The Argument Clinic: Circumcision and Monogamy Most Effective Against HIV Transmission

Thursday, April 27, 2006

Very interesting study done in the field in Africa.

emily1 said...: don't forget money. women in africa frequently prostitute themselves because that's the only way they can continue to feed themselves and their children. the practice of douching themselves with bleach and other chemicals in order to make their vaginas dry also makes them far more likely to become infected with HIV. the men like it and don't care about what the women like or what is safe for them.

i would think monogamy is the safest route to avoiding infection, but that would require an enormous transformation in the status and power of african women, not to mention a rise in the standard of living so that they would not have to sell themselves to ensure their family's survival. even the use of condoms is fraught with the problem of unequal power in sexual relationships between african men and women.

my feminist take on it is that african women need an equal share of power and authority in their communities and personal relationships, and there is a LONG way to go before that will be the case.; 6:53 PM

The Argument Clinic