Browsing by Author "Meer, Talia"

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    All the (tricky) words: a glossary of terms on sex, gender and violence
    (Gender, Health and Justice Research Unit. University of Cape Town, 2014-01-01) Meer, Talia
    This glossary contains various definitions related to sex, gender and gender-based violence, accessible to young people, parents and educators. It also includes key South African laws that relate to sexual and reproductive health and gender-based violence. This glossary can be used by itself as a resource for understanding some of the more complex concepts and terms related to sexual health, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender-based violence. It can also be used in conjunction with the Tools for Talking Taboos classroom exercises.
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    “The care is the best you can give at the time”: Health care professionals’ experiences in providing gender affirming care in South Africa
    (PLoS One, 2017-07-12) Spencer, Sarah; Meer, Talia; Muller, Alex
    While the provision of gender affirming care for transgender people in South Africa is considered legal, ethical, and medically sound, and is—theoretically—available in both the South African private and public health sectors, access remains severely limited and unequal within the country. As there are no national policies or guidelines, little is known about how individual health care professionals providing gender affirming care make clinical decisions about eligibility and treatment options.
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    Health for All? Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and the Implementation of the Right to Access to Health Care in South Africa
    (Health and Human Rights Journal, 2016-08-31) Muller, Alex
    The framework of health and human rights provides for a comprehensive theoretical and practical application of general human rights principles in health care contexts that include the well-being of patients, providers, and other individuals within health care. This is particularly important for sexual and gender minority individuals, who experience historical and contemporary systematical marginalization, exclusion, and discrimination in health care contexts. In this paper, I present two case studies from South Africa to (1) highlight the conflicts that arise when sexual and gender minority individuals seek access to a heteronormative health system; (2) discuss the international, regional, and national human rights legal framework as it pertains to sexual orientation, gender identity, and health; and (3) analyze the gap between legislative frameworks that offer protection from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity and their actual implementation in health service provision. These case studies highlight the complex and intersecting discrimination and marginalization that sexual and gender minority individuals face in health care in this particular context. The issues raised in the case studies are not unique to South Africa, however; and the human rights concerns illustrated therein, particularly around the right to health, have wide resonance in other geographical and social contexts.
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    Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex human rights in Southern Africa: A contemporary literature review
    (HIVOS, 2017-06-01) Meer, Talia; Lunau, Marie; Oberth, Gemma; Daskilewicz, Kristen; Muller, Alex
    Individuals engaging in same-sex acts, individuals identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and/ or intersex (LGBTI), and individuals who do not conform to heteronormative ideals of gender and sexuality experience structural, institutional and individual discrimination and exclusion across the world. This is no different in Southern African countries. While LGBTI individuals are heterogeneous and face very specific challenges based on their sexual orientation, gender identity, race, class, ethnicity and other factors, they share experiences of structural, institutional and individual discrimination and marginalisation based on their sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI). In most Southern African countries, same-sex activity remains criminalised, which further marginalises LGBTI individuals, and acts as an additional barrier to accessing public services and realising full civil and political rights. This contemporary literature review focuses on the state of LGBTI human rights in 10 Southern African countries: Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The purpose of this review is to contribute towards a strong evidence base and scientific foundation for informed programming in the region.
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    The no-go zone: a qualitative study of access to sexual and reproductive health services for sexual and gender minority adolescents in Southern Africa
    (BioMed Central, 2018-01-25) Müller, Alex; Spencer, Sarah; Meer, Talia; Daskilewicz, Kristen
    Abstract Background Adolescents have significant sexual and reproductive health needs. However, complex legal frameworks, and social attitudes about adolescent sexuality, including the values of healthcare providers, govern adolescent access to sexual and reproductive health services. These laws and social attitudes are often antipathetic to sexual and gender minorities. Existing literature assumes that adolescents identify as heterosexual, and exclusively engage in (heteronormative) sexual activity with partners of the opposite sex/gender, so little is known about if and how the needs of sexual and gender minority adolescents are met. Methods In this article, we have analysed data from fifty in-depth qualitative interviews with representatives of organisations working with adolescents, sexual and gender minorities, and/or sexual and reproductive health and rights in Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Results Sexual and gender minority adolescents in these countries experience double-marginalisation in pursuit of sexual and reproductive health services: as adolescents, they experience barriers to accessing LGBT organisations, who fear being painted as “homosexuality recruiters,” whilst they are simultaneously excluded from heteronormative adolescent sexual and reproductive health services. Such barriers to services are equally attributable to the real and perceived criminalisation of consensual sexual behaviours between partners of the same sex/gender, regardless of their age. Discussion/ conclusion The combination of laws which criminalise consensual same sex/gender activity and the social stigma towards sexual and gender minorities work to negate legal sexual and reproductive health services that may be provided. This is further compounded by age-related stigma regarding sexual activity amongst adolescents, effectively leaving sexual and gender minority adolescents without access to necessary information about their sexuality and sexual and reproductive health, and sexual and reproductive health services.
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    Tools for talking taboos: classroom exercises on sex, gender and violence
    (Gender, Health and Justice Research Unit. University of Cape Town, 2014-01-01) Moult, Kelley; Meer, Talia; Corral, Carmen; Mpofu-Mketwa, Tsitsi
    This book of classroom exercises can be used by high school educators to address foundational concepts around sexuality, gender and gender-based violence in a classroom context. Exercises are grouped into chapters that address the topics: (1) Gender, (2) Gender and Power, (3) Family Relationships, (4) Teen Dating, (5) Sexual Health, (6) Popular Culture and Media, (7) Sexual Orientation, (8) HIV, (9) Domestic Violence and (10) Sexual Offences. Exercises are in a variety of formats and use a variety of methods and each contains a comprehensive activity plan that educators can follow to address these complex issues in a holistic, interactive, accessible and non-judgmental way.