Phallus, performance and power: Crisis of masculinity
Men’s sexual health concerns (SHCs) receive inadequate attention in research and health interventions. We explored meanings of SHCs, particularly sexual performance, in a qualitative study on male sexuality in Bangladesh. Five focus group discussions with key-informants and 50 urban and rural men we...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
| Published: |
Carfax Publishing
2008
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/12470 |
| _version_ | 1848748085313798144 |
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| author | Khan, S. Saggers, Sherry Hudson-Rodd, N. Bhuiyan, M. Bhuiya, A. Karim, S. Rauyajin, O. |
| author_facet | Khan, S. Saggers, Sherry Hudson-Rodd, N. Bhuiyan, M. Bhuiya, A. Karim, S. Rauyajin, O. |
| author_sort | Khan, S. |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | Men’s sexual health concerns (SHCs) receive inadequate attention in research and health interventions. We explored meanings of SHCs, particularly sexual performance, in a qualitative study on male sexuality in Bangladesh. Five focus group discussions with key-informants and 50 urban and rural men were interviewed. Male superiority and power over women were proclaimed as ‘normal’ and ‘natural’. Men’s authoritative relations with women affect sexual acts where ‘real’ men need to be sexually ‘potent’ to demonstrate ‘sexual power’ through sustained penile erections, penetration and prolonged sexual intercourse. Without adequate knowledge of human sexuality, men deem ‘sex’ as another agency of power, dominance and governance. Sexual performance with a large-sized penis symbolizes masculine power to control women. Narrowly focused penetrative male sexuality relies on performance, which destroys the quality of sexual life and equality in relationships. In a patriarchal society, the discrepancy of gender-biased socialization creates an essentialist framework of male sexuality where phallus, performance and power are at the core of men’s SHCs, constructed in the context of market economy and technology. Thus, SHCs, products of men’s threatened masculine power, need to be re-conceptualized before any effective health programs are designed. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T06:59:26Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-12470 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T06:59:26Z |
| publishDate | 2008 |
| publisher | Carfax Publishing |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-124702017-09-13T15:54:44Z Phallus, performance and power: Crisis of masculinity Khan, S. Saggers, Sherry Hudson-Rodd, N. Bhuiyan, M. Bhuiya, A. Karim, S. Rauyajin, O. Men’s sexual health concerns (SHCs) receive inadequate attention in research and health interventions. We explored meanings of SHCs, particularly sexual performance, in a qualitative study on male sexuality in Bangladesh. Five focus group discussions with key-informants and 50 urban and rural men were interviewed. Male superiority and power over women were proclaimed as ‘normal’ and ‘natural’. Men’s authoritative relations with women affect sexual acts where ‘real’ men need to be sexually ‘potent’ to demonstrate ‘sexual power’ through sustained penile erections, penetration and prolonged sexual intercourse. Without adequate knowledge of human sexuality, men deem ‘sex’ as another agency of power, dominance and governance. Sexual performance with a large-sized penis symbolizes masculine power to control women. Narrowly focused penetrative male sexuality relies on performance, which destroys the quality of sexual life and equality in relationships. In a patriarchal society, the discrepancy of gender-biased socialization creates an essentialist framework of male sexuality where phallus, performance and power are at the core of men’s SHCs, constructed in the context of market economy and technology. Thus, SHCs, products of men’s threatened masculine power, need to be re-conceptualized before any effective health programs are designed. 2008 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/12470 10.1080/14681990701790635 Carfax Publishing restricted |
| spellingShingle | Khan, S. Saggers, Sherry Hudson-Rodd, N. Bhuiyan, M. Bhuiya, A. Karim, S. Rauyajin, O. Phallus, performance and power: Crisis of masculinity |
| title | Phallus, performance and power: Crisis of masculinity |
| title_full | Phallus, performance and power: Crisis of masculinity |
| title_fullStr | Phallus, performance and power: Crisis of masculinity |
| title_full_unstemmed | Phallus, performance and power: Crisis of masculinity |
| title_short | Phallus, performance and power: Crisis of masculinity |
| title_sort | phallus, performance and power: crisis of masculinity |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/12470 |