Switching on After Nine: Black gay-identified men's perceptions of sexual identities and partnerships in South African towns

ABSTRACT

There is considerable diversity, fluidity and complexity in the expressions of sexuality and gender among men who have sex with men (MSM). Some non-gay identified MSM are known colloquially by gay-identified men in Mpumalanga, Province, South Africa, as ‘After-Nines’ because they do not identify as gay and present as straight during the day but also have sex with other men at night. Based on, key informant interviews and focus group discussions in two districts in Mpumalanga, we explored Black gay-identified men's perceptions of and relationships with After-Nine men, focusing on sexual and gender identities and their social consequences. Gay-identified men expressed ambivalence about their After-Nine partners, desiring them for their masculinity, yet often feeling dissatisfied and exploited in their relationships with them. The exchange of sex for commodities, especially alcohol, was common. Gay men's characterisation of After-Nines as men who ignore them during the day but have sex with them at night highlights the diversity of how same-sex practicing men perceive themselves and their sexual partners. Sexual health promotion programmes targeting ‘MSM’ must understand this diversity to effectively support the community in developing strategies for reaching and engaging different groups of gay and non-gay identified men.

KEYWORDS:

• gay men
• MSM
• sexuality
• gender
• South Africa

Acknowledgments

We wish to thank the participants in this study for sharing their time and experiences with us. We also thank the two anonymous reviewers who provided helpful comments on earlier versions of this article. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of NIAID, NIMH, or the NIH.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This research and analysis were supported by grants from the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease ([grant number R01-AI089292]; Principal Investigator: Tim Lane, Ph.D.); and a centre grant from the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health to the HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies at NY State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University ([P30-MH43520]; Principal Investigator: Robert H. Remien, Ph.D.). Dr. Tocco was supported by a training grant from the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health ([T32 MH19139], Behavioral Sciences Research in HIV Infection; Principal Investigator: Theo Sandfort, Ph.D.).