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‘You’ve got a friend’: African American men’s cross-sex feminist friendships and their influence on perceptions of masculinity and women

Pennsylvania State University, amw20{at}psu.edu

Twenty African American men’s cross-sex feminist friendships were studied using the self-expansion model of close personal relationships. Narrative analyses supported the self-expansion model by revealing how feminist insider perspectives shaped men’s constructions of masculinity and their interactions with women. Specifically, two themes emerged from the men’s narratives concerning the advantages of these friendships, namely their affirmative quality and strong emotional bonds. A cognitive dissonance theme also emerged when a man did not act in ways consistent with feminist insider perspectives. Furthermore, a practising ground theme emerged when he resolved the dissonance by changing his behavior. Cross-sex feminist friendships often transcend prevailing expectations about man-woman relationships and offer support to men who challenge mainstreams ideas about masculinity, women, and gender relations.

Key Words: African American men • cross-sex friendships • feminism • masculinity • self-concept • self-expansion model

Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, Vol. 23, No. 4, 523-542 (2006)
DOI: 10.1177/0265407506065982


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