Hegemonic masculinities as counter resistance in the university context

Abstract

This study analyzed the facets of the exercise of hegemonic masculinities as a means of counter-resistance of young men in the face of the rise of female groups in the university context. A longitudinal, qualitative, and interpretive study was developed based on multiple data sources, such as interviews, documents, and organizational artifacts, which were analyzed inductively based on open, axial, and selective coding. As main results of the triangulation of the data, the following stand out: (i) hegemonic masculinities are characterized by leadership in student groups, exaltation of masculinity, and classification of women as subordinate to boys’ interests; (ii) there is a resistance of a feminist collective, marked by the fight against situations of machismo in the university context; (iii) there is a male counter-resistance, with the intensification of actions against women, through harassment, aggression, vandalism, and compositions of sexist songs. The article contributes to the discussion about gender and resistance, especially in the organizational context.