Projects & Events

Homos don’t make headlines CPT

14 October 2010

 

The challenge of producing and publishing quality journalism on men who have sex with men and the risks they take with HIV.

On 14 October 2010 the HIV/AIDS and the Media Project are presenting gripping new journalism research that investigates the lives of men who have sex with men in the face of a widespread HIV epidemic and explores how they come to terms with their sexuality and their status. The journalism was produced by the project’s fellow, Pieter van Zyl. Click here to read Pieter’s work.

 

Pieter’s research is positioned within a wider discussion of the construction of male sexual identities in order to gain insight into why it is that many of these men do not consider themselves gay. As in the popular Brokeback Mountain, many may be in committed heterosexual relationships or otherwise consider themselves straight—thereby unknowingly exposing their female partners to the risks inherent in a wide sexual network.

 

This kind of secrecy is particularly common to societies where homosexuality is frowned upon. The taboo surrounding men who have sex with men (MSM) has meant that these stories are only seldom covered in the South African media, and that where they do make it into newspapers, the stories are often stigmatizing and stereotyping. Their representation in the media may further explain men’s aversion for being labeled “homosexual”, driving them ever-deeper into secrecy and further out of reach of treatment and prevention programmes.

 

Event details:

 

Southern Sun, Newlands, Cape Town

Thursday, 14 October 2010

17:00 for 17:30 - 19:30

 

 

Programme

17:30	Welcome and opening
17:40	Patriarchy, prejudice, phobia and projection
	Glenn de Swardt, Health4Men
17:55	Researching and reporting MSM and HIV
	Pieter van Zyl, HIV/AIDS and the Media Project Fellow
18:25	MSM and the South African media
	Shaun de Waal, Mail&Guardian
18:40	Floor and panel discussion
	Facilitated by Sue Valentine
19:20	Closing

Join us for cocktails after!

 

Please RSVP to either:

 

Melissa Meyer, HIV/AIDS and the Media Project, , .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

OR

Dehan Lombard, Health4Men, , .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) .