Narratives from over the rainbow : health disparities, sexual health care, and being gay, bisexual and 'MSM' (Men who have sex with men) in Cambodia
12
Issued Date
2024
Copyright Date
2019
Resource Type
Language
eng
File Type
application/pdf
No. of Pages/File Size
ix, 88 leaves : ill.
Access Rights
open access
Rights
ผลงานนี้เป็นลิขสิทธิ์ของมหาวิทยาลัยมหิดล ขอสงวนไว้สำหรับเพื่อการศึกษาเท่านั้น ต้องอ้างอิงแหล่งที่มา ห้ามดัดแปลงเนื้อหา และห้ามนำไปใช้เพื่อการค้า
Rights Holder(s)
Mahidol University
Suggested Citation
Bionat, Justin Francis Castro, 1996- (2024). Narratives from over the rainbow : health disparities, sexual health care, and being gay, bisexual and 'MSM' (Men who have sex with men) in Cambodia. Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/92270
Title
Narratives from over the rainbow : health disparities, sexual health care, and being gay, bisexual and 'MSM' (Men who have sex with men) in Cambodia
Author(s)
Advisor(s)
Abstract
Health issues of non-heterosexual men are not similar across the world. Health issues come with varying consequences to the lives of individuals when studying violations to the right to health. Health disparities exist in societies regardless of their attitudes towards LGBT individuals. This study's added value to the existing abundance of academic knowledge is its attention on sexual identity and subjectivities and its profound impact in the fulfillment of the fundamental right to health. The majority of previous studies on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (MSM) identities in Cambodia are focused largely on individualistic risky sexual behaviour. The global HIV epidemic raised the awareness of LGBT communities but has led to the labelling of nonheterosexual men as "at-risk" or "socially deviant" populations. Therefore, the research question put forward by this research is: "How does the GB-MSM sexual identity impact (or affect) the access to sexual health care of GBMSM in Cambodia?" This study takes into consideration indigenous Khmer terminologies that describe sexuality and gender, such as the boros sralang boros, sak lay and pros saat. This study employs queer theory and queer methodology in its analysis premised on the notion that privilege heterosexuality discriminates those outside this stem of power. This study pays close attention to the multiplicity and fluidity of the subject and subjectivities which are sculpted not only by sexuality and gender, but also race, ethnicity, postcoloniality and class. This research "queer(y)" presents the narratives of Khmer GBMSM individuals and medicalized notions of sexual identity (and behaviour) impacting the navigation of sexual health access. Utilizing the stories of the participants, this paper challenges the labelling, regulating and controlling of sexuality under categories of "deviance", "risk" and "illness". Biomedicine constructed a causal link between homosexuality and HIV/AIDS developing standards wherein queer bodies are seen as diseased and heterosexual bodies as the standard of normality and health. The findings from this study have evinced that sexuality plays a pivotal role in the access to sexual health services due to fear of exposing one's sexuality, distrust in the healthcare system because of previous experiences of mistreatment, and acceptance within social circles including the family. However, other factors to access have surfaced such as cost of sexual health care services (like HIV/AIDS testing and treatment), outreach strategies of health service providers and existence of peer-based models. In order to achieve global health justice, we have to place prime focus on the dismantling of the hierarchizations and categorization of non-normative sexual identities.
Degree Name
Master of Arts
Degree Level
Masters
Degree Department
Institute of Human Rights and Peace Studies
Degree Discipline
Human Rights and Democratisation
Degree Grantor(s)
Mahidol University