The absence of formal work experience may affect the rate of cognitive decline in older adult women: findings from the health and retirement study.

Objective: This study investigated the relationship between years of employment and cognitive health among older non-Latinx Black, Latinx, and non-Latinx White women. We hypothesized that women who had never been formally employed (i.e., zero years of formal work experience) would exhibit a pronounced cognitive decline. Methods: Our study included 5,664 older adult women from the Health and Retirement Study (2010-2016) aged 65-101 (M = 75.41). Out of 5,664 participants, 850 identified as non-Latinx Black, 475 identified as Latinx, and 4,339 identified as non-Latinx White. Furthermore, 5,292 women indicated having a professional employment history of at least one year, whereas 372 women reported no formal work experience. The Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status-27 (TICS-27) was used to assess cognitive performance. Linear mixed effects models were conducted to assess whether employment history was associated with the rate of cognitive decline. Results: In all three racial and ethnic groups, lower age, higher education, greater number of years worked, fewer chronic conditions, and greater household income were associated with better cognitive performance at baseline (p < .05). Additionally, women who had not worked in any formal capacity had a lower baseline cognitive performance (p < .001) and a more extreme decline in cognitive performance over time (p = .04). Conclusion: In conclusion, we found that women without any formal work experience performed lower at baseline and experienced a steeper cognitive decline over time. These findings underscore the need to further explore the complex interrelationships between employment duration and cognitive trajectories, especially among older women and those from different racial and ethnic backgrounds.

Gambling disorder gender analysis: social strain, gender norms, and self-control as risk factors.

Introduction: Gender differences in problem gambling have attracted much attention in recent gambling literature. However, relatively little is known about how gender norms relate to social strain and self-control in predicting gambling disorder within a spousal context. This study aimed to increase knowledge about gambling disorder in Chinese married couples by assessing the three-way interaction effects between social strain, self-control, and gender norms. Methods: A total of 1,620 Chinese married couples were recruited from a representative sample of households in Hong Kong. Results: The results of the generalized ordered logit model revealed the self-control mitigation effect of composite strain on the propensity for gambling disorder is strong in men who accept traditional gender norms. In contrast, in women who accept traditional gender roles, self-control attenuates the effect of recent stressful life events on the propensity for gambling disorder, but self-control exacerbates the effect of negative relationships with offspring on the propensity for gambling disorder. Discussion: Although reinforcing self-control is a protective factor that can alleviate social strain and disordered gambling for both men and women, the prominent contribution of gender norms to the self-control exacerbation effect deserves close attention for social workers who provide services to these gambling families.

Multiple Dimensions of Machismo: Linguistic Considerations for Latino Sexual Minority Men in the United States.

The literature differentiates between two domains of machismo: traditional machismo and caballerismo. Research has largely focused on measuring machismo among English speakers. We evaluated whether Estrada's (2011) 2-factor model of machismo was invariant across languages (English versus a direct Spanish translation). A series of multigroup confirmatory factor analyses were conducted between respondents who completed the survey in English (n = 428) and Spanish (n = 102). Analyses suggested the hypothesized 2-factor model did not fit across language groups. While the traditional 2-factor structure emerged in the English language data, exploratory factor analysis indicated a 3-factor structure of machismo among Spanish-speaking respondents. One of the new factors (inherent machismo), among Spanish-speaking respondents, was associated with Internalized Heterosexism, suggesting that the new factor structure may capture the belief that masculine men are superior. These findings suggest there is a need for the development of culturally appropriate Spanish language assessment.

Positive masculinity programmes and attitudes towards nonconforming gender identities among young males in urban Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, and Rwanda.

Implementing programmes on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in sub-Saharan Africa often involves promoting inclusive sexual identity/orientation. However, whether and how the programmes are changing gender norms in the target populations have not been established. This study was designed to determine whether participation in Positive Masculinity (PM) programmes can change attitudes associated with prevailing gender norms. We explored attitudes towards nonconforming sexual identity/orientation among young males in selected informal settlements in Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Nigeria and Rwanda. The key variables we tested included "country of participation" and other socio-demographics such as "education", "marital status" and "prior residential location" (rural or urban). We found no significant association between participation in PM programmes with attitudes towards nonconforming sexual identities/orientations across our target populations irrespective of educational qualification, marital status, and previous location of residence. By contrast, religious teachings showed up in the qualitative responses as a significant factor influencing young people's resistance to PM programmes' advocating for inclusive sexuality. Additionally, negative masculinity attributes had significant negative association with attitudes towards nonconforming sexual identity, while respondents with violent tendencies showed significant positive attitudes. We conclude that current PM interventions do not significantly contribute to positive attitudes towards inclusive sexuality in DRC, Nigeria, and Rwanda.

