Gender and Health Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Pretoria, South Africa.
School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
PLoS One. 2023 Feb 2;18(2):e0280932. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0280932. eCollection 2023.
In this paper, we explore the gender socialization of adolescent boys in soccer clubs, and ask whether there are opportunities for integrating gender transformative elements into that socialization. This qualitative study involved 11 in-depth interviews and informal conversations with male soccer coaches from Gugulethu township and Mthatha town in the Western Cape and Eastern Cape provinces of South Africa, respectively. Data were analyzed using a thematic analysis approach. We found that the coaches felt that the adolescent boys in their soccer clubs faced serious social and emotional challenges, with the boys' poor socio-economic backgrounds and fragmented family structures being major contributors to these challenges. Most coaches also gave themselves the responsibility to try to address some of the challenges faced by their club members. To do this, they employed specific strategies, including creating an alliance with parents and professionals. In the process, the coaches engaged the boys on topics around respect, sexual and reproductive health, and avoiding alcohol, drugs, and involvement in criminal gangs. Some coaches also played a social fathering role to club members as a way of helping them to think differently about their lives, redirect risky practices, and reduce the chance for poor health outcomes. These findings highlight the role of soccer clubs and coaches as potential avenues for health- and equity-promoting gender socialization of adolescent boys.
本文探讨了足球俱乐部中青少年男性的性别社会化问题，并探讨了是否有机会将性别转换元素融入这种社会化过程中。这项定性研究涉及分别来自南非西开普省古古莱图镇和东开普省姆塔塔镇的 11 名深入访谈和与男性足球教练的非正式对话。数据采用主题分析方法进行分析。我们发现，教练们认为他们所在足球俱乐部的青少年男孩面临着严重的社会和情感挑战，这些挑战主要归因于男孩贫困的社会经济背景和支离破碎的家庭结构。大多数教练还认为自己有责任尝试解决俱乐部成员面临的一些挑战。为此，他们采用了特定的策略，包括与父母和专业人士建立联盟。在此过程中，教练们就尊重、性与生殖健康以及避免酗酒、吸毒和参与犯罪团伙等问题与男孩们进行了交流。一些教练还扮演了俱乐部成员的社会父亲角色，帮助他们以不同的方式思考自己的生活，改变危险行为，减少不良健康结果的发生。这些发现突出了足球俱乐部和教练作为促进青少年男性健康和公平的性别社会化的潜在途径的作用。
