Masculinity, Femininity And Sexuality On The Two Shores Of The Mediterranean: The Discourses Of Spanish And Moroccan Men

Gender, masculinity and femininity are social constructions and therefore, they are concepts that are dynamic, changeable, influenced by the specific circumstances associated to each cultural context. As a binary concept, gender does not only determinate how women and men should be, but also how they should relate with each other. The objective of this article is to analyse the conceptions of Moroccan and Spanish men about masculinity and femininity, as well as their relation with the ways of conceiving sexuality in both cultures. Through the analysis of discourses reproduced by 24 men participating to 5 focal groups conducted in Spain (2) and Morocco (3), this article presents how the conceptions of masculinity and femininity respond to a common background, built on the basis of similar stereotypes, but modified by the specific characteristics of each targeted context. The different understanding of sexuality in each country as well as its evolution, would be within the key elements explaining the differences between stereotypes and gender roles in each country.