GENDERED LENSES: MASCULINITY, FEMININITY, AND KENYAN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS’ JUDGEMENTS OF CONDOM TELEVISION ADVERTISEMENTS
Abstract
Purpose of Study: This paper aimed at investigating the importance of Masculinity/Femininity as a cultural factor that predisposes Kenyan university students to make judgment about condom television advertisements.
Problem Statement: In Kenya, the HIV/AIDS prevalence rate is 4.5 per cent among adults aged 15-49 years, with young people contributing 30 per cent of the infections. The television advertisements on condoms are thus important in ensuring that sexual health in the country is promoted. Nevertheless, cultural mismatch usually subversives such advertisements and this was the case in Kenya where the Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB) banned prime time programming citing moral reasons in 2015. This culture clash makes it question how such advertisements are perceived and judged by the students of the university.
Methodology: The research population was identified as 236,905 students in eight local and private universities in the Nairobi County. The sample size of 399 respondents was used, and 306 of those who filled the questionnaires were returned, which resulted in a response rate of 76 percent. The questionnaires were done manually by the researcher and the data were analyzed using SPSS version 25. Descriptive as well as inferential statistics were used and the results were given in tabular form.
Result: The analysis has shown that there is a statistically significant correlation between Masculinity vs Femininity (within the context of gender equality, gender roles, and gender stereotypes) and the judgment of university students in Kenya of condom television advertisement.
Recommendation: The discussion recommends the use of cultural dimension theory in the broadcasting of the condom advertisement promotions on the Kenyan television to facilitate cultural congruence and acceptance. Moreover, the university deans and student welfare departments ought to increase education on contraceptive use, sexuality and media literacy to students in order to make them have a balanced and informed judgment about such advertisements.
Keywords: Cultural misalignment, sexual health, media literacy, Masculinity versus femininity.
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