The Sex Lives of African Women: Self-Discovery, Freedom, and Healing

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For many young Kenyans, the values espoused in families, schools, and churches simply do not align with the economic realities of the country, or cannot compete with the material temptations that, in the age of reality TV and social media, are everywhere visible. Lane T, Osmand T, Marr A, Shade SB, Dunkle K, Sandfort T, et al. The Mpumalanga Men’s study (MPMS): results of a baseline biological and behavioral HIV surveillance survey in two MSM communities in South Africa. Plos One. 2014;9(11):e111063. There is a certain group of Ghanaian women who are now seeing themselves reflected on TV: Young, modern, working,” says Maame Adjei, who plays Zainab, one of the five main characters.

We must remember that the plague years were not just 1348-1353 and 1665-1666, but there were deaths during the intervening years between,” he said. “It will be interesting to see how these deaths fit within a wider context.” Roberts B, Reddy V. Pride and prejudice: public attitudes towards homosexuality. HSRC Review. 2008;6(4). Danisa’s story highlights an important dynamic of power and coercion. When probed further, Danisa stated explicitly that he considered this experience to be consensual and not sexual coercion or assault. It is important to note, though, that others might consider it to be sexual violence.

RACE, ETHNICITY, AND HEALTH RESEARCH

A look at the Kenyan tabloids also suggests that women are at risk of violence from their sponsors.

From March–September 2016, we recruited a convenience sample of 37 SMM ages 30 and older by partnering with an LGBTQ+ organization in Tshwane, Pretoria. Men were interviewed about various aspects of their lives, including their sexual orientation, social connectedness, experiences with stigma and perspectives on participating in research. Results Emmanuel G, Folayan MO, Ochonye B, Umoh P, Wasiu B, Nkom M, et al. HIV sexual risk behavior and preferred HIV prevention service outlet by men who have sex with men in Nigeria. BMC Health Serv Res. 2019;19(1):261. Participants reported varying levels of social connectedness. Based on the quantitative scale that the men completed, which had response options that ranged in value from 1 to 5, the mean score was 3.7, which falls between “sometimes” or “often” for having someone in your life that you can rely on for various aspects of social support (e.g., if you need money, if you need to talk about your problems). The majority of participants indicated that they had discussed their sexual orientation with “most” friends, family, and coworkers on the quantitative survey, which was also illustrated in their discussions in the qualitative interviews. Romantic and sexual partners, friends, and family members were identified as sources of support. Men also described being involved with LGBTQ+ organizations, which have been described as important sources of social support in other settings [ 60]. Men described going out to bars, clubs, and taverns to socialize and meet new people. This suggests that these venues can be used to recruit seeds for referral-based recruitment methods, such as RDS. For example, these men are connected to other SMM who know about their sexual orientation, so they should be reachable through referral-based recruitment methods. Also, previous research has shown that recruiting participants who socialize at multiple venues within a community may be more important than having a large social network for generating valid RDS samples [ 61]. Some men described friendships with younger SMM, although most men stated perceived differences between themselves and younger SMM. This may be reflective of a perceived generational gap within SMM communities, or reflective of differences in how men perceived themselves now compared to when they were younger. This issue of aging among SMM and generational gaps within SMM communities has not been well studied in sub-Saharan Africa, thus far, but is a topic that merits further investigation. What is wrong about sex anyway?" asks Jane. "People just make it sound wrong. But sometimes, it ain't wrong at all." When participants were asked to describe specific concerns in their lives, many men responded not only being concerned about HIV and STI’s, but also about violence and discrimination due to multiple overlapping identities. Participants reported stigma in school, in the community, when accessing healthcare, and at work. Men described instances of discrimination that they encountered due to their sexual orientation and/or feminine behavior. Several participants described anecdotes of being teased or bullied at school by other students or teachers because of their nonconformity to masculinity. One man shared that being teased for spending too much time with girls at school, which led him to hang out with only boys. Now as adults, many men describe experiences of discrimination based on their perceived sexuality.

