Intersectionality of cultural norms and sexual behaviours: a qualitative study of young black male students at a university in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Sexual risk behaviors that occur among young men are based on dominant notions and practices that prevail in cultural contexts. As such, understanding the intersection of cultural norms and sexual risk behaviors among young men is very important. The study used a qualitative design and conducted four focus group discussions with 36 male students who were purposively selected from different levels of study at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Data were analysed through line-by-line coding, and grouped into emerging themes and sub-themes facilitated by the use of Atlas.ti. The fndings emphasize that socialization agents such as the family, peers and community play an important role in prescribing acceptable and unacceptable sexual behavior of young men. Some of the young men seemed to adhere to prescribed gender norms of what it means to be a man while some rejected them for alternative versions of being a man. In the context of the university environment, these findings reveal that male students cannot make informed decisions regarding condom use when they are intoxicated, and thus expose themselves to sexually transmitted infections and other risks. University sexual risk reduction programs should be developed considering the specific cultural context, using strategies that empower young men to challenge the widely accepted cultural norms that may predispose them to sexual risks.