La mise en œuvre de programmes sur la santé et les droits sexuels et reproductifs (SDSR) en Afrique subsaharienne implique souvent la promotion d'une identité/orientation sexuelle inclusive. Cependant, il n'a pas été établi si et comment les programmes modifient les normes de genre dans les populations cibles. Cette étude a été conçue pour déterminer si la participation à des programmes de masculinité positive (PM) peut changer les attitudes associées aux normes de genre dominantes. Nous avons exploré les attitudes à l'égard de l'identité/orientation sexuelle non conforme chez les jeunes hommes dans des quartiers informels sélectionnés en République démocratique du Congo (RDC), au Nigeria et au Rwanda. Les variables clés que nous avons testées comprenaient le « pays de participation ¼ et d'autres données sociodémographiques telles que « l'éducation ¼, « l'état civil ¼ et « le lieu de résidence antérieur ¼ (rural ou urbain). Nous n'avons trouvé aucune association significative entre la participation à des programmes de PM et les attitudes à l'égard des identités/orientations sexuelles non conformes au sein de nos populations cibles, indépendamment du diplôme, de l'état civil et du lieu de résidence précédent. En revanche, les enseignements religieux sont apparus dans les réponses qualitatives comme un facteur important influençant la résistance des jeunes aux programmes PM prônant une sexualité inclusive. De plus, les attributs négatifs de la masculinité présentaient une association négative significative avec les attitudes à l'égard d'une identité sexuelle non conforme, tandis que les répondants ayant des tendances violentes montraient des attitudes positives significatives. Nous concluons que les interventions actuelles de PM ne contribuent pas de manière significative à des attitudes positives envers une sexualité inclusive en RDC, au Nigeria et au Rwanda.

Can a school health club-based intervention significantly influence the drivers of gendered sexual norms and ideologies among in-school adolescents in southeast Nigeria?

Individual experiences, social policies, and environmental exposure shape beliefs, norms and ideologies about sexuality. The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a school health club training programme in improving adolescents' knowledge and perceptions of gender norms and ideologies about sexuality. This was an intervention study among in-school adolescent boys and girls in 12 secondary schools in Ebonyi State, southeast Nigeria. The intervention was the establishment of school health clubs in six schools (intervention), while the six other schools served as controls that did not have school health clubs. Data was collected using a pre-tested interviewer-administered questionnaire. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to analyse the data. More than half of the adolescents in the intervention (58.3%) and non-intervention (56.1%) schools believed that men need sex more than women. About 90% of adolescents in school (in both arms) agreed that both boys and girls should remain virgins until marriage. Majority of adolescents in both intervention and non-intervention schools disagreed with the notion that "it is justifiable for a boy to hit his girlfriend". Female gender (OR: 1.6; CI 1.1-2.4), senior secondary school level (OR: 1.6; CI 1.0-2.5), and urban residence (OR: 1.7; CI: 1.1-2.5) were associated with the perception that boys do not respect girls who agree to have sex with them. Working for pay decreases the likelihood of having the perception that girls should remain virgin until they marry (OR: 0.4; CI: 0.2-0.9), while living in the urban area increases the likelihood of having the perception that boys should remain virgins until marriage (OR: 2.1; 1.1-4.1). Female gender (OR: 0.7; CI: 0.5-1.0) and urban residence (OR: 0.6; 0.4-0.9) decrease the likelihood of having the perception that men need sex more frequently than women do. In the intervention arm, female gender was associated with perception that boys do not respect girls who agree to have sex with them (OR: 2.4; CI: 1.3-4.3) while older age was associated with the perception that men need sex more frequently than women in the intervention arm (OR:1.2; CI:1.0-1.4). No predictor was found in the non-intervention arm. Although both intervention and non-intervention arms had positive perceptions of gendered sexual norms and ideologies, a school health club-based intervention could influence the drivers of these norms.

