Discussing diversity in sexuality
JOBURG - Members from various educational institutions and civil society were invited to participate in a significant dialogue pertaining to the diversity in human sexuality.
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This followed the publication of Diversity in Human Sexuality: Implications for Policy in Africa by the Academy of Science of South Africa.
The dialogue was held on 6 August at the Hilton Hotel in Sandton, and saw a number of academics and civil society figures discussing the issues of political legislation and policy in Africa surrounding the recent criminalisation of homosexuality in countries such as Uganda.
The event focused on the discourses and misconceptions surrounding sexuality and breaking the perceived negative stigma which supports the persecution of people of a certain sexual orientation.
The primary points highlighted in the report are that the lack of evidence to support the idea that the way parents bring up their children influences their sexual orientation, and that there is little to no evidence that same-sex orientation can be changed through conversion therapy, which uses various processes said to ‘cure’ homosexuality.
One of the panellists Prof. Hoosen Coovadia said although South African law supported the rights of people of all sexual orientations, there was a problem in the implementation of these laws.
The full publication of Diversity in Human Sexuality: Implications for Policy in Africa can be viewed here