lesbian and bisexual health issues: breaking the silence

By Funeka Soldaat

In all the available women's sexual health literature that is readily available, there is very little that is directed at women having sex with women, or women who identify as lesbians or bisexuals. One reason for this is the incorrect assumption that there is no risk of HIV infection for these groups. No research has been conducted in South Africa focusing on women to women infection risks.

The truth is that there is a small risk of HIV infection, as well as other STD infection, for women who have sex with women, whether their sexual partners be exclusively women, or not. In order to increase awareness of lesbian/bisexual women's health issues, Triangle Project created a space for women to get together and discuss their ideas, needs and to access information.

0n the 1st 2nd March Triangle held a camp for lesbians and bisexual women to open up discussions around broad health issues, as well as rape.

The first session of the program focused on physical health and well-being. A general medical practitioner and a specialist gynaecologist facilitated the discussion. The workshop participants were given an opportunity to talk about their bodies, its parts and different functions, with a focus on the vagina, within a safe and non-judgemental environment.

The exercise of drawing a picture of a healthy lesbian or bisexual gave the participants some insight into stereotypes and perceptions. It also opened channels for discussion about infections and diseases that we, as the lesbian/bisexual community, need to be aware of, as well as practical steps to prevent infection.

Some lesbians have unsafe sex with men, a fact which is not often discussed amongst lesbians. Sex with bisexual women, as well as partners where we are not sure of other past or present partner status, creates a risk of exposure to various infections. These are some of the situations that expose lesbians to the infections or virus, as well as injecting drugs and sharing needles, semen donation if not tested and sexual practices that expose you to body fluids.

The group felt that, whatever a person's sexual or recreational practices, it is vital to remain mindful at all times of potential infection, and to be creative with safer sex practices. The group did not only focus on physical health, but also mental health to a lesser extent.

The second session was on rape, facilitated by the staff from Rape Crisis - a difficult topic for people to engage in, and including a further element of violence in relationships. The trust that was already created among the group, supported by a safe environment, made it easier for women to share stories.

The first exercise, called "word wheel", breaks the silence surrounding a difficult issue, but we unfortunately ran short of time and didn't have enough opportunity to let participants explore thoroughly. We were given the definition of rape and what that means to lesbians, and discussed the court proceedings resulting from a rape charge.

Triangle Project will develop a fact sheet for lesbians, using the information from the camp. We will also explore other ways of continuing this focus on women's issues through future meetings, discussions, and potentially a repeat of this camp.

We hope that a get-together like this can be organized for a larger group of women, perhaps from different provinces. For further information about women's activities, or other activities of
Triangle Project, please contact our offices:

Triangle Project Salt River: 021 - 448 3812
Triangle Project Gugulethu: 021 - 633 9921