Predictors and Correlates of South African University Students’ Perceptions of Metrosexuality as an Acceptable Form of Contemporary Masculinity

Abstract

ABSTRACT As little is known about the views of university students on metrosexual masculinities in South Africa, the aim of this study was to investigate the predictors and correlates of a group of 200 undergraduate students’ perceptions on whether metrosexuality should be considered as an acceptable form of contemporary masculinity. Results from the structured survey indicated that students’ race and levels of religiosity were not associated with the extent to which they viewed metrosexuality as acceptable. By contrast, in relation to sex/gender, female students exhibited more accepting attitudes towards metrosexuality than their male counterparts. Furthermore, the more importance students ascribed to media portrayals of orthodox masculinity as well as to primary gender-role socialisation, the less likely they were to accept metrosexuality. The study contributes to current research on masculinities by investigating metrosexuality as the primary theme, underscoring the similarities between South African and Anglo-American theorisation on the topic, foregrounding the perceptions of millennials in conceptualising and understanding contemporary masculinity, and problematising notions that South African students ascribe to homogenous or monolithic views of masculinity.