'Top, bottom, versatile': narratives of sexual practices in gay relationships in the Cape Metropole, South Africa

Sabelo's Journey as a Young Black Gay Man in South Africa and the Potential of the Grindr App

Drawing from a case-study, this paper examines 18-year-old Sabelo's journey as a young black gay man in South Africa. Against the backdrop of heteronormativity and entrenched gender roles, Sabelo navigates a landscape where expressions of queer sexuality are often met with resistance. Focusing on a semi-structured interview, Sabelo's narrative reveals the pressure to conform to traditional masculinity and a sense of living a "double life" where acceptance is tied to economic success. Sabelo "acts straight" to manage the obligatory norms around masculinity and "coming out" increased tensions and the pressure to conform. Despite this, the emergence of the dating platform, Grindr, reflects a paradoxical landscape of opportunities and possibilities. Using the concept of the "queer assemblage," the paper argues for the significance of dating apps as more-than-human entities, in providing alternate pathways for sexual expression for young black gay identifying men. In conclusion, digital platforms offer space for transformative potential in subverting heteronormativity and providing queer individuals with spaces for self-expression.

Expanding Notions of LGBTQ

Sexual identity labels and meanings have been expanding. We explore how sexual identities are taking shape, intertwining, and emerging in new forms among a growing number of LGBTQ+ people (i.e., lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning, or people whose identities are outside the historically privileged or dominant groups of heterosexual sexual identities). We situate contemporary sexual identities in theories of the social construction of identity, intersectionality, and the life course. We review recent research that illuminates identity complexity and intersectionality, the increasingly intertwined understandings and experiences of sexuality and gender, and intersections of sexuality and gender with identities embedded in race and social class. Finally, we consider new work that situates sexual identities in the context of life course development, including life stage, developmental processes, and relationships.

Understanding and managing HIV infection risk among men who have sex with men in rural Uganda: a qualitative study

Background

Same-sex sexual relations are criminalised in Uganda, and men who have sex with men (MSM) experience a high burden of HIV infection. In Uganda, health promotion policies focus on equity in healthcare and creating enabling environments. At present there is limited evidence upon which to enhance engagement of MSM in rural settings into effective HIV prevention. To fill this gap, our study explored MSM’s understandings of HIV risk and strategies used to reduce HIV risk in their sexual lives.

Methods

In-depth interviews were conducted with sixteen MSM in rural communities in Southwestern Uganda. Inductive thematic analysis examined men’s perceptions of HIV risk and strategies of reducing their own HIV risks.

Results

Understandings of HIV risk and risk practices were framed by lack of access to condoms, challenges negotiating condom and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) use, and condomless sex being reported as more pleasurable than sex with condoms. Strategies men perceived as enabling them to manage HIV risk included: PrEP use; condom use; knowing partners’ HIV status; avoiding partners associated with HIV risk; oral sex; withdrawal before ejaculation and washing one’s penis after sex. There were several misconceptions arising from poor HIV prevention knowledge. Strategies reliant on communication and negotiation with sexual partners were inhibited by gendered powered imbalances.

Conclusions

Our findings illustrate that MSM in rural settings in Uganda are making concerted efforts to implement strategies that might reduce risk of HIV transmission and infection within their sexual relationships. Key HIV health promotion and service-related strategies to support MSM with these efforts include an effective condom and lubricant supply chain; a PrEP program in trusted local health units, implemented via discreet community-outreach mechanisms; and same-sex specific HIV-related health promotion.