Diálogos entre padres y adolescentes sobre sexualidad: discursos morales y médicos en la reproducción de las desigualdades de género

Abstract

Las mujeres y los hombres adolescentes construyen determinadas dimensiones de su sexualidad a partir del diálogo con adultos que les transmites valores y normas. El artículo analiza conversaciones sobre sexualidad de adolescentes con sus padres en que se articulan registros discursivos médicos y morales. La investigación se basa en 46 entrevistas individuales con hombres y mujeres de 15 a 19 años de estratos socio-económicos medios que residen en Trelew, ciudad de 90.00 habitantes de la Patagonia argentina, y cursan enseñanza media. Para explicar las dinámicas diferenciadas de dialogo entre adolescentes mujeres y adolescentes hombres, elaboramos las nociones de control parental de la sexualidad femenina adolescente y omnipresencia material y discursiva del preservativo. Estas nociones muestran como los diálogos con adultos son atravesados por expectativas desiguales de género que, a su vez, ellos mismos refuerzan.

Consistencies and Discrepancies in Communication Between Parents and Teenage Children About Sexuality

“…Consistent with previous studies, a noticeable difference was observed in this study between the sexual communication processes that fathers and mothers report and what is perceived by their sons and daughters (Jones, 2010;Kapungu et al, 2010). As noted by Jones (2010), adolescent males tend to talk about sexuality-related topics more often with their fathers, while females are more likely to discuss them with their mothers.…”

“…Thus, it has been found that adolescents' perception of emotional closeness with their parents determines how they communicate about sex-related topics and influences their decision making (Barrera & Vargas, 2005). Additionally, it was found that parents' main barriers to talking about sexuality include their feelings of discomfort when addressing the topic (Seloilwe, Magowe, Dithole, & Lawrence, 2015); parents' fear of embarrassing their children (Jones, 2010); lack of knowledge about the characteristics of contemporary sexual life and their children's forms of communication ; and the perception that their children are too young to receive sex education (Elliott, 2010). Adolescents, in turn, perceive that sexuality is a personal topic that should not be discussed with their parents.…”

“…Women are more likely to talk about the topic with their parents, especially with their mothers, than men (Jones, 2010;Kapungu et al, 2010). Although previous studies have established that parent-child communication about sexuality is limited, abstinence, menstruation, and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases have been identified as the topics most often addressed by parents (Manu, Mba, Asare, Odoi-Agyarko, & Asante, 2015).…”

“…Although previous studies have established that parent-child communication about sexuality is limited, abstinence, menstruation, and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases have been identified as the topics most often addressed by parents (Manu, Mba, Asare, Odoi-Agyarko, & Asante, 2015). When discussing abstinence, female sexual activity is represented as rational only when the relations are based on love and a stable partnership (Jones, 2010). When this topic is broached with male children, the bond with their partner and the necessary motivation for becoming sexually active are not emphasized; rather, it is more common for them to be given condoms, implying approval and encouragement to initiate sexual activity (Jones, 2010).…”

“…When discussing abstinence, female sexual activity is represented as rational only when the relations are based on love and a stable partnership (Jones, 2010). When this topic is broached with male children, the bond with their partner and the necessary motivation for becoming sexually active are not emphasized; rather, it is more common for them to be given condoms, implying approval and encouragement to initiate sexual activity (Jones, 2010). Seloilwe et al (2015) emphasized that these conversations are based on characteristics of practices and do not reflect the values or motivations associated with lived experience of those practices.…”