Masculinidades afectivas y cuidadoras. Percepciones de los y las estudiantes de la unidad educativa Miguel Moreno O. Año lectivo 2021 – 2022

Abstract

This research analyzes the perceptions and practices of students aged 14 to 17 at Miguel Moreno Ordóñez Secondary School regarding boys’ attitudes toward care and affection during the 2021–2022 school year, from a gender perspective and the study of masculinities. This approach allows gender to be understood not as synonymous with women, but as an analytical tool to identify inequalities derived from socially constructed roles and stereotypes. Within this framework, hegemonic machista masculinity is recognized as a factor that contributes to the reproduction of various forms of violence toward vulnerable groups. The study was conducted using a qualitative approach through semi-structured interviews with 11 students, differentiated according to the type of family they belong to. The objective was to identify how this adolescent population understands, reproduces, and experiences practices associated with masculinity in their daily environment. The findings show that, although students are unable to conceptually define masculinities, they unconsciously reproduce gender roles and stereotypes, regardless of their family context. At the same time, they express basic notions of equality and rights, acquired mainly through everyday experiences rather than intentional educational processes. It is concluded that this population lacks scientific information about masculinities and that the educational institution does not actively participate in teaching this topic, highlighting the need to incorporate these contents into the school environment.