Masculinity, Anti-effeminacy and Sexual Risk Behavior in College Students

Abstract

Introduction: Anti-effeminacy is involved with the enhancement of risk sexual behaviors in men, leading to health impacts.

Objective: To investigate the relationship between anti-effeminacy, as a component of masculinity, and risk sexual behaviors in a sample of college men.

Materials and methods: The survey was conducted with 169 male participants, over 18 years old, with a mean age of 22.03 years (SD = 4.936). The data were produced in person through the application of instruments that assess anti-effeminacy, the importance attributed to masculinity, attitudes towards the use of condoms and indicators of risk sexual behaviors.

Results and Conclusions: The results show positive correlations between antifeminization with inconsistent attitudes to condom use (r = 0.352; p < 0.001) and the importance of masculinity (r = 0.450; p < 0.001). In addition, anti-effeminacy and indicators of risk sexual behavior were identified as predictors of inconsistent attitudes toward condom use (p < 0.001; r² = 0.295). The article discusses the relationship between health and masculinity; and how factors, such as anti-effeminacy, are important for understanding sexual and risk behaviors in men.