Real Men Do Good Sex: Black South African Masculinities in Men's Clinic International Adverts

Abstract

This article focuses on the representations of black masculinities in television advertisements for Men's Clinic International, a popular franchise of clinics in South Africa that specialises in men's sexual and reproductive health. It explores the ideological assumptions underlying the various constructions of manhood portrayed in the adverts in relation to men's sexual health. Three interconnected themes emerged from the analysis of the texts, namely the centrality of the phallic, masculinity as a sexual performance and the nature and representation of femininities. The article discusses how the adverts work to portray models of black masculinity and male sexuality in such a way that “true” manhood is framed as heterosexual, monogamous, intertwined with male vulnerabilities, performance-based and largely dependent on the female partner's sexual satisfaction.