Les expériences individuelles, les politiques sociales et l'exposition à l'environnement façonnent les croyances, les normes et les idéologies en matière de sexualité. L'objectif de cette étude était de déterminer l'efficacité d'un programme de formation d'un club de santé scolaire pour améliorer les connaissances et les perceptions des adolescents concernant les normes de genre et les idéologies en matière de sexualité. Il s'agissait d'une étude d'intervention auprès d'adolescents, garçons et filles, scolarisés dans 12 écoles secondaires de l'État d'Ebonyi, au sud-est du Nigeria. L'intervention consistait en la création de clubs de santé scolaire dans six écoles (intervention), tandis que les six autres écoles servaient de contrôles qui ne disposaient pas de clubs de santé scolaire. Les données ont été collectées à l'aide d'un questionnaire pré-testé administré par l'intervieweur. Des analyses de régression logistique bivariées et multivariées ont été utilisées pour analyser les données. Plus de la moitié des adolescents des écoles d'intervention (58,3 %) et de non-intervention (56,1 %) pensaient que les hommes avaient plus besoin de relations sexuelles que les femmes. Environ 90 % des adolescents scolarisés (dans les deux bras) étaient d'accord sur le fait que les garçons et les filles devraient rester vierges jusqu'au mariage. La majorité des adolescents des écoles d'intervention et des écoles non-interventionnelles étaient en désaccord avec l'idée selon laquelle « il est justifiable qu'un garçon frappe sa petite amie ¼. Le sexe féminin (OR : 1,6 ; IC 1,1-2,4), le niveau d'études secondaires de deuxième cycle (OR : 1,6 ; IC 1,0-2,5) et la résidence urbaine (OR : 1,7 ; IC : 1,1 2,5) étaient associés à la perception que les garçons font ne respecte pas les filles qui acceptent d'avoir des relations sexuelles avec elles. Travailler contre rémunération diminue la probabilité d'avoir l'impression que les filles devraient rester vierges jusqu'à leur mariage (OR : 0,4 ; IC : 0,2-0,9), tandis que vivre en zone urbaine augmente la probabilité d'avoir l'impression que les garçons devraient rester vierges jusqu'au mariage. (OU : 2.1 ; 1.1-4.1). Le sexe féminin (OR : 0,7 ; IC : 0,5-1,0) et la résidence urbaine (OR : 0,6 ; 0,4-0,9) diminuent la probabilité d'avoir la perception que les hommes ont besoin de relations sexuelles plus fréquemment que les femmes. Dans le groupe d'intervention, le sexe féminin était associé à la perception que les garçons ne respectent pas les filles qui acceptent d'avoir des relations sexuelles avec eux (OR : 2,4 ; IC : 1,3-4,3), tandis que l'âge plus avancé était associé à la perception que les hommes avaient besoin de relations sexuelles plus fréquemment que les hommes. femmes dans le bras d'intervention (OR : 1,2 ; IC : 1,0-1,4). Aucun prédicteur n'a été trouvé dans le bras sans intervention. Même si les groupes d'intervention et de non-intervention avaient des perceptions positives des normes et idéologies sexuelles sexistes, une intervention basée sur un club de santé scolaire pourrait influencer les moteurs de ces normes.

Child marriages in Senegal: Qualitative study on the perceptions of adolescents in Kaolack and Gossas.

An estimated 650 million girls worldwide are married before their 18th birthday. The phenomenon is recurrent in sub-Saharan Africa with a prevalence of 18% and particularly in Senegal where one in three girls is married before the age of 18, i.e. a prevalence of 31%. Despite the legislative and legal arsenals, the laws on the legal age of marriage are not respected. The general objective of this study is to document the way in which gender norms define and influence the perceptions of adolescents in Gossas and Kaolack on child marriages and to collect possible solutions proposed to prevent/ reduce the practice. We used qualitative data collected in the two study sites. These were individual interviews with adolescents aged 10-19 (n=30) and focus groups (n=8) with the same target. The interviews were conducted in Wolof and transcribed into French then coded using Dedoose software. The results are presented for each age group and each gender then triangulated in order to highlight similarities and divergences according to the different perspectives. The results show that child marriages are rooted in patriarchal social and cultural norms, while reflecting gender inequalities. Thus, adolescents' arguments regarding the causes of child marriage align with those described in the literature on gender norms. Most adolescents cited poverty, tradition, fear of early pregnancy, and concern to preserve the girl's honor as the main factors contributing to the persistence of child marriages.

