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Risking It: Young Heterosexual Femininities in South African Context of HIV/AIDS

journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-08, 00:04 authored by Shakila Reddy, Mairead DunneMairead Dunne
This article explores gender power relations and the contradictions and confusions associated with sexual identity and normative (hetero-)sexual practices. Theories of `identity¿ and `performativity¿ are used to understand the relationships between young women's sexual identity constructions and sexual practices within the context of HIV/AIDS in South Africa. The discussion focuses on young women's accounts of their feminine identities with respect to issues of intimacy and romantic love; pregnancy, virginity and respect; desire, danger and disease; future marriage and family. It highlights the fragility and ambiguity in the processes of identity construction and performance of heterosexual femininity in an HIV/AIDS environment. Significantly, the dominant discourses of femininity through which these young women made sense of their sexual selves, stood in direct contradiction to their sexual safety. Given this, greater understanding of these identity processes would appear vital to successful strategies in the protection against HIV/AIDS in South Africa.

History

Publication status

  • Published

Journal

Sexualities

ISSN

1363-460

Issue

2

Volume

10

Page range

159-172

Pages

14.0

Department affiliated with

  • Education Publications

Full text available

  • No

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2012-02-06

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