Masculinities in Cambodia
Masculinity in Cambodia is shaped by deeply rooted cultural expectations, social norms, and rapid social change. Traditional ideals often emphasize authority, emotional restraint, and the role of men as providers—norms that continue to influence how boys and men understand their place in families and communities. Yet these expectations also carry consequences: reinforcing gender inequality, limiting emotional expression, and shaping how vulnerability, violence, and care are understood.
This dossier brings together perspectives that critically examine how masculinities are formed, experienced, and increasingly questioned in Cambodia today. The contributions explore how rigid gender stereotypes affect both women and men, how silence around masculinity can obscure issues such as sexual abuse against boys, and how community dialogues are opening spaces to rethink relationships and gender roles.
At the same time, artistic and cultural expressions reveal how these conversations are unfolding beyond policy and activism. In the song “Her Voice”, Cambodian rapper Sang Sok Serey reclaims familiar cultural language to challenge patriarchal expectations and affirms women’s agency and equal partnership. The video artwork of Vart Van, Blooming Beyond the Trauma, offers a non-binary reflection on gender identity, healing, and acceptance.
Together, these contributions invite readers to see masculinity not as a fixed identity, but as a dynamic social construct that can evolve through dialogue, creativity, and collective reflection.
Cambodia’s experiences are part of a broader regional conversation. Explore the wider dossier Masculinities in Asia: What About the Boys? to discover reflections on masculinity and gender transformation from China, India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Singapore and South Korea.
HER VOICE
In her rap song “Her Voice,” Cambodian artist Sang Sok Serey transforms familiar cultural language into a powerful statement about women’s agency. Drawing on expressions long used to guide women’s behaviour, the song gradually reshapes those expectations into a declaration of strength and self-expression.
Her voice is strong — a lion’s roar.
ហៃកូនស្រីស្ងួនមាសម្ដាយ
ក្រណាស់នាងអាយ តាមដោយច្បាប់ស្រី
ក្រមួយមិនបានសម្ដី
ពាក្យទន់តិចនៃ អោយញាតិចូលចិត្ត
ខ្ញុំចង់វៃអោយខ្ទេច
បំបែកនូវគំនិតអវិជ្ជមានទាំងឡាយ
កើតជាតិនេះមិនស្ដាយ
ទោះចិត្តនិងកាយខ្ញុំជាមនុស្សស្រី
ដើរឬដេកជាខ្ញុំ
មិនបាច់បង្ខំ បន្លំបំភ័យ
ទន់ខ្សោយមិនឱ្យតម្លៃ
ខ្ញុំនឹងទៅមុខ មិនខ្វល់ពីអ្វី ទោះគេនិយាយ
ខ្លួនជាស្រី ស្ដាប់សម្ដី ត្រូវគោរពប្ដី
កុំធ្វើអ្វីខុសប្រពៃណី
សួរថាអ្នកណា
អ្នកវិនិច្ឆ័យ?
ដាក់សម្ពាធមិនឱ្យតម្លៃ
គំនិតអប្រិយ ចេះតែបំភ្លៃ
អាត្មានិយម បំបិទសេរី
បំពុលតាមច្បាប់ដែលហួសសម័យ
នាង៖ ឆន្ទៈមោះមុត នាងហ៊ាននិយាយ
នាង៖ សំឡេងនាងខ្លាំង ដូចរាជសីហ៍
នាង៖ បញ្ចេញមតិ ជាសិទ្ធិសេរី
នាង៖ នាងជាមាសសុទ្ធ ដ៏មានតម្លៃ
មួយជំនាន់ទៅមួយជំនាន់
គេជិះជាន់នូវស្មារតី
ផ្នត់គំនិតអាត្មានិយម ប្រមូលផ្ដុំរៀងរាល់ថ្ងៃ
គំនិតគំនាបគាបផ្លូវ
គ្រប់រឿងអាស្រូវ បន្ទូសមនុស្សស្រី
កំណាព្យកំណាច អប្រិយ
ផ្លាស់ប្តូរបរិបទ បំបិតសេរី
អំណាចនៅក្នុងការគិត
គំនិតពួកយើងគឺមានតម្លៃ
បញ្ចេញនូវឥទ្ធិពល
កម្ទេចសម្ពាធដែលចង់ប្រល័យ
ព្រោះភាពលំអៀង
ខ្ញុំមិនវៀង ច្រៀង
បញ្ឆេះឆន្ទៈស្ត្រី
សំឡេងយើងជាអំណាច
ស្រែកឡើងកុំខ្លាច
ប្ដូរទំព័រថ្មី
ពាក្យពេចន៍ខ្ញុំជាអាវុធ
ប្រឆាំងមោះមុត ដើម្បីស្ត្រី
សិទ្ធិយើងជាអ្នកសម្រេច
មិនឱ្យអ្នកណា មកវិនិច្ឆ័យ
កុំយកភ្លើងចូលផ្ទះ
តែគេជាអ្នកចាក់ប្រេង
បង្កាត់ បង្រៀនកូនស្រី
ប្រតិបត្តិ ដើរតាមបញ្ញត្តិ
ដែលគេអ្នកចែង
ដឹងទេថានាងសំខាន់
សំឡេងនាងខ្លាំង មិនអាចបម្លែង
យើងនឹងបន្លឺសំឡេង
ប្រឆាំង រាល់ការរើសអើងផ្សេងៗ
ហៃកូនស្រីស្ងួនមាសម្ដាយ
ក្រោកឡើងនាងអាយ បញ្ចេញរស្មី
ឆន្ទៈមោះមុត នាងហ៊ាននិយាយ
តតាំង កូនកុំខ្លាចអ្វី
