The unseen face of infertility: an exploration of the man’s experience in Ayobami Adebayo’s Stay with me

Abstract

Infertility is perceived to be the woman's problem in patriarchal societies. The woman is usually subjected to different forms of mistreatment when a couple is battling infertility. Male infertility is rarely discussed because it is regarded as a taboo subject. Due to the little or no attention given to male infertility, men suffer the problem in silence. This study seeks to examine the aspect of infertility that is 'unseen' - the man's side of the story as exemplified in Ayobami Adebayo's Stay with Me (2017). The study is hinged on the African feminist theory that seeks the emancipation of both men and women from gender stereotypes and encourages complementarity between the sexes. The research reveals that men endure enormous mental, emotional and psychological pain when battling impotence. In most cases, the man devices ways of surmounting the problem alone. It concludes that male infertility has the potential of destabilising the atmosphere of peace and tranquility in the home hence the need to accord it the attention it deserves. The study also reiterates the need for men and women to be liberated from gender stereotypes and societal expectations that inhibit their personal development.