The no-go zone: a qualitative study of access to sexual and reproductive health services for sexual and gender minority adolescents in Southern Africa

Simple item page
dc.contributor.authorMüller, Alex
dc.contributor.authorSpencer, Sarah
dc.contributor.authorMeer, Talia
dc.contributor.authorDaskilewicz, Kristen
dc.date.accessioned2018-04-12T09:47:52Z
dc.date.available2018-04-12T09:47:52Z
dc.date.issued2018-01-25
dc.date.updated2018-04-09T15:05:07Z
dc.description.abstractAbstract 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.
dc.identifier.apacitationMüller, A., Spencer, S., Meer, T., & Daskilewicz, K. (2018). The no-go zone: a qualitative study of access to sexual and reproductive health services for sexual and gender minority adolescents in Southern Africa. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/27786en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationMüller, Alex, Sarah Spencer, Talia Meer, and Kristen Daskilewicz "The no-go zone: a qualitative study of access to sexual and reproductive health services for sexual and gender minority adolescents in Southern Africa." (2018) http://hdl.handle.net/11427/27786en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationReproductive Health. 2018 Jan 25;15(1):12
dc.identifier.ris TY - Journal Article AU - Müller, Alex AU - Spencer, Sarah AU - Meer, Talia AU - Daskilewicz, Kristen AB - 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. DA - 2018-01-25 DB - OpenUCT DO - 10.1186/s12978-018-0462-2 DP - University of Cape Town LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2018 T1 - The no-go zone: a qualitative study of access to sexual and reproductive health services for sexual and gender minority adolescents in Southern Africa TI - The no-go zone: a qualitative study of access to sexual and reproductive health services for sexual and gender minority adolescents in Southern Africa UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/27786 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12978-018-0462-2
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/27786
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationMüller A, Spencer S, Meer T, Daskilewicz K. The no-go zone: a qualitative study of access to sexual and reproductive health services for sexual and gender minority adolescents in Southern Africa. 2018; http://hdl.handle.net/11427/27786.en_ZA
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherBioMed Central
dc.publisher.departmentGender, Health and Justice Uniten_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Health Sciencesen_ZA
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.rights.holderThe Author(s).
dc.subject.otherAdolescents
dc.subject.otherSexual and reproductive health and rights
dc.subject.otherSexual and gender minorities
dc.subject.otherHIV
dc.subject.otherService provision
dc.subject.otherHeteronormativity
dc.subject.otherCriminalisation
dc.subject.otherStigma
dc.subject.otherSouthern Africa
dc.subject.otherLGBT
dc.titleThe no-go zone: a qualitative study of access to sexual and reproductive health services for sexual and gender minority adolescents in Southern Africa
dc.typeJournal Article
uct.type.filetype
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
Files
Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
12978_2018_Article_462.pdf
Size:
499.37 KB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Download
License bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
license.txt
Size:
1.72 KB
Format:
Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
Description:
Download
Collections
Journal Articles