ក្លាហាន ហ៊ានស្តឺ អ្វីដែលត្រឹមត្រូវ
សំឡេងនាងខ្លាំងដូចរាជសីហ៍
បញ្ចេញមតិជាសិទ្ធិសេរី
នាងជាមាសសុទ្ធដ៏មានតម្លៃ
Listen close, dear daughter — mother’s gold,
Follow the path the Women’s Code once told.
Speak all gently, soft and mild,
Then the whole family will praise your style.
I want to smash those thoughts apart,
Those toxic lies that fill the heart.
No shame to live the life I own —
A woman, body, soul, full-grown.
I am myself — in step or rest,
No force, no lies — I stand my best.
Weakness holds no worth at all —
I walk ahead, whatever they call.
As woman, listen, obey, respect your man!
Don’t cross the line tradition planned.
But why not ask the question plain:
Who are they, to judge again?
They press you down, deny your worth,
Toxic thoughts keep twisting truth.
Ego’s rule destroys the free,
Poisoned by old laws’ decree.
Her will is sharp — she dares to speak,
Her voice is strong — a lion’s roar.
Free speech is every woman’s right,
Pure gold she stands — her worth shines bright.
Listen close, dear daughter — mother’s gold,
Follow the path the Women’s Code once told.
Speak all gently, soft and mild,
Then the whole family will praise your style.
From one generation to the next,
They crushed the spirit, kept it pressed.
Self-centred minds rise day by day,
Their narrow thoughts still lead the way.
Oppressive thoughts block every way,
Each scandal blamed on women’s way.
Cruel proverbs, verses told,
Twist the truth, keep women on hold.
Power lives in how we think,
Ideas rise and never shrink.
Release the force we can employ,
Smash the pressure set to destroy.
Because of bias — I won’t bend,
I sing to wake women, my friend.
Our voices hold power — be brave,
Shout loud — don’t fear.
Turn the page — a new day is here.
My words are weapons — sharp and bright,
They strike for every woman’s right.
Our rights belong to us alone,
No other hand can claim that throne.
They say, “Don’t bring the fire home,”
Yet they pour oil to feed the flame.
They teach their daughters: just obey,
Live by the rules they wrote that day.
Do you know that women matter?
Her voice stands strong — it will not shatter.
We raise our voices loud and clear,
Against all forms of hate and fear.
Listen close, dear daughter — mother’s gold,
Rise — let all your inner light unfold.
Sharp will — she dares to speak.
Stand firm, dear child — fear none at all.
Be brave — speak truth and stand up tall.
Her voice is strong — a lion’s roar.
Speak your truth — it is your right.
Pure gold — her power, her pride.
Cultural Context: Chbab Srey
Cultural Context: Chbab Srey
Chbab Srey, often translated as the “Women’s Code,” is a traditional Khmer didactic poem that historically served as guidance for girls and women. Passed down through oral tradition and later taught in educational settings, it emphasizes virtues such as modesty, patience, and respect within family life.
Today the text forms part of ongoing public discussion in Cambodia about the role of cultural traditions and gender expectations. (see also an analytical article by Srei Nou in this dossier)
Redefining Gender: How Hip Hop Challenges Cambodia’s Traditional Gender Codes - Heinrich Böll Stiftung Cambodia
Watch on YouTube
Through rap, Her Voice engages with familiar cultural language and reinterprets it for a contemporary audience. By drawing on expressions associated with traditional moral instruction and gradually transforming their meaning, the song opens space for a new perspective on voice, dignity, and self-determination.
For listeners, the message resonates both within Cambodia and beyond.
Our voice is power.
