“If You Do Not Fit in With the Stereotype, They Eat You Alive”: Discourses of Masculinities and Their Reflections in Young Spanish Men’s Health

Abstract

Hegemonic masculinity has been especially linked, among other aspects, to unhealthy behaviors and heterosexuality. This study aimed to explore the discourses of masculinities with young Spanish men with different sexual orientations (heterosexuals, bisexuals, and homosexuals), comparing them with the social representations that are put into practice on Instagram. Three qualitative approaches were triangulated to seek a richer comprehension and interpretational level: discussion groups, semi-structured interviews, and an online non-participant observation on Instagram with a total of 26 young men aged between 18 and 24. Results indicate that hegemonic masculinity discourse is still significant when understanding and experiencing young men’s masculinities, promoting behaviors that put their health at risk and generating psychological discomfort, especially among non-heterosexual men. Our findings provide knowledge of the social framework that legitimizes and reproduces male domination in younger generations both online and offline and how this is reflected in men’s health.