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Culture, Gender and Human Rights: Changing identities? Changing options?
Reprinted courtesy of GENDER-AIDS 2002. e-mail: [email protected]
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This paper by Agnes Runganga of Zimbabwe was presented at a Seminar entitled ?“Sexuality and Social Change: An agenda for research and action in the 21st century?” held in Rio de Janeiro, 3rd to 6th December 2000.
Abstract:
Zimbabwe has experienced rapid economic growth and ideological changes
during the past 110 years. Policies and legislative instruments that dictated sexual conduct and some that facilitated economic development impacted on people's sexual lives, identities and practices of sexual minorities in particular.
A literature review of historical records, publications, recorded clan praise-poetry, traditional sex poetry and other forms of verbal narratives provided data for the paper. The paper describes sexualities of sexual minorities within spiritual and social contexts of Shona existence. Furthermore, it highlights the impact of labour migration and increased mobility, on sexual organisations of communities and the regulation of sexual activities in view of male to male sex. Subsequent changes of identities and sexual options associated with the impact of industrialisation are also explored.
The analysis extends beyond contemporary sexual-deprivation and situational approaches applied in explaining assumed changes of sexualities, to include issues relating to sexual options and appraisals of pleasure within the Zimbabwean local context. Issues raised are expected to contribute to the understanding of sexualities, particularly those of sexual minorities living in culturally transforming societies.
Requests for copies of the paper should be sent to [email protected] (Agnes Runganga, Zimbabwe) |
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