Department of Social Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, Houghton Street, London, WC2A 2AE, UK.
Act for Change, P.O. Box JT 224, James Town, Accra, Ghana.
Soc Sci Med. 2022 Dec;314:115454. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.115454. Epub 2022 Oct 15.
The ability to exercise full sexual and reproductive health and rights is shaped by the contextual environment, meaning that women and pregnant people must navigate patriarchal norms when seeking care. Despite growing evidence that men are able to influence pregnancy outcomes, there remains a paucity of research on how and why men are able to involve themselves in pregnancy and abortion decision-making. This study interrogates the mechanisms that drive men's involvement in pregnancies and abortions in James Town, Ghana. Data from a survey (n = 296) and in-depth interviews (n = 37) were collected between July 2020 and January 2021. The mixed-method analysis critically examined the relationship between men's support for a pregnancy or abortion and their constructions of masculinities. Findings framed sex and reproduction as both a facilitator and a threat to men's masculinity. Reproduction was an essential component of being a man. Men discussed the need to fulfil masculine ideals of being independent, provide financially, and be in an acceptable relationship in order to be 'ready' for fatherhood. However, men similarly operationalised the notion of 'readiness' as the driving force behind their involvement in abortion decision-making. As being a father without being ready could lead to social ostracism and derision, men discussed forcing their abortion desires onto their sexual partners and other pregnant people. Achieving masculine ideals, therefore, was a critical motivation for controlling women and pregnant people's bodies. Understanding the role of masculinities is critical in acknowledging the contextual and environmental factors that women and pregnant people navigate, which contribute to continued reproductive injustices.
行使充分的性健康和生殖健康及权利的能力受到背景环境的影响，这意味着女性和孕妇在寻求护理时必须应对父权制规范。尽管越来越多的证据表明男性能够影响怀孕结果，但关于男性如何以及为何能够参与怀孕和堕胎决策的研究仍然很少。本研究探讨了在加纳詹姆斯敦推动男性参与怀孕和堕胎的机制。2020 年 7 月至 2021 年 1 月期间，通过调查（n=296）和深入访谈（n=37）收集了数据。混合方法分析批判性地审查了男性对怀孕或堕胎的支持与其男性气质建构之间的关系。研究结果认为，性别和生殖既促进也威胁到男性的男子气概。生殖是男性的重要组成部分。男性讨论了需要履行独立、提供经济支持和建立可接受的关系等男性理想，以“准备”为人父。然而，男性同样将“准备”的概念作为他们参与堕胎决策的驱动力。因为没有准备就成为父亲可能会导致社会排斥和嘲笑，所以男性讨论强迫他们的性伴侣和其他孕妇堕胎。因此，实现男性理想是控制女性和孕妇身体的关键动机。理解男性气质的作用对于承认女性和孕妇所面临的背景和环境因素至关重要，这些因素导致了持续的生殖不公正。
