ABSTRACT
We do not intend to add to stereotyped notions of ethnic minorities as sexually irresponsible by having a chapter on HIV prevention in the Latino population. It is a sad reality, however, that Latinos in the United States make up a large proportion of those who are living with HIV, and they are at increased risk for HIV infection compared to their White counterparts. There can be little discussion of sexual pleasure when sexual safety is not assured. Sexual safety is not an issue solely for ethnic minorities, but for men and women throughout the world. We encourage the reader to think beyond not only the target population, but also to expand the definition of sexual safety to include safety from all sexually transmitted infections, unwanted pregnancy, and sexual violence.
In this chapter, Melendez and her colleagues use the crisis of HIV to illustrate the sexual challenges facing Latinas and describe a unique and innovative approach to helping Latinas prevent HIV infection. According to the authors, taking an individual approach or encouraging women to insist on condom use will not and does not work in the Latino community. As you will read in this chapter, a sexually assertive or empowered woman is often considered suspect in Latino/Latina communities and she will lose ties and important connections to her friends, family, and community. Rather than alienating women, the program described in this chapter brings together a community of women so that they learn, not only about the dangers of sex, but about the pleasures; and that the way to have pleasure is to have safety, communication, and respect.
This is the only chapter in the book that deals with an immigrant population, raising the health paradox of acculturation: less acculturated Latinos have restricted access to health care and yet, once Latinos are more acculturated, they are found to suffer more from diseases (often those related to lifestyle choices such as smoking, drinking, and unprotected sex). Melendez and her coauthors illustrate how to navigate this paradox of acculturation by working with Latinas to maintain their ties to their community while also accessing the benefits of the larger society in which they live. Melendez and her colleagues provide an excellent example of how to work with immigrant and minority groups that will translate beyond the Latino population. Understanding the sexual, interpersonal, and larger community issues that impact sexuality will make for more effective interventions regarding sexual health and ultimately, sexual pleasure for men and women of diverse cultural backgrounds.
