Globalization and the Emerging Sexual Trends in Africa
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Published:
May 22, 2023
Keywords:
Globalisation, Gay, Lesbianism, Sexuality, Africa
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Abstract
Globalisation has significantly affected African societies' social, economic, and cultural aspects. One area that has seen significant changes is sexuality, with emerging trends such as lesbianism, gay rights, premarital sex, and transgender rights gaining prominence. Despite significant resistance from some African societies, these trends are becoming more prevalent and widespread. This paper examines the impact of globalisation on emerging sexual trends in Africa, with a focus on homosexuality, premarital sex, and transgender identity. It also discusses the underlying factors contributing to their emergence and why they may be difficult to stop. Using Cultural Marxist theory, the paper explores how globalisation and Western cultural norms are influencing the sexual values and behaviours of people in Africa, and creating new forms of power dynamics and inequalities. Furthermore, the paper explores the challenges and opportunities these trends present to African societies and the need for effective management strategies to address them. The paper argues that while these trends may be difficult to stop, African societies can adopt strategies to manage them, including the creation of legal frameworks that protect the rights of sexual minorities, comprehensive sex education, and the promotion of cultural diversity and tolerance. Overall, this paper contributes to ongoing debate on the impact of globalisation on African societies and the need for a more nuanced understanding of the complex processes that shape social change in the region.
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Saheed, Rahman Olanrewaju. 2023. “Globalization and the Emerging Sexual Trends in Africa ”. ABUAD Journal of Social and Management Sciences 4 (1), 75-91. https://doi.org/10.53982/ajsms.2023.0401.05-j.
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References
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Adeolu, J., Owoaje, E., & Olumide, A. (2016). Association between exposure to sexually explicit content in the electronic media and sexual intentions of in-school adolescents in Southwest Nigeria. International Journal of Adolescent Medicine and Health, 30(3). https://doi.org/10.1515/ijamh-2016-0056
Allman, D., Adebajo, S., Myers, T., Odumuye, O., & Ogunsola, S. (2007). Challenges for the sexual health and social acceptance of men who have sex with men in Nigeria. Culture, Health & Sexuality, 9(2), 153–168. https://doi.org/10.1080/13691050601040480
Amanze, J. N. (2015). Demythologizing African conceptions of human sexuality: A gateway to prevention and eradication of HIV and Aids in Africa. The International Network of Religious Leaders Living with or Personally Affected by HIV and AIDS. 16th July.
Baumeister, R. F., & Leary, M. R. (1995). The need to belong: Desire for interpersonal attachments as a fundamental human motivation. Psychological Bulletin, 117(3), 497–529. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.117.3.497
Blackford, R. (2015, August 2). Cultural Marxism and our current culture wars: Part 2. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/cultural-marxism-and-our-current-culture-wars-part-2-45562
Busbridge, R., Moffitt, B., & Thorburn, J. (2020). Cultural Marxism: Far-right conspiracy theory in Australia’s culture wars. Social Identities, 26(6), 722–738. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504630.2020.1787822
Chidi, U. (2015). Sexuality and culture in postcolonial Africa. Retrieved from https://networks.h-net.org/node/73374/announcements/79780/sexuality-and-culture-postcolonial-africa
Clifford, O. Oluwaseyi, D. O. (2017). Ethnicity, gender and risky sexual behavior among Nigeria youth: An alternative explanation. Journal of Reproductive Health, 14(16), 45-64.
Cortez, C., Arzinos, J., & Soto, C. D. (2021). Equality of opportunity for sexual and gender minorities. World Bank Publications.
Epprecht, M. (2006). “Bisexuality” and the politics of normal in African ethnography. Anthropologica, 48(2), 187. https://doi.org/10.2307/25605310 Gramsci, Antonio (1971) Selections from the Prison Notebooks of Antonio Gramsci, New York, International Publishers. Harvey, D. (2005) A Brief History of Neoliberalism. Oxford University Press, New York.
Innocent C.N. (2020). African Traditional Values in a Fast-Changing World: A Philosophical Analysis. Accessed online via https://www.researchgate.net/publication/340579947_African_Traditional_Values_in_a_ Fast-Changing_World_A_Philosophical_Analysis.
International Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Consortium (ISRHC) (2019). International Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Consortium members’ commitments to generation equality. IWDA. https://iwda.org.au/resource/international-sexual-and-reproductive-health-and-rights-consortium-members-commitments-to-generation-equality/
James, P., & Steger, M. B. (2014). A genealogy of ‘globalization’: The career of a concept. Globalizations, 11(4), 417–434. https://doi.org/10.1080/14747731.2014.951186
Jamin, J. (2014). Cultural marxism and the radical right. In The Post-War Anglo-American Far Right (pp. 84–103). Palgrave Macmillan UK. http://dx.doi.org/10.1057/9781137396211_4
Justice, M., & Sandra, R. C. (2019). Sustainable development: Meaning, history, principles, pillars, and implications for human action: Literature review. Journal of Cleaner Production, 233, 1260-1278. doi:10.1080/23311886.2019.1653531
Khumalo, S., Taylor, M., Makusha, T., & Mabaso, M. (2020). Intersectionality of cultural norms and sexual behaviours: A qualitative study of young Black male students at a university in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Reproductive Health, 17(1), 14-19. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-020-01041-3
Maina, E., Butto, D., & Murigi, M. (2016). Predisposing factors to homosexuality among men in Kilifi Town- Kenya. Universal Journal of Medical Science, 4(3), 88–93. https://doi.org/10.13189/ujmsj.2016.040302
Matolino, B. (2017). Being gay and African: A view from an African philosopher. Phronimon, 18, 59–78. https://doi.org/10.25159/2413-3086/2056.
Mehra, B., Lemieux, P. A., & Stophel, K. (2019). An exploratory journey of cultural visual literacy of “non-conforming” gender representations from pre-colonial Sub- Saharan Africa. Open Information Science, 3(1), 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1515/opis-2019-0001
Mensah, Joseph. (2008). Cultural dimensions of globalization in Africa. In Neoliberalism and Globalization in Africa (pp. 33–54). Palgrave Macmillan US. http://dx.doi.org/10.1057/9780230617216_3.
Musisi, N. (2014). GENDER AND SEXUALITY IN AFRICAN HISTORY: A PERSONAL REFLECTION. The Journal of African History, 55(3), 303–315. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0021853714000589
Nwamuo, B. E., & Anonaba, G. P. (2017). Globalization, culture and human development in the 21st century nigeria. UJAH: Unizik Journal of Arts and Humanities, 18(2), 227–239. https://doi.org/10.4314/ujah.v18i2.13.
Nwosu, S. (2004). Morality in African Traditional Society. New Political Science, 26(2), 205-229. https://doi.org/10.1080/0739314042000217
Odora Hoppers, C. A. (2010). Emerging African perspectives on values in a globalizing world. In Values, Religions and Education in Changing Societies (pp. 147–156). Springer Netherlands. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-9628-9_13
Ojo, O. D., & Fasubaa, O. B. (2005). Adolescent sexuality and family life education in South Western Nigeria: Responses from focus group discussion. Journal of Social Sciences, 10(2), 111–118. https://doi.org/10.1080/09718923.2005.11892466
Okafor Samuel Okechi (2018). Globalization and the Indigenous Concept of Sexuality in African Tradition: Charting a New Course for Sexual Right and Safe Society. CPQ Women and Child Health, 1(2), 01-09.
Okechi, O. S. (2018). The indigenous concept of sexuality in African tradition and globalization. Global Journal of Reproductive Medicine, 6(1). https://doi.org/10.19080/gjorm.2018.06.555676
Sahle, E. N. (2016). Globalization and socio-cultural processes in contemporary Africa. Springer.
Saklani, J. S. (2009). Marxist Perspective nn Nationalism and The Nationality Question: A Theoretical Debate. The Indian Journal of Political Science, 70(3), 719–25. http://www.jstor.org/stable/42742754.
Saliman, T. S., Akor, S. J., & Abdullahi, A. A. (2021). Masculinity in Postmodernism: A Primordial Discourse of a Changing Face in Africa. Gusau Journal of Sociology, 2(1), 47-58.
Tamale, S. (2017). Exploring the contours of African sexualities: In Research on Gender and Sexualities in Africa (pp. 15–42). CODESRIA. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/j.ctvh8r1ds.6