Citation

McGuffey CS. Soc. Probl. 2008; 55(2): 216-237.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2008, Society for the Study of Social Problems, Publisher Oxford University Press)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Using parental responses to male child sexual abuse (CSA) as an example of trauma, I demonstrate how sociologists can use trauma to understand social processes and develop theory. Specifically, I extend the theoretical concept of gender reaffirmation by shifting the focus from how individuals attempt to reaffirm gender for themselves in these "critical situations" to show how they attempt to reaffirm gender for others after trauma. I interviewed 62 parents on 389 occasions between 2002 and 2007. I use this data to analyze how gender, sexuality, and race intersect over time and shape interpretations of trauma. I argue that the sexual abuse of boys can stir homophobia and, for the black and Puerto Rican participants, heighten anxiety over racial subordination that increases their investment in traditional gender reaffirmation. Last, I discuss the implications of my findings for social science research more generally, and the specific case of male child sexual abuse.