On estime à 650 millions le nombre de filles mariées dans le monde avant leur 18e anniversaire. Le phénomène est récurrent en Afrique subsaharienne avec une prévalence de 18% et particulièrement au Sénégal où, une fille sur trois est mariée avant l'âge de 18 ans, soit une prévalence de 31%. Malgré l'arsenal juridique législatif, les lois sur l'âge légal du mariage ne sont pas respectées. L'objectif général de cette étude est de documenter la manière dont les normes de genre définissent et influencent les perceptions des adolescent(e)s de Gossas et de Kaolack sur les mariages d'enfants et de recueillir les pistes de solutions proposées pour prévenir/réduire la pratique. Nous avons utilisé les données qualitatives collectées dans les deux sites de l'étude. Il s'agit d'entretiens individuels avec des adolescent(e)s de 10-19 ans (n=30) et de groupes de discussion (n=8) avec la même cible. Les entretiens ont été conduits en wolof et transcrits en Français puis codés à l'aide du logiciel Dedoose. Les résultats sont présentés pour chaque groupe d'âge et chaque sexe puis triangulés afin de ressortir les similarités et divergences selon les différentes perspectives. Les résultats montrent que les mariages d'enfants sont ancrés dans des normes sociales et culturelles patriarcales, tout en reflétant les inégalités de genre. Ainsi, les arguments des adolescent(e)s par rapport aux causes des mariages d'enfants s'alignent avec celles décrites dans la littérature sur les normes de genre. La plupart des adolescent(e)s ont évoqué la pauvreté, la tradition, la peur d'une grossesse précoce, le souci de préserver l'honneur de la fille comme étant les principaux facteurs contribuant à la persistance des mariages d'enfants.

Development of a multidomain gender norm attitude scale for youth in Bangladesh.

Objective: Gender norms shape individuals' perceptions and behaviours, particularly concerning health outcomes. However, the lack of comprehensive gender norm attitude measures in low- and middle-income countries, including Bangladesh, impedes gender-transformative efforts. This study introduces the Multidomain Gender Norm Attitude Scale (M-GNAS) to evaluate gender norm attitudes among Bangladeshi youths. Method: Three sequential studies were conducted in Bangladesh in 2022 to develop the M-GNAS. Study 1 engaged 124 participants in focus group discussions, generating a 40-item pool reflecting prevalent gender norms. Study 2 involved 1374 youths (mean age 26.82, SD 5.50) to finalise the M-GNAS items and explore its latent structure through exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Study 3, with 1416 participants of similar age, used confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to assess structural validity and structural equation modelling to evaluate measurement invariance (MI) across genders. Results: EFA identified a four-domain solution with 13 items: gender-appropriate behaviour, family financial decisions, family responsibility, and career choice. CFA supported this four-domain solution (CFI=0.96, TLI=0.95; RMSEA=0.07; SRMR=0.04). MI across gender was well established (CFI & TLI>0.95, RMSEA≤0.06, SRMR<0.6). Higher education was associated with more egalitarian attitudes (F (5, 1408) = 7.25, p < 0.001), supporting the scale's construct validity. Conclusion: The M-GNAS is a psychometrically robust tool for assessing youths' attitudes toward prevalent gender norm domains in Bangladesh. It holds the potential for contributing to gender-transformative programmes and could be applied in similar initiatives across developing nations, contingent upon appropriate validation.

Mediating effects of inequitable gender norms on intimate partner violence and contraceptive use in a cluster randomized control trial in Niger.

Previous research has demonstrated that the Reaching Married Adolescents intervention (RMA) was associated with changes in inequitable gender norms, intimate partner violence (IPV), and modern contraceptive use. This study seeks to understand if changes in inequitable gender norms mediate the RMA intervention's effects on contraceptive use and intimate partner violence (IPV). A four-arm cluster randomized control trial was conducted to evaluate effects of the RMA intervention (household visits, small groups, combination, control) on married adolescent girls and their husbands in Dosso, Niger (baseline: 1042 dyads; 24m follow-up: 737 dyads; 2016-2019). Mediation was assessed using inverse odds ratio weighting. In the small group intervention, of the total effect on IPV prevalence (8% reduction), indirect effects via inequitable gender norms is associated with a 2% decrease (95% CI: -0.07, 0.12) and direct effects with a 6% decrease (95% CI: -0.20, -0.02). For household visits, of the total effect on contraceptive use (20% increase), the indirect effect accounts for an 11% decrease (95% CI: -0.18, -0.01) and direct effect, a 32% increase (95% CI: 0.13, 0.44); similar to findings for the combination arm. This experimental evidence informs the value of changing underlying social norms to reduce IPV and increase contraception use.

