Gender relations and the production of difference in school-based sexuality and HIV/AIDS education in Australia

HIV/AIDS discourses have not only made people aware of HIV as a disease ent ity but have opened up new ways of thinking and talking about sex and sexua lity. This article draws on findings from an evaluation of a pilot sexualit y education programme, conducted in secondary schools in Victoria (Australi a), to examine gender relations and the production of difference. Participa ting schools were required to incorporate teaching and learning experiences which normalised and affirmed sexual diversity and explored issues around HIV-related discrimination and homophobia. Two examples, gender, power and menstruation and heterosexism and homophobia, are used to analyse the langu age and practices students engage in as part of the process of achieving a (hetero)sexual identity. It is argued that HIV/AIDS education and sexuality education, more broadly defined, presents a particular challenge to domina nt forms of masculinity and that programmes need to address gender, power a nd heterosexuality and its discontents if they are to have a positive impac t on HIV-related discrimination and homophobia.