“Nobody Ever Sat Me Down to Talk About That Kind of Stuff”: A Thematic Analysis of Heterosexual Black Men’s Genital Hygiene Messages

Men’s genital hygiene and grooming practices are rarely discussed despite their importance for men’s overall health. The purpose of this reflective thematic analysis is to understand the messages Black men received about genital hygiene using the theory of socialization. In 2022, n = 8 heterosexual Black men ages 24–43 participated in semi-structured interviews as a part of the Generation Genital (Gen2) Messages Study. Grounded in the culture-centered approach’s epistemological commitment to centering marginalized voices, this study integrates sexual socialization theory as an analytical framework to examine how sociohistorical and sociocultural constructs of masculinity shape heterosexual Black men’s grooming and hygiene practices. Results of the thematic analysis revealed eight themes related to Please provide missing details for Barkley, 2023 reference list entry.Black men’s grooming and hygiene messages, which were then classified using sexual socialization theory (i.e. familial socialization, peer socialization, cultural socialization, and self-exploration). Our study’s findings highlighted how differing levels of socialization enable and constrain messaging related to grooming and hygiene. Further, the results emphasize men’s desire for more health communication regarding grooming and hygiene to maintain their health and protect their partners from illnesses. However, Black men in our study may have experienced hesitations about engaging in grooming, as it may compromise their already precarious standing within the culture of hegemonic masculinity. Finally, this study offered recommendations for parents, community organizers, and practitioners to help Black men and families engage in conversations about male hygiene and grooming practices.