-experts call for rethinking of gender socialization

THE University of Guyana’s Institute of Gender Studies, in collaboration with the Department of Language and Cultural Studies under the Faculty of Education and Humanities, recently hosted a thought-provoking panel discussion focused on masculinity in Guyana and the wider Caribbean. The event, titled “From Boyhood to Manhood: Unpacking, Rethinking and Reimagining Masculinity,” brought together academics, educators, policy advocates, and community leaders to discuss the complex realities facing boys and men in society today.

The distinguished panel included Emeritus Professor of Sociology at Bucknell University, Linden Lewis; Manager of the Gender Affairs Bureau (GAB), Reverend Adel Terick Lilly; Principal of the Port Mourant Secondary School, Dr. Mark Lyte; Managing Director of ChildLink Inc., Omattie Madray; University of Guyana lecturer, Dr. Kara Lord and Secretary of UG’s Indigenous Society, Kenneth Edwards.
Central to the discussion was the call for a more nuanced and community-sensitive approach to addressing gender issues, particularly masculinity. Reverend Lilly highlighted the problematic ways in which boys and girls are

socialised in Guyana, noting that boys are often raised to be dominant and aggressive, while girls are taught to be docile and compliant. “We have to start to look at that as a country, and more so as a region,” Lilly emphasised. “We socialise boys to be tough, to be aggressive, dominant — but we socialise girls to be soft and submissive. That has to change.”

Drawing from his travels across Guyana, Lilly noted that masculinity cannot be addressed with a one-size-fits-all solution. “The way we address masculinity in Georgetown is not the same way we address it in Lethem. Economic conditions and cultural practices differ — and so must our strategies,” he explained. He called for community-level engagement to better understand how masculinity is shaped by local gender roles, power dynamics and economic realities.

Meanwhile, ChildLink’s Managing Director Omattie Madray drew attention to the neglect of boys in traditional care-giving frameworks. “We have taken for granted that boys don’t need the same level of care, supervision and guidance as girls,” she noted. “But the data tells us otherwise. Boys need support — at home, in schools, and within their communities.”
The panelists collectively emphasised that engaging in open conversations about masculinity is crucial to fostering a more equitable society. “We have to start having real conversations about what it truly means to be a man,” Lilly asserted, urging educators, parents, and policy makers to lead that change.

The discussion is part of UG’s broader commitment to gender equity and academic engagement with the social issues affecting Guyanese communities. Organisers say future forums will continue to expand on this foundation, encouraging the development of responsive social policies that promote healthier expressions of masculinity and gender identity.