Feminisms, HIV and AIDS: Subverting Power, Reducing Vulnerability

235 Pages·2012·1.484 MB·English

by  Vicci Tallis (auth.)

Feminisms, HIV and AIDS
This page intentionally left blank
Feminisms, HIV and AIDS
Subverting Power, Reducing Vulnerability
Vicci Tallis
© Vicci Tallis 2012
Foreword © Vasu Reddy 2012
Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 2012 978-0-230-34880-6
All rights reserved. No reproduction, copy or transmission of this
publication may be made without written permission.
No portion of this publication may be reproduced, copied or transmitted
save with written permission or in accordance with the provisions of the
Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, or under the terms of any licence
permitting limited copying issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency,
Saffron House, 6–10 Kirby Street, London EC1N 8TS.
Any person who does any unauthorized act in relation to this publication
may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.
The author has asserted her right to be identified as the author of this work
in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
First published 2012 by
PALGRAVE MACMILLAN
Palgrave Macmillan in the UK is an imprint of Macmillan Publishers Limited,
registered in England, company number 785998, of Houndmills, Basingstoke,
Hampshire RG21 6XS.
Palgrave Macmillan in the US is a division of St Martin’s Press LLC,
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010.
Palgrave Macmillan is the global academic imprint of the above companies
and has companies and representatives throughout the world.
Palgrave® and Macmillan® are registered trademarks in the United States,
the United Kingdom, Europe and other countries.
ISBN 978-1-349-34583-0 ISBN 978-1-137-00579-3 (eBook)
DOI 10.1057/9781137005793
This book is printed on paper suitable for recycling and made from fully
managed and sustained forest sources. Logging, pulping and manufacturing
processes are expected to conform to the environmental regulations of
the country of origin.
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
A catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress.
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12
To my mother Jackie (1937–98)
for her gentleness, unconditional love and support
and
for women living with HIV and AIDS globally
A luta continua
This page intentionally left blank
Contents
Figures and Tables ix
Foreword x
Acknowledgements xii
Abbreviations and Acronyms xiii
Introduction 1
Process and power 3
What this book is about 7
Organization of the book 9
Part I
1 Making the Case: Why a Feminist Response is Necessary 17
The three epidemics: HIV, AIDS and stigma 17
The impact of HIV and AIDS on women 21
Understanding vulnerability 25
2 Theories of Power: Feminisms in Action 44
The ‘problem’ of gender 44
Understanding power 49
Using feminist theory: power as an explanation
for vulnerability 52
Feminisms as resistance 56
Part II
3 Power Over? The Influence of Donors 65
The funding terrain for women, HIV and AIDS in
southern Africa 67
Defining the role of donors 74
4 Power With: Mobilizing Around Identity and Issue 84
Social movements, women’s movements 85
Women’s involvement in HIV and AIDS 87
Case study: organizing around identity; women living
with HIV and AIDS 88
Mobilizing around identity 89
Solidarity: fighting for sexual and reproductive rights 100
vii
viii Contents
Case study: mobilizing around an issue; global
action for microbicides 105
What is a microbicide? 108
The politics of microbicide research 109
Microbicide activism: different role players,
different agendas? 112
Microbicide activism at a local level 116
5 Power To: Multiple Vulnerabilities, Trafficking,
HIV & AIDS in South Asia 119
Understanding trafficking 120
HIV and AIDS in South Asia 125
Understanding the realities of women’s and girls’
lives in South Asia 127
Trafficking, HIV and AIDS: power as problem 133
Current responses to trafficking 136
6 Power Within: Lesbian Sexuality in the Jacob
Zuma Rape Trial 145
Locating the trial: politics, sexual violence and
gender in South Africa 146
Lesbian identity and experience in p ost- apartheid
South Africa 149
The Trial 155
The Judgment 166
Outside the courtroom: understanding ‘power with’ 169
7 Power To: Local Action 172
Context of women and AIDS in South Africa 173
Case study: Gender AIDS Forum (GAF) 177
Addressing power 180
Women in Leadership: the GAF empowerment
programme 181
Part III
8 Power as Solution 193
The impact of addressing power to effect change 200
Putting the theory into practice 203
Bibliography 205
Index 217
Figures and Tables
Figures
1.1 Vulnerability model 28
2.1 Linking power and vulnerability 55
3.1 Breakdown of donor funding per category 68
5.1 Responding to HIV and AIDS and trafficking 137
5.2 Factors leading to vulnerability to trafficking 142
8.1 Power as problem, power as solution 195
8.2 Power as solution 201
Tables
1.1 Gender Inequality Index: comparison of countries 35
3.1 Current ODA funding in US$ 70
3.2 GFATM grants to selected countries in southern
Africa in US$ 71
ix