ALQ,November 2005 Edition - Sex and Sexuality

Editorial...

It is within this context of the persistent feminisation of the HIV and AIDS pandemic that this double edition of the ALQ focuses on gender, sex and sexuality in the context of HIV and AIDS. The various articles in this issue examine a broad range of realities as to the extent to which the gendered societal context, including the meaning and understanding of ‘appropriate’ and ‘acceptable’ sex and sexuality, indeed addresses and/or perpetuates the feminisation of the HIV and AIDS pandemic. The ABC prevention message,virginity testing, the meaning and understanding of sex and sexuality,adherence to PEP following sexual assault, the role of HIV and AIDS communication, and ethical considerations in narrative research, as well as proposed changes to the sexual offences legislation as it impacts on the criminalisation of non-disclosed sexual exposure to HIV and AIDS, and on the LGBT community are some of the issues explored in this edition. This issue also continues with the integral features of the ALQ, introducing HIV and AIDS realities and challenges from Zimbabwe, experiences from Vulindlela, a village in KwaZulu Natal, and ‘making a point’ about Christian responses to HIV and AIDS.

In this issue,Emma Harvey and Johanna Kehler explore the meaning and understanding of sex and sexuality, as well as various myth and realities of sex and sexuality in the context of HIV and AIDS. Recognising the moralisation and judgement of sex and sexuality, the article argues that as long as sex and sexuality is not de-moralised and free of judgement, sexual choices, including the choice to prevent HIV infection, will remain limited,and judgement leading by HIV and AIDS will continue.

The proposal of the Children’s Bill to prohibit virginity testing of children has caused heated debates on the ‘pros’ and ‘cons’ of such practice with both sides invoking the violations of rights, as well as referencing the HIV pandemic. Carol Bouwer introduces a rights based position to virginity testing and raises the question as to why ‘virginity’ is such a ‘hot issue’. She argues that virginity testing of children is not only a gross violation of children’s rights, but also counter-productive in that virginity testing exacerbates children’s vulnerability.

Acknowledging increasing HIV infection rates, especially amongst women, Rachel Elfenbein, examines the meaning, interpretation and impact of the ABC prevention message. She looks at the ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’ of the prevention message raising question as to its adequacy and argues that as long as gendered inequalities and imbalances are not taken into account, the ABC prevention message will perpetuate the spread of HIV.

The potential of proposed sexual offences legislation to address the persistent discrimination of the LGBT community is discussed by Evashnee Naidu.Examining various proposed changes to the current legislation, she argues that while the legislation might soon be in place, it can possible not impact in prevailing societal prejudices, as well as the application and implementation of the law affording lesbians and gays equal protection by the law in reality.

Sadiyya Haffejee introduces research findings from a study exploring factors that influence adherence to post exposure prophylaxis following sexual assault. She argues, that factors influencing adherence to PEP are complex and thus, adherence is as much dependent upon the skill, knowledge and attitude of health facility staff, as it is dependent upon the individual characteristics of the rape survivor and the support received.

The extent to which the criminalisation of non-disclosed exposure of HIV and AIDS, as proposed by the Sexual Offences Bill, could assist in the diffusion of HIV and AIDS, is examined by Johanna van Rooij. She explores various arguments for and against such criminalisation and argues that in light of HIV related stigma, the criminalisation of HIV-related behaviour might not only exacerbate stigma, but also would not serve the purpose intended with such a criminalisation.

The need for ethical considerations as the core of narrative research with women who are infected and affected by HIV and AIDS is discussed by Sunnette Pienaar.She argues that while the narrative approach to research facilitates a process for women, infected and affected by HIV and AIDS, to speak out and tell their stories, it also needs to facilitate a process of re-evaluating oneself, for the process to be ethical.

The role of HIV and AIDS communication as a means of addressing and/or perpetuating the feminisation of the pandemic is explored by Lene Øverland. Analysing mainstream media as to how HIV and AIDS is portrayed and as to who owns and who accesses mainstream media, she argued that a two-way communication, as provided by a few alternative media interventions, not only opens the dialogue between sender and receiver, but is also crucial to HIV and AIDS communication aiming to address HIV and AIDS realities and challenges.

Vulindlela, a rural community in KwaZulu Natal, and the challenges experienced, both personal and professional, are introduced by Lilian Mboyi. She explores various challenges of the rural community, discusses some of the core findings of research conducted in the areas and argues that there is hope for the future, since HIV treatment is becoming a reality.

Miriam Madziwa introduces HIV and AIDS realities and challenges in Zimbabwe.Looking at the economic meltdown, Operation Murambatsvina, falling health care standards and raising medical costs, voluntary counselling and testing, sexual violence, an the role of the media, she argues that it is women and girl children who are disproportionately infected and affected by HIV and AIDS in Zimbabwe.

‘Making a point’ about Christianity, Barbara Schmid explores Christian responses to HIV prevention and caring for people infected and affected by HIV and AIDS. She raises questions as to the adequacy of the Christian response and argues that while a lot has been, a lot more needs to be done, especially pertaining to prevention, to stigma hindering adequate prevention, and to orphans and vulnerable children.

Looking into and exploring various gendered realities, it seems, once again, confirmed that without taking into account the persistent gendered inequalities and imbalances, the ‘toll on women and girls’ will persist, HIV prevention messages will continue to fail the ones most vulnerable and at risk, and thus, the feminisation of the pandemic will continue. The recurring argument seems to be that the feminisation of the pandemic manifests itself in all realities; that the feminisation of HIV and AIDS is as much prescribed by gendered behaviours,attitudes and practices, as it is institutionalised; that the moralisation of sexual behaviour and subsequent prescription of ‘appropriate’ sexual behaviour is not only further marginalising the already marginalised, but also seemingly justifying the ‘exclusion’ of the ones who portray ‘inappropriate’ sexual behaviour; and that the feminisation of the pandemic is not due to a lack of a constitutional and legislative framework,but rather due to the resistance and/or failure to challenge the gendered societal context.

If we are to agree that gender is ‘at the centre of human condition’, then ‘gender’ cannot be addressed in isolation or in a vacuum ignoring, and constantly failing to take into account, realities marked by gendered inequalities, imbalances and injustices leading to, and justifying, the very same feminisation of the HIV and AIDS pandemic.Recognising the need to challenge the gendered context of society, the status quo, thus, implies that the very ‘centre of human condition’ has to be challenged and transformed in order to be in the position to begin the reversal of the ‘lethal’ outcome of the gendered nature of society. Meaning, understanding and interpretations of ‘gender’ and its reflection in core beliefs of what is ‘appropriate’ and ‘good’ behaviour, including sexual behaviour, seems to be the ‘human condition’ in need of re-evaluating, addressing and challenging.

Thus, if we are to address the ‘toll on women and girls’, the feminisation of the HIV and AIDS pandemic, the societal gendered prescription of behaviour and core beliefs, limiting not only individual choices, but also the access and realisation of fundamental rights and freedoms accordingly, needs to be challenged and transformed into a concept based on equality and human dignity, irrespective of one’s sex, gender, sexuality and/or choice.

If we fail to challenge the status quo, the very same gendered context of society will continue to prescribe who, how,when, where and why people are vulnerable to, and at risk of, HIV infection – and thus, prescribe women and girls to be the ones who are most vulnerable to,and at risk of, HIV infection, the ones who are disproportionately impacted and affected by HIV and AIDS realities, the ones for whom fundamental rights and freedoms have little or no impact in their lives, and the feminisation of the HIV and AIDS pandemic continues.Johanna Kehler