sexual role, triggering gatekeeping behaviors.

Conclusions:

• Sexual gatekeeping by men is an agentic performance of masculinity, not a passive role.
• This behavior reinforces traditional gender dichotomies and sexual scripts.
• Understanding men's experiences with unwanted sexual contact requires acknowledging their active role in managing sexual encounters.