On Sexual Disparity and HIV in Africa

In an earlier post, Regina looked at the disparity between the sexes in Africa that helps AIDS/HIV take root.

One of the problems is a preference for "dry sex" -- having intercourse without lubrication. Women will even use treatments to make themselves even drier.

In a groundbreaking -- and Pulitzer Prize-winning -- report from 1999, the Village Voice looked at this phenomenon. (A warning: The next section is a bit graphic):

Anecdotal reports indicate that dry sex is waning amongeducated, urban young people. But there are also loud calls to rejectWestern gender roles, which are said to emasculate men. Even in thecities, says [an interviewee], "it's 50-50." Of course, most Africansstill live in rural areas or small towns. And changing sexual practicesis never easy, in part because they touch fundamental issues ofpersonal identity and sexual roles.

It's not surprising that men like dry sex—the swollen tissues makethe vagina smaller and, therefore, make the man feel bigger. Also, somemen (and women) find vaginal secretions repugnant, while others don'tlike the sound of wet sex. And to many men, a vagina that is too wetand loose can signify infidelity.

And there's more:

Somewomen dry out their vaginas with mutendo wegudo—soil with baboonurine—that they obtain from traditional healers, while others usedetergents, salt, cotton, or shredded newspaper. Research shows thatdry sex causes vaginal lacerations and suppresses the vagina's naturalbacteria, both of which increase the likelihood of HIV infection. Andsome AIDS workers believe the extra friction makes condoms tear moreeasily.

The Village Voice article is fairly old. Readers, do you any of you know if dry sex is becoming less common in Africa?

Death and the Second Sex [VV]