“True to Them, True to Myself”: Understanding Restrictive Masculinity in Guyana, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago

Restrictive masculinity is a social construct that is tied to beliefs about how men behave and are expected to behave to be considered “real men”. By contrast, gender-equitable masculinities constitute a more flexible alternative that permits men to take on diverse roles and behaviors while not limiting womens agency. This publication conducted a thorough analysis of restrictive masculinities in Guyana, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago in 2022, utilizing both focus groups and online surveys. The research aimed to understand the attitudes of young men exploring seven themes related to gender and masculinities, including toughness, self-sufficiency, paid and unpaid work, money and education, hypersexuality, homophobia, power and control, and violence. To measure masculinity, the study develops a statistically validated scale composed of diverse attitude statements based on previous tools on this topic. It also explores how young mens attitudes about gender are associated with social norms and influence behavioral outcomes in areas such as sexual harassment, bullying, alcohol and drug abuse, depression and suicidal ideation. Finally, the publication offers policy recommendations and highlights best practices that can be employed to accelerate positive changes in the region.