Gender and Female Reproductive Communication in Ugep, Nigeria

Abstract Gender affects the communication of female reproductive matters in Ugep. Biological and cultural determinism of gender stratification theories help explain this sex-based interaction. The functionalists suggest that families are organized along instrumental-expressive lines, with men specializing in instrumental tasks and women in expressive ones. Accordingly, the study reveals that mothers play a greater role in the communication of female sexual and reproductive health matters. They are evaluated better communicators, more frequent communicators and with less negative styles of communication. This finding shows a gendered communication structure where there exist very little discussions among fathers and daughters. Rather than sexuality communication, fathers’ conversation is focused on education, career aspiration, child discipline and material provision. Mothers were thus identified as playing the major expressive role in female communication. Gender-role attitude is therefore significantly associated with reproductive communication in the family. Key Words: Communication, Reproductive Health, Gender, Adolescents Girls, Roles JCMRJournal of Communication and Media Research, Vol. 2, No. 2, October 2010, 67 – 76 . About the authors *Koblowe Obono, Ph.D. is a lecturer in the Mass Communication Department, College of Development Studies, Covenant University Ota, Nigeria. **Oka Obono, Ph.D, is a lecturer in the Sociology Department, Faculty of the Social Sciences, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Full Article Words: 4,979 Pages: 10 To access full article, click on download. Article Citation Obono, K. & Obono, O. (2010): Gender and female reproductive communication in Ugep, Nigeria. Journal of Communication and Media Research 2(2): 67 – 76.