African Same-Sex Sexualities and Gender Diversity: Practices, Identities and Communities

Call for abstract submissions for the Conference on  African Same-Sex Sexualities and Gender Diversity: Practices, Identities and Communities.  Pretoria, South Africa, 13-16 February 2011

Conference objectives:
– To promote understanding and further study of male and female same-sex sexual practices, identities and communities, including expressions of gender diversity, in sub-Saharan Africa.
– To promote understanding of social and structural prejudice towards sexual and gender diversity and strategies to address this prejudice.
– To explore how social and structural factors affect the well-being and health of persons engaging in same-sex sexual practices or with gender diverse backgrounds and identify ways of enabling the social environment and reducing vulnerability.
– To support capacity building in research and advocacy and to strengthen the development of MSM/WSW/transgendered communities.

Abstract themes are solicited that will contribute to the conference objectives. Conference topics include:
– How male or female same-sex sexuality and gender diversity are expressed in local cultures
– How same-sex sexuality and gender diversity are understood in local cultures and indigenous histories (including contexts of colonialism)
– Health issues in LGBT/MSM/WSW/Trans persons (including HIV/AIDS)
– Expressions of heteronormativity and homonegativity in local cultures
– Local organization of LGBT/MSM/WSW/Trans communities
– Local LGBT/MSM/WSW/Trans cultures
– Programmes to support LGBT/MSM/WSW/Trans expressions and address health problems
– Same-sexuality and gender diversity in relation to rights-based discourses
– Integrating sexual minority issues into national, regional and Global Civic society (including areas such as sports, education, ageing, social security, employment)

For more information and to submit abstracts contact Behind The Mask.