Masculinity in Transition

French Caribbean masculinity navigates between tradition and change:

Traditional Expectations

Colonial and cultural history created specific masculine ideals: - Sexual prowess: Multiple partners as status - Economic provision: Pressure despite limited opportunities - Emotional distance: Feelings seen as weakness - Physical dominance: Strength valued over sensitivity

"My father never said he loved me. Showed it through work, provision, protection, but never words," reflects construction worker Jean-Marc Théophile. "I tell my son daily. Things change."

Contemporary Challenges

Modern men face complex pressures: - Unemployment undermining provider role - Women's educational advancement - Changing relationship expectations - Mental health stigma

"What's a man without work?" asks unemployed graduate Michel Francois. "Women don't need us for money anymore. We must offer more—partnership, emotional support, shared domestic work. Many men aren't ready."

New Masculinities

Younger generations explore different ways of being men: - Active fatherhood beyond financial support - Emotional vulnerability as strength - Domestic partnership - Rejecting homophobic traditions

"I braid my daughter's hair, cook Sunday meals, cry at movies," states young father Cédric Navis. "My grandfather would be horrified. My daughter will expect this from future partners. That's progress."