From Social Silence to Social Science: Same-Sex Sexuality, HIV & AIDS and Gender in South Africa

Presenting a unique and innovative effort to examine what is known about homosexual transmission of HIV and AIDS in South Africa, this investigative study reverses the trend whereby categories of same-sex sexual practice are almost always excluded from research as well as from care and intervention programs in the developing world. Drawing particular attention to the risk behaviors and treatment needs of South Africans who engage in homosexual sex, the results of this study explain why same-sex sexuality is increasingly noted in today’s efforts to study, test, and prevent the spread of HIV infection in the region. Relevant to scholarly debates about HIV and AIDS, this resource offers essential sociological data for anyone involved in research, policymaking, advocacy, and community development in conflicted regions.