Shifting culture

When Pope Benedict in 2009 flew to Africa, he was asked about his views on HIV/Aids. He outlined the Church’s concern for those infected by the disease and affected by it. He pointed out the great work Catholic institutions and agencies are doing worldwide in addressing the myriad problems created by HIV/Aids.

We echo the Holy Father’s sentiments this week when we look at four different Catholic organisations engaged in HIV/Aids-related initiatives. These organisations are representative of all the remarkable contributions by Catholic bodies in areas such as palliative care, social upliftment, home-care, administration of medicines, protection and care of Aids orphan, research and advocacy, and so on.

When the pope had outlined that great work, he raised the thorny subject of condoms, presumably in acknowledgement of the fact that no survey of HIV/Aids is complete without discussing the means of prevention. While the Church has yet to arrive at a teaching governing the use of condoms as a means of preventing infection, Pope Benedict stated his view that the distribution of prophylactics can be counterproductive in restricting the spread of HIV, because their use encourages irresponsible sexual behaviour. The criticism he received for  that was as excessive as the pope’s response was too brief.

When Catholics are calling for a modification of sexual behaviour, they are offering the best solution to the HIV problem. Those most at risk of spreading the virus must change their behaviour, and those not yet at risk must not adopt dangerous practices. This requires a social and cultural shift that redefines attitudes towards sexuality and gender.

That transformation must also include the social, economic and sexual empowerment of women, who in most of Africa are most at risk of infection, but often not due to their free decisions. The notion that HIV/Aids is invariably a consequence of immoral conduct must be robustly challenged. Sexual activity is not always a question of choice.

Our sexual culture, in which even rape is trivialised and in which many women have no autonomy over their own sexuality, will not conquer the virus. Sexuality in South Africa is not always well understood, partly because the subject is not talked about openly enough.
For example, many young South Africans believe that only vaginal intercourse constitutes sex. So when they are asked whether they abstain from sex, they might well say that they do, even if they engage in other dangerous sexual practices.

The Church’s message must be shaped to address people in the realities they live in. It cannot be conveyed in generalities (never mind platitudes), and it must not patronise.

In terms of prevention, behavioural modification is a long-term project. Individuals may well take heed of the imperative of sexual responsibility now, but they are the pioneers. The task of cultural modification must be taken seriously now, and a determined effort be made to make sexual responsibility a prevailing cultural trait in all of our diverse societies. But we must acknowledge that this will take time.

The more immediate challenges concern the elimination of the stigma of Aids and the associated reluctance to be tested for HIV. Destigmatisation of Aids will diminish resistance to HIV-testing and the often attendant denial of a distressing result. With greater openness to testing and acceptance of HIV-positive results, sexual behaviour should be more widely amended to prevent the spread of the virus.

But there is another danger South Africa faces: a rising indifference towards Aids-related discourse. Much as the subject is unpleasant, frustrating and even unexciting, we must not allow ourselves to be overcome by Aids-fatigue.

Aids will define the future of Southern Africa, our continent and much of the world. Aids is everybody’s business. We must talk about it.