DR Congo faces logistical, security challenges before pivotal December poll

Dahoma M, Johnston LG, Holman A, Miller LA, Mussa M, Othman A, et al. HIV and related risk behavior among men who have sex with men in Zanzibar, Tanzania: results of a behavioral surveillance survey. AIDS Behav. 2011;15(1):186–92. We are all on a journey towards sexual freedom and agency,” Darkoa declares in the book’s opening chapter. She presents sexuality as a source of both pleasure and pain – from patriarchal societies and religious dogma that leave many women doubtful of their own choices and constantly fighting guilt. Control and courage For most participants, drinking establishments (e.g., pubs, clubs, taverns) are places where they go to socialize with friends, relax, meet new people, and meet sex partners. A few men discussed preferring to socialize without drinking alcohol. When discussing alcohol in social settings, multiple participants focused on buying drinks for other men or being bought drinks as a way to attract potential partners. Participants explained that this is something that can create complicated dynamics regarding expectations around sexual behavior. Rendi stated: “I do not ask people to buy for me because they always want something in return, so I [bring] my own money so that I can go home in peace and relax.”

It's not hard to find headlines such as "Stabbed to death by a man who has been funding her university education," "Kenyan 'sponsor' threatens lover, posts COFFINS on Facebook and she DIES afterwards," "Pretty 22-Year-Old Girl Killed By Her Sugar Daddy." These articles all describe, sometimes in graphic detail, sugar relationships that led to murder. Sutherland C, Roberts B, Gabriel N, Struwig J, Gordon S. Progressive prudes: a survey of attitudes towards homosexuality & gender non-conformity in South Africa; 2016. Gibbs G. Analyzing qualitative data. London; 2007. Available from: https://methods.sagepub.com/book/analyzing-qualitative-dataFrom the story of one woman in an unhealthy and violent relationship to another in a caring marriage who feels that something is missing, Darkoa’s book reminds women that we should unsettle that which we thought was long settled. It embraces the good kind of uncertainty, that we need to work towards a better knowledge of ourselves and our desires – and to unlearn the ‘rules’ set by societies, states, religions and cultures on what is ‘normal’. Sex-positivity is for women’s reproductive rights and legislation, as choice and freedom are core elements of its philosophy. Sex-positivity recognizes that sex and sexuality are intricate and complex human experiences Six years ago, when she was at university, Shiro met a married man nearly 40 years her senior. At first, she received just groceries. Then it was trips to the salon. Two years into their relationship, the man moved her into a new apartment because he wanted her to be more comfortable. Another two years down the line, he gave Shiro a plot of land in Nyeri county as a show of commitment. In exchange, he gets to sleep with Shiro whenever he feels like it. In an old interview with Potpourri the mother of two had denied being a porn star and challenged anyone to come up with any porn movie she had done, saying the controversial film she did “Destructive Instinct” was no where near being a porn film.

Lahuerta M, Patnaik P, Ballo T, Telly N, Knox J, Traore B, et al. HIV prevalence and related risk factors in men who have sex with men in Bamako, Mali: findings from a bio-behavioral survey using respondent-driven sampling. AIDS Behav. 2018;22(7):2079–88. Moreira AD, Halkitis PN, Kapadia F. Sexual identity development of a new generation of emerging adult men: the P18 cohort study. Psychol Sex Orientat Gend Divers. 2015;2(2):159–67. Participants described their experiences with their sexual identities, cultural and social implications of disclosure, and their perspective on South Africa’s political perspectives on the LGBTQ+ community. Men described how these experiences influence their trust in research and comfort participating in studies. ConclusionsWriting in the journal Bioarchaeology International, Redfern and colleagues report how they analysed remains from 145 individuals buried at East Smithfield emergency plague cemetery, St Mary Graces and St Mary Spital in London. Of these, 49 died from plague and 96 died from other causes.