Sexuality in Media: Emerging Issues in Africa - Africa Regional ...

Sexuality in the Media: Emerging Issues in Africa
argue that abortion could be necessary to save a woman's life under certain
conditions were told that abortion was not the right means to save a woman's life
(Guardian, 14.4.2004:p63). There were some personal reports were respondents
said they regretted having committed an abortion due to the inability to
reproduce thereafter due to the damage to the reproductive system.
One of the articles approached abortion from a reproductive rights angle and
questioned the right of women to decide alone on this issue insisting on mutual
consent with spouses or partners in decision making (Punch, 7.5.2004: p44).
The news items on reproductive health reflected the socio-economic conditions
of the country. They mirrored the general pre-occupation of Nigerians with
reproduction, whereby married women with reproductive problems go to all
lengths to find possible solutions to their problems. Women are always held
responsible in cases of reproductive health problems. Nevertheless, some
articles challenged this notion by showing that men do suffer from infertility.
Reports on teenage pregnancies were associated with the problem of promiscuity
and was generally condemned.
Sexual Orientation And Identity
Table 10: Frequency of Newspaper Reports on Sexual Orientation and Identity
Themes
Reported
Sexual Orientation
and Identity
Newspapers
The Sun The Vanguard The Guardian The Punch The Comet
No. Of No. Of
No. Of
%
% No. Of
No. Of
% %
%
Times Times
Times
Times
Times
3 3% 1 1% 3 4%
- -
3 6%
Same sex sexuality did not receive much media coverage. The general
discussion on the issue of S/SH/SR was focused on heterosexuality. Other
sexual identities rarely came into the discussion. Same sex sexuality and
marriage were mentioned mostly in connection with developments in the
United States of America where same-sex marriages were legalised (Comet,
17.2.04: 22; 6.3.04: 21). Now and then reports of people suspected to be
homosexual, bisexual and transsexual appeared. Nevertheless, these were seen
as unnatural (Guardian, 28.2.04: p5; 10.3.04: p14). The Sun (1.4.04) discussed
the allegation of lesbianism in the Super Falcon (the Nigerian female football
team) which the coach denied.
Social identities which deviate from the general heterosexual norms are seen as
unnatural and this fits into the socio-cultural and religious context which to a
great extent still denies the existence of other forms of sexual identities in
Nigeria. The developments in the USA were seen as a misnomer.
Infidelity
Table 11: Frequency of Newspaper Reports on Infidelity
Themes
Reported
The Sun The Vanguard The Guardian The Punch The Comet
No. Of
Times
%
Print Media Coverage Of Sexuality Issues in Nigeria
No. Of
Times
%
Newspapers
No. Of
Times
No. Of
No. Of
% %
%
Times
Times
Infidelity 4 4% 10 12% 1 2% 2 4%
- -
This issue was widely discussed in articles, opinion columns and letters. The
Vanguard 10% led the discussion. Infidelity was discussed as a vice which
destroys the fabric of marriages. Causes of infidelity were discussed (Sun,
8.2.04: p24). Nigerian men are seen as polygamous in nature and so they
continuously seek new partners. Sexual dissatisfaction in marriage is also a
major cause of infidelity for men and women. For instance, there were many
reports of women losing their husbands to their housegirls (Punch, 26.6.2004:
p2) and confessions of men who experienced a new lease of sexual life from
such encounters (Vanguard, 13.6.04: p32).
With the spread of HIV/AIDS infidelity has been condemned as an avenue of
contracting and spreading the disease. The Vanguard in a series of articles titled
“Infidelity and Us” (6.5.04, 11.5.04, 18.5.04, 20.5. 04, 25.5. 04, 27.5.04 Human
Angle Column) tried to draw attention to this subject and to show that both men
and women are involved and have a duty to eschew the practice especially for
health reasons and family cohesion.
Infidelity was not discussed with much seriousness since Nigerian men do not
generally consider affairs with women other than their wives as despicable acts.
When practiced by men, it is trivialised. It becomes news and could lead to
divorce if a married woman practices it to the knowledge of the husband. But for