Abstract

AYALA REAL, LUIS GERARDO  and  SANCHEZ DIAZ, GISELA. Identidades masculinas y la salud de las mujeres. Perinatol. Reprod. Hum. [online]. 2004, vol.18, n.1, pp.53-61. ISSN 2524-1710.

This article reflects upon how relationships between genders and identities influence women's health. It covers Salud y Genero's experiences in their educational work. Especially those reflections on how the masculine identity of men who women relate to, can affect, in terms of discomfort, pain and violence, as well as produce pleasure, well being, and communication. The subject of how beliefs about gender roles and characteristics (how a man and a woman should be) function as mandates, due to their socially shared beliefs and predispose men and women to disease and death in one way or another. Men are referred to as a risk factor to women's health. The possibilities are also mentioned for men to be a protective factor for women's and for their own health. This is possible through consciousness raising activities on emotional life, and through the recognition and expression of emotions. In health institutions it is very important to transform beliefs about the possibility that women can have the initiative to take decisions about their own body, their health and sexuality and to unveil that men are potential procreators in every sexual relation with a woman and responsible for their fecundity. Men's propositioning participation is stimulated as partners, fathers, suppliers and users of services, policy makers and promoters of change for equitable relationships.

Keywords : Gender; man; woman; health.