A closer look

December 1st is World AIDS day and SFSU is holding an all day event on campus planned by various student organizations. The organizers of the event got in touch with the South-Asian queer group that I'm a recent recruit of. We've been asked to talk about the various sexual health issues that effect South-Asian LGBT individuals living in the bay area.

There's an obvious lack of dialogue in the South-Asian community as far as discussing pleasure and sexuality is concerned. Sexuality is too personal and private to be discussed in a social situation. Cultural norms and taboos limit sexuality to be discusses or acted only behind closed doors under a heterosexual marital union.

In this situation, how is one supposed to 'admit' to their sexual escapades and get tested? LGBT folks have to deal with internal feelings of shame and guilt and added fear of being ‘outed’ while pursuing testing or education. Then we also run into the issue of lack of familial support for HIV positive folks. There are certainly no arenas for South-Asian folks to seek sexuality information from. Parents don’t talk about sex with their kids; it’s a hush-hush topic at school and no priest or swami talks about sexuality in their pravachan (religious discourse) assemblies.

Our effort at this presentation will be to emphasize on cultural, social and religious barriers that the South-Asians, especially queer South-Asians face while seeking sexual health care. HIV prevention, testing and treatment programs must be cognizant of cultural context under which these sexual bodies move. Without a deeper understanding of how norms and cultural interactions shape values and attitudes, all sexual health interventions would remain ineffective.

Our effort will also be to partner with other organizations that are already working with South-Asians to promote sexual health and well-being.