Abstract

This article explores the meanings of masculinities among university students in the city of Temuco, Araucania region, in Chile, considering that students at this level of education constitute a sector that is questioning the values in their education, including representations of traditional gender relations. Hegemonic masculinities and masculinities closer to gender equity, which may be in transformation - especially among young people, stand out in the review of literature on masculinities in Latin America. Our research approach was qualitative, with an intentional sampling; 10 interviews and two focus groups were carried out. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyze the information collected. The results obtained, in agreement with the literature, reflect such mandates as the protection of women; professional and economic success; and virility, associated with the active heterosexual man. By contrast, we also find accounts of young university students who question traditional mandates and who believe in the equality of gender roles, redefining what it means to be men today. This indicates the coexistence of traditional and transforming masculinities among the university students