Exploring Filipino Seafarers’ Masculinity Onboard and at Home through Linguistic Discourses

Abstract

Drawing from Filipino seafarersí narratives regarding their firsthand
experiences of gossip or gossiping onboard international ocean-going
vessels, this paper analyzes the masculinities expressed by Filipino
seafarers while they are on board and at home through linguistic
discourses of gossip and spousal arguments or compromise. The
data is supplemented by the interviews of seafarersí wives regarding
masculinities while the seafarers are at home. The ship as a work-
place dominated by men reinforces masculine traits and behavior
where different masculinities are displayed and expressed. Gossip
is prevalent among Filipino seafarers as part of their cultural make-
up and is used both as a socialization tool and a strategy to accumu-
late onboard social capital. Onboard gossip exposes the seafarerís
agentic flaws ñ his incompetence, unacceptable work attitudes, and
work ethics. For Filipino seafarers, this topic stresses how they
capitalize on their workplace reputation, which is crucial in the
continuance of their careers. Also, onboard gossip exposes biases
against management styles and targets queer seafarers. Masculinities
at home are expressed through compromises and arguments on
sustaining the ìgood provider/good father/good sonî roles of the
seafarer despite the temporary loss of income to reinstate the seafarerís
relevance in the family.