Gender transformative innovation: Women's inclusion in livestock vaccine systems in northern Ghana.

CONTEXT: Owning livestock can support women's empowerment and progress toward gender-equitable agri-food systems. Gender inequality, however, can reduce women's ownership of livestock and access to animal vaccines. Gender accommodative approaches (GAAs), and more recently gender transformative approaches (GTAs), are increasingly implemented in development interventions. However, their impact on women's empowerment has not been systematically tested. Here, we describe the 'Women Rear Project', implemented in northern Ghana between 2019 and 2023, and assess the impact of GTAs and GAAs on women's empowerment, ownership of livestock, and access to animal vaccines. OBJECTIVE: We sought to systematically assess changes conferred by GAAs and GTAs on gender norms and women's empowerment and access to animal vaccines. METHODS: Using a mixed-methods approach, in 2021 and 2023 we collected quantitative and qualitative data regarding women's empowerment, gender norms, and access to animal vaccines. Qualitative data regarding women's and men's conceptualizations of gender norms and women's empowerment were obtained via focus group discussions and key informant interviews. Quantitative survey data were obtained from 500 households, using the Women's Empowerment in Livestock Index (WELI). Quantitative data on livelihood indicators were also collected, using the Rural Household Multi-Indicator Survey (RHoMIS) tool. We systematically assessed changes between baseline (2021) and endline (2023) in local conceptualizations of empowerment in the livestock sector, the effects of GTAs and GAAs on such conceptualizations, and how empowerment was experienced by women and men and the implications for women's access to animal vaccines. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Local conceptualizations of empowerment in 2021, among both women and men, emphasized financial independence, decision-making autonomy, self-reliance, and problem-solving skills. In 2023, this conceptualization of empowerment had expanded to include the ability to act without external restrictions; women were empowered by managing resources, running successful businesses, and making decisions in consultation with their husbands. Furthermore, women in communities where GTAs had been enacted scored significantly higher in empowerment compared with women in communities where only GAAs had been introduced. Gender norms impacted empowerment indicators, with respect among household members and autonomy in income both contributing to disempowerment. Gender norms also affected respondents' reporting. Women's access to livestock vaccines was more positive in GTA/GAA communities. We recommend efforts are made to reduce restrictive gender norms and enhance women's empowerment and access to resources such as animal vaccines. SIGNIFICANCE: We offer recommendations for pathways toward women's empowerment and healthy livestock via inclusive innovations in agri-food systems.

The Sexual Double Standard toward Non-Heterosexual Populations: Evaluations of Sexually Active Gay Men and Lesbian Women.

We examined the sexual double standard (SDS) toward sexually active gay men and lesbian women and the role that participants' masculinity and femininity played in their evaluations. We hypothesized that there would be a reverse SDS in which highly sexually active lesbian women would be evaluated positively and highly sexually active gay men negatively, with both being evaluated more negatively than less sexually active gay men and lesbians. We also hypothesized that masculinity would moderate this effect, with participant masculinity being positively related to stronger negative evaluations of highly sexually active gay targets and more positive evaluations of highly sexually active lesbian targets. Results indicate a weak SDS in the areas of likability and morality, with highly sexually active lesbians being liked by masculine participants the most and highly sexually active gay men being rated as the least moral. The SDS appears to be influenced by expectations of gender roles and may be reversed for gay men and lesbian women because of these expectations.

How Do Social and Behavioral Change Interventions Respond to Social Norms to Improve Women's Diets in Low- and Middle-Income Countries? A Scoping Review.

