RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA.
Priorities on Rights & Sexual Health, Accra, Ghana.
BMC Public Health. 2023 Jan 24;23(1):166. doi: 10.1186/s12889-023-15087-y.
Sexual stigma and discrimination toward men who have same-gender sexual experiences are present across the globe. In Ghana, same-gender sexual desires and relationships are stigmatized, and the stigma is sanctioned through both social and legal processes. Such stigma negatively influences health and other material and social aspects of daily life for men who have sex with men (MSM). However, there is evidence that stigma at the interpersonal level can intersect with stigma that may be operating simultaneously at other levels. Few studies provide a comprehensive qualitative assessment of the multi-level sexual stigma derived from the direct narratives of men with same-gender sexual experience. To help fill this gap on sexual stigma, we qualitatively investigated [1] what was the range of sexual stigma manifestations, and [2] how sexual stigma manifestations were distributed across socioecological levels in a sample of Ghanaian MSM. From March to September 2020, we conducted eight focus group discussions (FGDs) with MSM about their experiences with stigma from Accra and Kumasi, Ghana. Data from the FGDs were subjected to qualitative content analysis. We identified a range of eight manifestations of sexual stigma: (1) gossiping and outing; (2) verbal abuse and intrusive questioning; (3) non-verbal judgmental gestures; (4) societal, cultural, and religious blaming and shaming; (5) physical abuse; (6) poor-quality services; (7) living in constant fear and stigma avoidance; and (8) internal ambivalence and guilt about sexual behavior. Sexual stigma manifestations were unevenly distributed across socioecological levels. Our findings are consistent with those of existing literature documenting that, across Africa, and particularly in Ghana, national laws and religious institutions continue to drive stigma against MSM. Fundamental anti-homosexual sentiments along with beliefs associating homosexuality with foreign cultures and immorality drive the stigmatization of MSM. Stigma experienced at all socioecological levels has been shown to impact both the mental and sexual health of MSM. Deeper analysis is needed to understand more of the lived stigma experiences of MSM to develop appropriate stigma-reduction interventions. Additionally, more community-level stigma research and interventions are needed that focus on the role of family and peers in stigma toward MSM in Ghana.
全球范围内,男性同性性行为者都面临着性污名和歧视。在加纳,同性欲望和关系受到污名化,这种污名化通过社会和法律进程得到认可。这种污名将对男男性行为者(MSM)的健康和其他物质及社会生活方面产生负面影响。然而,有证据表明,人际层面的污名可能与同时在其他层面运作的污名相互交织。很少有研究从有同性性行为经验的男性的直接叙述中全面定性评估多层次的性污名。为了帮助填补这一性污名的空白,我们从定性角度调查了 [1] 性污名表现的范围,以及 [2] 在加纳 MSM 样本中,性污名表现如何分布在社会生态层面。2020 年 3 月至 9 月,我们对加纳阿克拉和库马西的 MSM 进行了八项关于他们遭受污名经历的焦点小组讨论(FGD)。FGD 数据经过定性内容分析。我们确定了八种性污名表现:(1) 流言蜚语和揭发;(2) 辱骂和侵入性询问;(3) 非言语评判手势;(4) 社会、文化和宗教指责和羞辱;(5) 身体虐待;(6) 低质量的服务;(7) 生活在持续的恐惧和避免污名中;(8) 对性行为的内心矛盾和内疚。性污名表现不均匀地分布在社会生态层面。我们的发现与现有的文献一致,这些文献记录了在整个非洲,特别是在加纳,国家法律和宗教机构继续对 MSM 施加污名。反同性恋的基本情绪以及将同性恋与外国文化和不道德联系起来的信念助长了对 MSM 的污名化。在所有社会生态层面上经历的污名化已经被证明会对 MSM 的心理健康和性健康产生影响。需要进行更深入的分析,以了解 MSM 更真实的污名化经历,从而制定适当的减少污名化的干预措施。此外,还需要更多的社区层面的污名研究和干预措施,重点关注家庭和同伴在加纳对 MSM 污名化中的作用。
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