In this workshop with boys, we identify alternatives to gender stereotypes and reflect upon machismo culture in everyday situations. If we are to make long-term improvements for gender equality, we need to engage boys to become agents of change.

“Machismo” makes boys become teenage fathers

The power of machismo makes boys show masculine supremacy from a very early age. Feeling entitled to sex, refusing to use a condom for pleasure, persuading girls to skip protection, abandoning parental responsibilities, controlling girlfriends’ phones and social networks, and using physical violence to try to end an unwanted pregnancy are just some of the examples of machismo, that we witness through our research among teenagers. 

We don’t identify boys as being the problem, but we will motivate to behave with more gender equality. In Colombia, boys and girls are born into the extreme male-dominated culture and are – consciously and unconsciously – contributing to keeping the culture alive. To reduce the number of teenage pregnancies, there needs to be a cultural and structural change to achieve more equality between boys and girls.

The machismo culture has a very strong grip on young boys and as a result, there are now more teenage fathers in Colombia than ever before. Today, 1 out of 3 boys have sex before turning 15, and as a consequence, 4 out of 10 boys in the age group 20-24 became fathers as teenagers. In comparison, only 1 out of 10 boys became fathers as teenagers 30 years ago. The steep increase in such a short period is a disastrous development, that not only has a huge impact on society but also involves life-changing consequences for both girls and boys.

The solution to the problem: Educating boys to become agents of change

Our workshop for boys is developed through our 3-year pilot project. In our workshops for boys aged 11 to 19 years, we identify and reflect upon machismo culture in everyday situations such as in traditional family structures, in school, in reggaeton music, in popular TV serials, and their interactions with girls. We challenge the traditional gender convictions that in all respects downsizes girls, for example, that girls cannot play sports, but first and foremost have to take care of the home. Through active participation in role-play activities, dancing and drawing sessions, cooking and common meals, we touch upon topics related to gender roles and stereotypes with an equality perspective. Dialogues and discussions with the boys strengthen their reflective skills and develop tangible tools to improve personal resilience and agency to make good decisions. But also, to be capable of standing up to peer pressure when they try to break with the machismo culture in school, in families, and with friends.

Machismo put pressure on the boys

Hogar de Esperanza’s workshops with boys in the poor area Cazucá in Bogotá revealed that the boys are influenced by machismo in different ways: 1. To have a “bad boy” attitude and obstruct primarily female teachers’ classes even though they want to achieve good grades and have high hopes about education, 2. By fathers who are very “machista” and behave physically and psychologically violent towards their mothers or siblings, 3. By high-status gangs of older boys controlling the neighborhoods and who smoke weed, get into fights, and commit crimes. 4. By a high pressure to be sexually aggressive from an early age towards girls to live up to be a real man. 

We provide a safe space and motivate parental support

Together we build a safe space, where the boys can have intimate conversations and share personal experiences. At our workshops, we also train the boys to support each other in difficult situations in school, in the streets, etc.  In the final session of our workshops, parents are invited to participate, and we experience a high degree of interest among them to find tools on, how they can support their boys to reach their goals and dreams for the future.

Through our strategic partnerships with schools, high schools, NGO’s and orphanages, we gain access to facilities to execute our workshops with boys in schools and vulnerable areas. For each adolescent who is already a father and who is currently studying, seven teenagers are parents and not studying. The high risk of adolescent pregnancies found between young men and women dropping out of school makes the classrooms the perfect setting for our workshops as we strengthen the roles of school and educational institutions by using their platforms and highlighting their importance.