Healthy dietary practices are highly influenced by social norms, the widely-held expectations about the behaviors that are appropriate or typical within a given group. However, many nutrition programs designed to reduce women's undernutrition in low- and middle-income countries do not address the influence of social and gender norms in their interventions, and therefore, there is limited information about how norms-responsive interventions have been designed and implemented. The objective of this scoping review was to identify and describe social and behavioral change interventions designed to improve women's dietary practices and nutritional intake that integrate the influence of social and gender norms. We systematically searched 4 databases (Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, and CINAHL) for peer-reviewed articles describing design, implementation, and/or assessment of nutrition interventions in low- or middle-income countries. Results are reported following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Our review identified 27 articles from 25 projects or research studies that addressed social or gender norms related to women's dietary practices. The majority focused on the pregnancy and lactation periods, and a few aimed to reach all women of reproductive age. Interventions most often endeavored to shift norms through multiple activities, channels, and platforms, aiming to reach not only the primary participants but also influencers and reference groups. Intervention approaches ranged from home visits and support groups to engage influential family members to community-level outreach with opinion leaders such as religious leaders, health care workers, and peer change agents. Most interventions were delivered through the health sector or were community-based, with some nutrition-sensitive agriculture interventions. There is increasing, although still limited, integration of social and gender norms perspectives in the design, implementation, and assessment of interventions to improve women's diets. This comprehensive review summarizes influential norms and intervention approaches, an important step toward enhancing the effectiveness of social and behavioral change interventions by addressing nutrition-relevant norms. This study was registered at Open Science Framework as JSBF7.

Reducing the gender gap on adolescents' interest in study fields: The impact of perceived changes in ingroup gender norms and gender prototypicality.

Despite some progress towards gender equality in Western societies, traditional gender norms still shape career choices, perpetuating a gender gap where girls are more likely to pursue traditionally feminine fields like healthcare, elementary education, and domestic roles (HEED), while boys are drawn to masculine domains such as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). This research investigates whether, and under which conditions, the perception that gender norms are progressively changing towards less gender dichotomy can reduce this gender gap in academic fields. We recruited a sample of 642 high-school students (394 women and 248 men), and experimentally manipulated both the salience of changes in gender norm (stability vs change) and participants' gender prototypicality. The main dependent variable was participants' interest in stereotypically feminine (HEED) and masculine (STEM) academic fields. The results indicated a slight decrease in the gender gap for stereotypically feminine fields (HEED) among participants who saw themselves as typical members of their gender group, but no significant change was observed for stereotypically masculine fields (STEM). These findings suggest that shifting perceptions of gender norms may have a limited effect on modifying traditional educational and career choices, underscoring the resilience of entrenched gender stereotypes. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11218-024-09909-z.

Fathers' involvement in pregnancy and childbirth in Africa: an integrative systematic review.

BACKGROUND: As notions of masculinity evolve globally, it is important to understand their dimensions within geographic regions and life contexts. African men's involvement in their partners'pregnancy and childbirth has been explored to a limited extent in the peer-reviewed literature. This analysis provides a comprehensive examination of the existing literature on the diverse experiences of fathers across the African continent. AIM: This study aims to provide an overview of fathers' experience of involvement in their partners' pregnancies andchildbirth in Africa. METHODS: A systematic integrative literature review guided the process. The review comprised problem identification, literature search, data evaluation, data analysis and presentation of results. Systematic searches were conducted in the Cinahl, PubMed and Scopus databases. RESULTS: The search identified 70 articles of which 31, relating to 11 African countries, were used. Of these, 20 were qualitative, 9 were quantitative and 2 were mixed-methods studies. Men's alienation from health services, and traditional gender norms that discourage fathers' supportive role during pregnancy were prevalent themes. Financial pressures also dominated fathers'experiences. At the same time, in 18 studies fathers expressed motivation to be involved partners and supportive fathers, despite stigma and exclusion from maternity services. CONCLUSION: This integrative review shows that fathers' experiences of their involvement in their partners' pregnancy and childbirth across African countries are influenced by multiple factors. While unwelcoming health services, traditional gender norms, and low income are barriers to male involvement, education, younger age, and modern gender norms are associated with greater male involvement.

Main findings: There is a diversity of experiences among fathers across the African continent, with healthcare system alienation, influential gender norms, and financial pressure being common themes.Added knowledge: Unwelcoming health services, traditional gender norms, and low income were found to be impediments to male involvement in their partners' pregnancy and childbirth, while education, younger age, and modern gender norms were associated with greater male involvement.Global health impact for policy and action: Information and education for men and conducive healthcare environments would enable more positive experiences for men and encourage their greater involvement.

Men's perspectives on public-space sexual harassment of women in South Asia.

