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The social construction of male 'homosexuality' in India: implications for HIV transmission and prevention

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  • Asthana, Sheena
  • Oostvogels, Robert

Abstract

Over the past 20 years, there has been a growing recognition of the relativity of sexual norms and of the difficulties of exporting Western conceptions of sexuality to different socio-cultural settings. This view has been most clearly articulated in studies of men who have sex with men (MSM) which suggest that the ways in which male-male sexual activity is shaped and constituted vary significantly from place to place. Despite this, 'homosexuality' continues to be treated as an unproblematic category in HIV/AIDS discourse, epidemiological studies of and HIV prevention strategies for MSM in widely different contexts being based on the North American/West European example of gay men. This paper, which draws upon ethnographic research in Madras, highlights important differences between India and the West, not only in the sexual identities and circuits of MSM, but in their sexual partnerships and practices. These differences, it is argued, are not only significant to the epidemiology of HIV transmission, but have important implications for the development and implementation of HIV prevention strategies.

Suggested Citation

  • Asthana, Sheena & Oostvogels, Robert, 2001. "The social construction of male 'homosexuality' in India: implications for HIV transmission and prevention," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 52(5), pages 707-721, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:52:y:2001:i:5:p:707-721
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    Cited by:

    1. Logie, Carmen H. & Newman, Peter A. & Chakrapani, Venkatesan & Shunmugam, Murali, 2012. "Adapting the minority stress model: Associations between gender non-conformity stigma, HIV-related stigma and depression among men who have sex with men in South India," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 74(8), pages 1261-1268.
    2. Liu, Chuncheng, 2020. "“Red is not the only color of a rainbow”: The making and resistance of the “MSM” subject among gay men in China," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 252(C).
    3. Schneider, John A. & Zhou, A. Ning & Laumann, Edward O., 2015. "A new HIV prevention network approach: Sociometric peer change agent selection," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 192-202.

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