A ficção do homem: um estudo sobre a recepção masculina de telenovelas

Abstract

This work is the result of a qualitative theoretical and empirical research about the reception of telenovelas among men in different social contexts and the social construction of their masculinities. We outline as the general objective of this study to investigate how the confrontations and anuences between the representations about the gender relations present in the telenovelas and the sociocultural mediations conform the masculinities of the viewers. We are aligned to the cultural studies field, specifically to the Latin American theoretical-methodological perspective of the mediations of Jesús Martín-Barbero (2004; 2009). Still in theoretical terms, our emphasis is centered on discussions about the social construction of masculinities, primarily from the formulations of Raewyn Connell (1995, 2003). Methodologically, we conducted a study of reception with three men living in country towns of Rio Grande do Sul (RS), deparrting from the elaboration of individual sociological profiles (LAHIRE, 2004). On the cases studied, we find that telenovelas appear as a privileged space for discussions about sexual and gender disagreements. Moreover, by portraying transsexual and homosexual characters in a humanized way – and denouncing cases of domestic violence in their narratives – the telenovelas offer subsidies to fight against machismo and homophobia.