The ubiquity of public-space sexual harassment (PSH) of women in the global South, particularly in South Asia, is both a public health and gender equity issue. This study examined men's experiences with and perspectives on PSH of women in three countries with shared cultural norms and considerable gender inequalities - Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan. The three-country survey in 2021-2022 was completed by 237 men who were generally young, urban, single, well-educated, and middle-/high-income. Among the 53.3% who witnessed PSH, 80% reported intervening to stop it or help the victim. A substantial share of men worried about PSH, and bore emotional, time, and financial costs as they took precautionary or restorative measures to help women in their families avoid PSH or deal with its consequences. Most respondents articulated potential gains for men, women, and society if PSH no longer existed. However, a non-negligible share of participants held patriarchal gender attitudes that are often used to justify harassment, and a small share did not favour legal and community sanctions. Many called for stricter legal sanctions and enforcement, culture change, and education. Men's perspectives offer insights for prevention of harassment and mitigation of its consequences.

Adolescent boys' aggressive responses to perceived threats to their gender typicality.

When adult men are made to feel gender-atypical, they often lash out with aggression, particularly when they are pressured (vs. autonomously motivated) to be gender-typical. Here, we examined the development of this phenomenon. Specifically, we provided a first experimental test of whether threatening adolescent boys' perceived gender typicality elicits aggression as a function of their pressured (vs. autonomous) motivation to be gender-typical. We also investigated whether this causal link emerges as a function of boys' chronological age versus pubertal development. Participants were a geographically diverse sample of 207 adolescent US boys (ages 10-14; 23.2% boys of color) and one of their parents. Boys played a "game" and received randomly-assigned feedback that their score was atypical versus typical of their gender. For boys in mid-to-late puberty (but not before), feedback that they are gender-atypical predicted an aggressive reaction, particularly among boys whose motivation to be gender-typical was pressured (vs. autonomous). Next, we explored which aspects of boys' social environments predicted their pressured motivation to be gender-typical. Boys' pressured motivation was positively correlated with their perceptions that their parents and peers would be "upset" if they deviated from gender norms, as well as with their parents' endorsement of so-called hegemonic beliefs about masculinity (i.e., that men should hold power over women). Parents with these beliefs resided in more conservative areas, had less formal education, and had lower incomes. Our results inform theorizing on gender identity development and lay the foundation for mitigating the harmful effects of gender typicality threat among adult men. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: Similar to young adult men, adolescent boys in mid-to-late puberty (but not before) responded with aggression to perceived threats to their gender typicality. Aggression was heightened among boys whose motivation to be gender-typical was pressured (i.e., driven by social expectations) rather than autonomous. Which boys showed pressured motivation? Those whose parents endorsed hegemonic beliefs about masculinity (e.g., that men should have more power than people of other genders). Hegemonic beliefs about masculinity were strongest among parents who resided in more conservative US counties, had less formal education, and had lower incomes.

Challenging the status quo: gender norms in Croatian juvenile correctional settings.

Gender norms and issues related to gender are highly relevant when it comes to treatment of juveniles in correctional institutions, especially related to their risky behavior and personal characteristics (such as personality traits, intellectual capability, culture, ethnicity etc.). Furthermore, many juveniles in correctional institutions are exposed to violence and are also perpetrators of violent criminal acts. This paper will give an overview of national policies related to gender-sensitive treatment in Croatia as a background to research aimed to describe the reflection of gender issues and gender norms in practical work with juveniles in Croatian correctional institutions. The research is based on qualitative approach and includes focus groups with youth workers from various organizations who implemented programs for youth in correctional institutions. Preliminary results show that gender and gender norms are not specifically targeted in treatment programs within the institutions. The initiative to implement gender issues mainly comes from organizations from the civil sector through different workshops. Juveniles express relatively rigid gender norms that are supported by rigid organization of correctional institutions especially for males. This research shows the importance of clearer focus to gender-sensitive programing and gender sensitive treatment programs that will strongly be integrated in everyday practice of correctional institutions. The precondition for this is largely connected to deconstructing stereotypes about gender and gender norms both for youth and professionals working with them.

Workshop summary: National Institutes of Health (NIH) 2022 scientific workshop on gender and health.

