Citation

Muñoz-Laboy M, Weinstein H, Parker R. Cult. Health Sex. 2007; 9(6): 615-628.

Affiliation

Sociomedical Sciences, Columbia University, New York 10032, US. am172@columbia.edu

Copyright

(Copyright © 2007, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/13691050701528590

PMID

17963100

Abstract

Hip-Hop culture is a key social medium through which many young men and women from communities of colour in the USA construct their gender. In this study, we focused on the Hip-Hop club scene in New York City with the intention of unpacking narratives of gender dynamics from the perspective of young men and women, and how these relate to their sexual experiences. We conducted a three-year ethnographic study that included ethnographic observations of Hip-Hop clubs and their social scene, and in-depth interviews with young men and young women aged 15-21. This paper describes how young people negotiate gender relations on the dance floor of Hip-Hop clubs. The Hip-Hop club scene represents a context or setting where young men's masculinities are contested by the social environment, where women challenge hypermasculine privilege and where young people can set the stage for what happens next in their sexual and emotional interactions. Hip-Hop culture therefore provides a window into the gender and sexual scripts of many urban minority youth. A fuller understanding of these patterns can offer key insights into the social construction of sexual risk, as well as the possibilities for sexual health promotion, among young people in urban minority populations.

Language: en