Raising visibility of lesbian, bisexual and other Women who have Sex with Women (WSW) 2010-11: South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe

Description:
The WSW 2010-2011 qualitative data set contains 24 interview transcriptions.

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Abstract:
Women who have sex with women (WSW) in Southern Africa, including women who identify as lesbian or bisexual, or who have same-sex desires for persons of the same gender are at the brunt of discrimination and oppression in patriarchal, heterosexist societies. This also applies to women in South Africa, despite more progressive laws and constitution. Some of these women face deeper marginalization, because of race, class, ethnicity, or HIV status; multiple marginalization impacts on different aspects of these women's lives, including their health.

Women's health in general and the health needs of WSW and LB persons in particular, is not high on the agendas of policy makers, health service providers, or researchers. This lack of attention is partly based on the fact that adequate knowledge of the complexities and issues around the provision of appropriate health services for WSW and LB persons is missing. There are huge gaps in the knowledge about sexual practices and preferences, including the frequency of same-sex conduct, and the number of people who claim same-sex identities and violence against the LBT community.

The voices, experiences and issues of the diverse groups of WSW and LB persons are glaringly absent from the research agenda. The aim of this study is to examine STI vulnerability, transmission risks, the effects of HIV/AIDS, and health care needs and experiences on these women. More specifically, the aim is to understand the experience rather than the prevalence of HIV/AIDS. This will hopefully influence health policy makers and those people who fund health projects to create an informed advocacy agenda in order to provide adequate health services to WSW in Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe. Participatory Action Research (PAR) is a technique which allows communities to participate and empowers them to create change in their own communities.