WOMEN, AIDS, AND POWER IN HETEROSEXUAL SEX - A DISCOURSE ANALYSIS

This study focusses on the relationships among gender, power, and sexu ality. It examines how discursive positioning affects the negotiation by women of practices of safer sex in terms of the AIDS epidemic. Two audio-taped women-only group discussions were analysed using Hollway's (1984, 1989) interpretative discourse analysis. In the accounts, disc ourses of stigma which constitute the person with AIDS as ''Other'' te nded to vitiate co-responsibility between men and women for safer sex, men apparently reacting defensively to attempts by women to negotiate safer sex. Then, the greater intimacy of non-intromission techniques than penetrative genital sex may also problematise these as safer sex practices. Although some women draw on discourses of control and asser tiveness in approaching sexuality-and these may offer potential for ne gotiating safer sex-it is suggested that until heterosexual men acknow ledge AIDS as a real risk, and begin to take emotional responsibility in relationships, implementation of safer sex practices in heterosexua l sex will be hindered.