Church representatives’ perspectives on masculinities in the context of HIV: the case of the Ecumenical HIV and AIDS Initiative in Africa

Abstract

Despite a growing body of literature related to church leaders challenging dominant norms of masculinities that may enable the spread of HIV, research on masculinity issues among African church representatives who are policy makers is scarce. The objectives of this study were to explore the perspectives on masculinities held by church representatives within the Ecumenical HIV and AIDS Initiative in Africa (EHAIA) and to identify strategies they used to transform masculinities in their respective churches. Qualitative interviews were carried out with 14 church representatives belonging to the EHAIA International Reference Group. These interviews were analysed using thematic analysis and four themes were identified: "barriers to challenge masculinities" may contribute to the spread of HIV; "counterproductive conservative church leadership" fails to challenge dominant forms of masculinities; "facilitators to challenge masculinities" perceived as slowly changing men and "an evolving hope for gender equality" would be perceived in certain marital relationships. The latter two were viewed as positive approaches resulting from masculinity workshops and male priests disclosing their HIV-positive status. This research highlights strategies that may help male church-goers challenge masculinities, support gender equality and, improve the lives of men and women in the context of HIV.

Factors associated with gender equality among church-going young men in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo: a cross-sectional study

“…The Salvation Army is a progressive church in this regard since priesthood vocation is open and accessible to both women and men. However, we still agree that unequal gender relations and opinions might exist between priest women and men [ 21 ]. Moreover, the church efforts that have been undertaken so far by the Ecumenical HIV and AIDS Initiative in Africa in this study population to promote positive forms of masculinities and gender equality might have reached only a small proportion of church-going young men [ 26 ].…”

“…In this vein, a masculinity study carried out in the Assembly of God church in Zimbabwe found that men who were taught to be loving and non-violent in relationships with their female partners exhibited mutual support [ 51 ]. Similar studies have shown that some churches may be progressively contributing to changing gender norms, building and strengthening healthy family ties for men to partner constructively with their spouses and achieve gender equality [ 21 , 52 ]. However, we are aware that not all churches are the same and not all pastors in the churches share similar perspectives regarding gender and sexuality.…”

“…However, some church leaders’ traditional views regarding what it means to be a man may reinforce harmful norms of masculinities that are prevalent in Africa [ 21 ]. Dominant versions of masculinities may partly be the result of selective reading and interpretation of the scriptures [ 22 ], lack of church leaders’ commitment to promoting gender equality [ 23 ], and their real and/or perceived complacency in condoning harmful beliefs and practices about what it means to be a man [ 24 ].…”