1267 - BEYOND FATHERHOOD: MASCULINITY PERCEPTIONS OF VOLUNTARILY CHILDLESS MEN IN TÜRKIYE

Session: D03S007 - Identity and Belonging 3
AUTHORS:
Uygun Ezgi Guney (Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University ~ Istanbul ~ Turkey) , Yagci Akgunduz Ece (Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University ~ Istanbul ~ Turkey) , Parlak Ercelik Simel (Yalova University ~ Yalova ~ Turkey)
Abstract text:
Voluntary childlessness among men is an emerging phenomenon that challenges traditional norms of masculinity, yet remains underexplored in applied psychology. Social expectations in Türkiye often link masculinity with fatherhood, economic responsibility, and emotional restraint. This study investigates how voluntarily childless men construct and negotiate their sense of masculinity in a sociocultural context where such choices are often stigmatized. The aim of this study is to examine the subjective masculinity perceptions of men without fatherhood experience and, in this context, to focus on self-perceptions, societal expectations, and culturally specific discourses. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with men who do not have children and have chosen to remain childfree (N = 10, age range 26-43). Data were analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) with MAXQDA software. Codes were organized into themes and subthemes reflecting participants' lived experiences and interpretations of masculinity. Three overarching themes emerged. Self-perceptions of masculinity included both resistance to societal expectations and alternative understandings, such as valuing freedom, equality, or leadership, while some participants emphasized biological differences. Societal expectations revealed pressure on men to be strong, unemotional, financially secure, and protective, with women's preferences often reinforcing masculine ideals. Cultural constructions in Türkiye encompassed family upbringing that normalized male authority, religious expectations assigning men higher responsibility, media and political discourses that reproduce hegemonic masculinity, and workplace assumptions linking leadership and physical strength to men. Family life was often framed around provision, protection, and unquestioned authority, though some participants challenged these norms. Findings indicate that voluntarily childless men in Türkiye experience masculinity as a contested and negotiated identity. Although they challenge normative assumptions linking masculinity with fatherhood, they remain subject to strong cultural and social pressures. These insights contribute to understanding contemporary masculinities and inform applied psychology practices aiming to support men in non-normative life choices.