Everything will come to light: research on female desires in Africa.Research on same-sex practices among African women received a big boost this year in preparation for the "Sex and Secrecy secrecy see confidentiality. " Conference held end of June in Johannesburg. This was the 4th Conference of the International Association for the Study of Sexuality, Culture & Society, which brings together researchers from around the globe every two years to share their findings. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Through the combined efforts of Dutch anthropologist Saskia Wieringa, a pioneer in research on same-sex practices among women in Latin America Latin America, the Spanish-speaking, Portuguese-speaking, and French-speaking countries (except Canada) of North America, South America, Central America, and the West Indies. and South-East Asia South-East Asia n → le Sud-Est asiatique South-East Asia south n → Südostasien nt South-East Asia n → , and Ruth Morgan of the South African Gay and Lesbian Archives based at the University of Witwatersrand, women from seven African countries were afforded the opportunity to receive training in research on female same-sex practices in their communities. The presentation of their findings proved to be one of the highlights of the Sex and Secrecy conference. Most striking was the diversity among the women who shared their life stories with the researchers, and the cultural patterns that emerged in the analyses of their stories. Let's start with Swaziland. While 'mummy-baby' relationships involving sexual intimacy between an older and a younger girl, usually in a boarding school environment, have been documented in Lesotho, this research found a similar pattern of relationships among girls in Swaziland. Another 'space' for the development of same-sex relationships same-sex relationship n → gleichgeschlechtliche Beziehung f among women proved to be the soccer field, which is frequented by both 'masculine' and 'feminine' Swazi women looking for Looking for In the context of general equities, this describing a buy interest in which a dealer is asked to offer stock, often involving a capital commitment. Antithesis of in touch with. companionship companionship the faculty possessed by most truly domesticated animals. They are social creatures and have a great need for the companionship of other animals. Animals in groups are quieter and more productive as a rule. with their fellow women. Let's move on to South Africa South Africa, Afrikaans Suid-Afrika, officially Republic of South Africa, republic (2005 est. pop. 44,344,000), 471,442 sq mi (1,221,037 sq km), S Africa. . The research here focussed on women sangomas (traditional healers) involved in relationships with women. Many of these women explained why they 'married' women partners in similar terms to their calling to their profession, saying that a deceased male ancestor ANCESTOR, descents. One who has preceded another in a direct line of descent; an ascendant. In the common law, the word is understood as well of the immediate parents, as, of these that are higher; as may appear by the statute 25 Ed. III. De natis ultra mare, and so in the statute of 6 R. who had never married had called on them in their dreams to marry a wife for them.* Namibia was fortunate to participate in this project with two researchers, one of whom focussed on the socio-cultural construction of 'female masculinity' among Damara wo/men, while the other looked at the resistance to patriarchal pa·tri·ar·chal adj. 1. Of, relating to, or characteristic of a patriarch. 2. Of or relating to a patriarchy: a patriarchal social system. 3. cultural norms among Owambo women in same-sex relationships. Moving on to Botswana, the researcher there found that women loving women are living double lives in a society in which men have strong control over women's sexuality. The Kenyan research looked at the traditional practice of woman-to-woman marriages, while the Ugandan research focussed on women who live as men and are socially accepted as 'tommies'. In Tanzania both Muslim and Christian women were interviewed about samesex relationships, and the research revealed that women in both groups have found ways of reconciling their religious beliefs with their sexual practices. This project brought forth not only fascinating findings on the diversity of cultural environments in which African women engage one another in intimate relationships An intimate relationship is a particularly close interpersonal relationship. It is a relationship in which the participants know or trust one another very well or are confidants of one another, or a relationship in which there is physical or emotional intimacy. , but also gave birth to the African Lesbian Association, which will be hosted by Sister Namibia. The association aims to generate and disseminate dis·sem·i·nate v. dis·sem·i·nat·ed, dis·sem·i·nat·ing, dis·sem·i·nates v.tr. 1. To scatter widely, as in sowing seed. 2. knowledge on same-sex practices among African women; to develop feminist understandings of these practices; and to develop capacity among African women to build organisations through which they can stand up for their sexual rights as human rights. The papers from this first research project for Southern and Eastern Africa will be published in a book next year, and the project will conduct a second round of research in preparation for the next conference of the International Association for the Study of Sexuality, Culture & Society in two years time. With the election of Saskia Wieringa at the Johannesburg conference as the new President of the Association, research on same-sex practices among women will certainly continue to move from the margins to the mainstream of studies in sexuality and culture. * The video film "Everything must come to light", which portrays three of these women, can be borrowed from the Sister Namibia Resource Centre. story and photos by Liz Frank |
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