From Social Silence to Social Science

Same-sex sexuality, HIV & AIDS and Gender in South Africa This book presents a unique and innovative effort to examine what we know about homosexual transmission of HIV and AIDS in South Africa. It reverses the trend whereby categories of same sex sexual practice are almost always excluded from research of HIV and AIDS, as well as from care and intervention programmes. The varied contributors (academics, activists and programme planners) draw attention to the risk behaviours and treatment needs of people who engage in homosexual sex, and explain why same-sex sexuality has to be seen as key within South African efforts to study, test and prevent HIV infection. Relevant to scholarly debates about HIV and AIDS, it is also essential reading for anyone involved in research, policymaking, advocacy and community development.

Foreword by Edwin Cameron
Messages of support
Acknowledgements

Introduction
Vasu Reddy, Theo Sandfort, Laetitia Rispel

Theory, methodology, context
1 Researching same-sex sexuality and HIV
Peter Aggleton
2 Sexuality research in South Africa: The policy context
Robert Sember
3 Same-sex sexuality and health: Current psychosocial scientific research in South Africa
Juan Nel
4 Homosexual and bisexual labels: The need for clear conceptualisations, operationalisations and appropriate methodological designs
Theo Sandfort and Brian Dodge
5 Gender, same-sex sexuality and HIV/AIDS in South Africa: Practical research challenges and solutions
Pierre Brouard
6 From social silence to social science: HIV research among township MSM in South Africa
Tim Lane

History, memory, archive
7 Gay AIDS activism in South Africa prior to 1994
Mandisa Mbali
8 Sexing women: Young black lesbian womens reflections on sex and responses to safe(r) sex in Johannesburg
Zethu Matebeni
9 Creating memory: Documenting and disseminating life stories of LGBTI people living with HIV
Ruth Morgan, Busi Kheswa, John Meletse

Perspectives from sub-Saharan and southern Africa 10 What we know about same-sex practicing people and HIV in Africa
Cary Alan Johnson
11 Same-sex sexuality and HIV/AIDS: A perspective from Malawi
Daveson Nyadani
12 A birds eye view of HIV and gay and lesbian issues in Zimbabwe
Sammy Matsikure
13 Epidemiological disjunctures: A review of same-sex sexuality and HIV research in sub-Saharan Africa
Kirk Fiereck

Needs, programming, policy and direction for future research
14 Mobilising gay and lesbian organisations to respond to the political challenges of the South African HIV epidemic
Nathan Geffen, Zethu Cakata, Renay Pillay and Paymon Ebrahimzadeh
15 Are South African HIV policies and programmes meeting the needs of samesex practising individuals?
Laetitia Rispel and Carol Metcalf
16 Lessons learned from current South African HIV/AIDS research among lesbian/gay/bisexual populations
Dawie Nel
17 Observations on HIV and AIDS in Cape Towns LGBT population
Glenn de Swardt
18 Some personal and political perspectives on HIV/AIDS in Ethekwini
Nonhlanhla Mkhize
19 Health for all? Women who have sex with women (WSW) health needs and issues
Vicci Tallis

Conclusions
20 Taking research-based prevention forward
Theo Sandfort, Vasu Reddy, Laetitia Rispel

Contributors
Index

Professor Vasu Reddy is a Chief Research Specialist at the Gender and Development Cross-cutting Research Unit within the Policy Analysis and Capacity Enhancement research programme of the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC). He is also an Honorary Associate Professor of Gender Studies in the School of Anthropology, Gender & Historical Studies (University of KwaZulu-Natal)

Dr Theo Sandfort is Associate Professor of Clinical Sociomedical Sciences (in Psychiatry) at Columbia University and a Research Scientist at the HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies at the New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University. He is on the editorial board on various major sexuality journals, including AIDS Care; Archives of Sexual Behavior; Culture, Health and Sexuality; Journal of Homosexuality; Sexualities and Sexuality Research and Social Policy.

Dr Laetitia Rispel has been an Adjunct Professor at the Centre for Health Policy, School of Public Health at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, since February 2008 and is the current President of the Public Health Association of South Africa. Prior to 2008, she was the Executive Director of the Human Sciences Research Councils Social Aspects of HIV/AIDS and Health (SAHA) research programme for two years.