In this manuscript, we summarize the goals, content, and impact of the Gender and Health: Impacts of Structural Sexism, Gender Norms, Relational Power Dynamics, and Gender Inequities workshop held by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Research on Women's Health (ORWH) in collaboration with 10 NIH Institutes, Centers, and Offices. Specifically, we outline the key points emerging from the workshop presentations, which are the focus of the collection of articles in this supplement. The overarching goals of the workshop were to convene NIH staff, the external scientific community, and the public to discuss methods, measurement, modifiable factors, interventions, and best practices in health research on gender as a social and cultural variable and to identify opportunities to advance research and foster collaborations on these key topics. Themes emerging from the workshop include the need for intersectional measures in research on gender and health, the role of multilevel interventions and analyses, and the importance of considering gender as a social and structural determinant of health. Careful, nuanced, and rigorous integration of gender in health research can contribute to knowledge about and interventions to change the social and structural forces that lead to disparate health outcomes and perpetuate inequities.

Queer temporalities and the life course: Trans aging in Torrey Peters' Detransition, Baby (2021).

Torrey Peters' debut novel Detransition, Baby from 2021, a Women's Prize for Fiction nominee, problematizes gender norms by telling the story of three main characters: Reese, a trans woman, Ames, who de-transitioned to live as a man again, and Katrina, a Chinese and Jewish cis woman who is also Ames' lover and boss. Ames and Katrina are expecting a child and are testing the possibilities of having a non-conventional family together with Reese. Parenthood is, thus, the central theme of the novel which structures also the sections of book into the time before the conception and the weeks after it. By doing so, the temporal framework of the novel queers the linearity of heteronormative life courses on the form as well as the content level. Therefore, the interplay of form and content invites to critically investigate how the concept of trans time that challenges linearity and normative conformity (Halberstam, 2005) may provide useful insights into trans aging and the life course through this literary representation. Following, contemporary feminist theorists' commitments to negotiate what makes "life more livable for those whose gender presentation, identity, or bodily experience have been judged abnormal, nonexistent, or impossible" (Karhu, 2022, 304-305), this paper aims at carrying out a critical feminist literary analysis of trans aging, queer life courses and the thereof related gendered norms in Peters' novel. By relying predominantly on feminist poststructuralist theories (Butler 2004) and cultural aging studies (Maierhofer, 2019), it is the aim to challenge normativity and limited social norms through this critical literary reading.

Family Factors and Gender Norms as Protective Factors Against Sexual Risk-Taking Behaviors Among Adolescent Girls in Southern Uganda.

Adolescent girls and young women are at a higher risk for HIV infection stemming from barriers to accessing comprehensive sexual health education, unequal cultural, social, and economic statuses, limited access to education and health care services, and gender-based violence. This makes adolescent girls susceptible to high-risk sexual behaviors. This study examines the protective role of family, social support factors and gender norms against sexual risk-taking behaviors among secondary school adolescent girls in Uganda. Baseline data from the National Institute of Mental Health-funded Suubi4Her study were analyzed. A total of 1260 girls aged 14-17 years and enrolled in the first or second year of secondary school were recruited across 47 secondary schools. Hierarchical linear regression models were conducted to determine the role of family, social support factors and gender norms on sexual risk-taking behaviors. Results indicate that traditional gender norms, family care and relationships, and social support were all associated with lower levels of sexual risk-taking intentions-a proxy for engaging in sexual risk behaviors. Findings point to the need to develop family level support interventions to equip adolescent girls with adequate sexual health-related knowledge and skills to facilitate safer sexual practices and reduce high-risk sexual-taking behaviors, as they develop and transition into young adulthood.

Gender Roles and Mobile Dating Applications: Exploring Links Between User Characteristics and Traditional Gender Expressions in Self-Presentations.

This linkage study examined the prevalence of traditional gender expressions in the textual and visual profile cues on mobile dating applications (MDA) (nbiographies = 396, npictures = 1352) of 396 young adults' (Mage = 22.39 years, SD = 2.86, 73% women) with attention to users' gender, sexual orientation, and platform type. For 184 users (Mage = 22.10 years, SD = 2.91, 75% women) media content data were linked to self-report survey data. Results showed that individuals aligned their self-presentations with traditional gender roles and expectations, and this link depended on their gender. No significant differences according to individuals' sexual orientation or platform type were found. Individuals' (hyper-) gender orientation also related to engagement in traditional gender expressions. Specifically, women with a stronger feminine gender orientation expressed more traditional femininity in their MDA profiles. For men, no significant associations between (aspects of) a masculine gender orientation and expressing traditional masculinity in their MDA profiles were found. Future research should further disentangle selective gendered self-presentations.