“They are less worthy than us, but they are better than women….” Men’s views towards men who have sex with men (MSM) in Botswana

Serai Daniel Rakgoasi, University of Botswana
Mpho Keetile, University of Botswana

This paper presents the results of a field pre-test survey of a study on Men, Masculinities and HIV/AIDS in Botswana. The paper focuses on the issue of attitudes towards homosexuality and men who have sex with men (MSM), and presents men’s attitudes alongside those of women. Views on the subject of MSM were varied, ranging from those who were outright against MSM, to those who, although not supportive of this lifestyle nevertheless showed some empathy for MSM. Women‘s attitudes were more positive, with some indicating that some men or women may opt to have sexual relationship with people of the same gender as a strategy to deal with issues of violence and vulnerability to HIV infection that currently characterises heterosexual sexual relationships. Men’s attitudes on the other hand tended to be overly negative, preferring to view MSM as un-natural, shameful and an abomination.