Dominant ideologies of gender influence how women and men see themselves and the social relations into which they enter. While growing attention is being given to the position of women in the epidemic, less attention has been focused on men. This article explores the usefulness of concepts of masculinity for our understanding of HIV/AIDS-related risk and vulnerability. Through this, the article highlights the necessity for a more balanced understanding of gender as a set of structures created by, and affecting, both women and men.