Perceptions of adolescents in Gauteng, South Africa towards gender roles

Abstract

Gender roles remain one of the most contentious subjects in modern society, due to their far-reaching consequences on both structural and cultural norms. Perceptions of gender roles vary significantly among individuals, ranging from traditional to more egalitarian views. Until recently, research has predominantly focused on adult perspectives, with little attention given to adolescents, particularly in the Global South. This study seeks to address this gap by exploring South African adolescents’ understanding of gender roles within the context of the country’s patriarchal values. The study followed a qualitative research paradigm, guided by feminist approaches and social role theory. A narrative inquiry method was used to gather data from six participants (three males and three females) between 18 and 20 years old (at the time of the study), recruited through snowball sampling. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, and the data were analysed thematically. The findings reveal that traditional gender roles remain pervasive in the lives of South African adolescents from Gauteng, although the impact on individual agency varies depending on the context. Parents play a key role in transmitting gender role expectations, but these influences are often shaped by the adolescents’ broader social environments, including peers and media. In conclusion, traditional gender roles continue to shape gender relations among South African adolescents. The study highlights the complex and fluid nature of gender and gender role attitudes, emphasising the need for ongoing dialogue and a commitment to improving gender relations in society.

Dikarolo tsa bong e ntse e le e nngwe ya ditaba tse tsosang kgang setjhabeng sa sejwale-jwale ka lebaka la ditlamorao tse kgolo ho ditlwaelo tsa popeho le setso. Maikutlo a dikarolo tsa bong a fapana haholo hara batho, ho tloha moetlong ho ya ho maikutlo a tekano. Ho fihlela morao tjena, diphuputso di shebile haholo maikutlo a batho ba baholo, ho sa natswe tlhokomelo e nyane ho batjha, haholo-holo lefatsheng le ka Borwa. Phuputso ena e shebana le ho rarolla lekgalo lena ka ho lekola kutlwisiso ya batjha ba Afrika Borwa mabapi le dikarolo tsa tekano ho latela maemo a naha a bopatriareka. Phuputso ena e ile ya latela mohlala wa boleng ba dipatlisiso, o tataiswang ke mekgwa ya bosadi le kgopolo-taba ya karolo ya setjhaba. Ho sebedisitswe mokgwa wa ho etsa dipatlisiso ho bokella datha ho tswa ho bankakarolo ba tsheletseng (ba batona ba bararo le ba batshehadi ba bararo) ba dipakeng tsa dilemo tse 18-19, ba thaothuweng ka disampole tsa ho thaotha. Dipuisano tse batlang di hlophisitswe hantle di ile tsa etswa, mme datha ya hlahlojwa ka mokgwa o hlophisitsweng. Diphumano di senola hore dikarolo tsa moetlo tsa bong di dula di atile maphelong a batjha ba Afrika Borwa ba tswang Gauteng, leha ditlamorao ho mokgatlo ka mong di fapana ho latela maemo. Batswadi ba bapala karolo ya bohlokwa ho fetiseng ditebello tsa karolo ya bong, empa ditshusumetso tsena hangata di hlohlelletswa ke maemo a bophelo a batjha, ho kenyeletswa dithaka le metjha ya phatlalatso ya ditaba. Qetellong, dikarolo tsa setso tsa bong di tswelapele ho theha dikamano tsa bong hara batjha ba Afrika Borwa. Phuputso e totobatsa semelo se rarahaneng le se sa rarahanang sa maikutlo a karolo ya botona le botshehadi, ho hatisa tlhokahalo ya dipuisano tse tswelang pele le boitlamo ba ho ntlafatsa dikamano tsa tekano setjhabeng.

Iqhaza lezobulili lilokhu lingesinye sezihloko ezidida kakhulu emphakathini wanamuhla ngenxa yemiphumela enembangela enkulu ekwakhekeni nasezimisweni zamasiko. Yehluke kakhulu imibono yabantu ngeqhaza lezobulili, kusukela ekubukeni ngokwesiko kuye ngokokulingana. Njengamanje-ke, ucwaningo luzogxile kakhulu emibonweni yabantu abadala, kube kuncane kakhulu okuyimibono yentsha, ikakhulu engxenyeni eseNingizimu yomhlaba. Lolu cwaningo luhlose ukubhekana negebe elikhona ngokuthi luhlonze lokho okuqondwa yintsha yaseNingizimu Afrika mayelana neqhaza lezobulili ngokwezimiso zenzalabantu ezweni. Ucwaningo lusebenzise uhlelo lokuhlaziya iqophelo, ngokuqondiswa yizindlela zokuvikelwa kwabesifazane kanye netiyori emayelana neqhaza lomphakathi. Lapha kusetshenziswe indlela yophenyo elandisayo ukuze kuqoqwe idatha kubabambiqhaza abayisithupha (abesilisa abathathu nabesifazane abathathu) abaphakathi kweminyaka eyi-18-19 ubudala, abatholakale ngokohlelo lokubanxenxa. Kwenziwa inhlolovo evulelekile, kwase kuthi idatha yona yahlaziywa ngokwengqikithi yocwaningo. Imiphumela iveza ukuthi iqhaza lezobulili ngokwesintu lisalokhu lihamba phambili empilweni yentsha eNingizimu Afrika ehlala eGauteng, nakuba umthelela walokhu kumuntu ngamunye wehlukile kuye ngesimo esibhekwayo. Abazali badlala indima ebalulekile ekufundiseni ngalokho okulindelekile ngokweqhaza lezobulili, kodwa lokhu kudalwa nayisimo senhlalo kubantu abasha, okuhlanganisa nontanga kanye nabezindaba. Uma sesiphetha, iqhaza lezobulili ngokwesintu liyaqhubeka nokubumba ubudlelwano bobulili entsheni yaseNingizimu Afrika. Ucwaningo lugqamisa ukwehluka nesimo semvelo yobulili kanjalo nokuziphatha ngokweqhaza lezobulili, ngokugqugquzela isidingo sokuba nezingxoxo kanjalo nokuzibophezela ekwenzeni ngcono ubudlelwano bezobulili emphakathini.