About

The Academy of Science of South Africa announced the publication of a new study, Diversity in Human Sexuality: Implications for Policy in Africa. It was undertaken partly because those arguing in favor of criminalizing sexual and gender diversity have made explicit appeals to science. This report examines the extent to which science supports any of the arguments that proponents of these new laws make.

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Professor Juan Nel, PhD, current president of the Psychological Society of South Africa and former International Psychology Network for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex Issues (IPSyNet) representative for South Africa, served on the 13-member panel that produced the study.

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The study, which was undertaken in collaboration with the Uganda National Academy of Sciences, examines evidence that would provide answers to a set of critical questions related to gender diversity and human sexuality. Questions covered the roles of biology and the environment in determining gender diversity and human sexuality; whether sexual orientation could be altered through therapy; whether claims that same-sex orientations posed a threat to others were authentic; and what were the public health consequences of criminalizing same-sex sexual orientations.

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More from the Psychological Society of South Africa

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• Psychological Society of South Africa: South African Psychology can and should advance understanding of sexual and gender diversity on the African continent , June 2014
  Editorial by Juan Nel, South African Journal of Psychology

• Sexual and Gender Diversity Position Statement: Introduction, Rationale and Contextopens in new window(PDF, 5.4MB), September 2013
  The aim of this document is to provide, under the auspices of the Psychological Society of South Africa, an affirmative position statement on sexual and gender diversity.

• An Open Statement from the Psychological Society of South Africa Concerning Vote of the South African Representatives at the Third Committee of the United Nations General Assembly on 16 November 2010 (PDF, 92KB)
  Response from the Psychological Society of South Africa after the south african representatives at the UN General Assembly voted in committee to remove sexual orientation from a resolution condemning extrajudicial, summary and arbitrary executions and other killings. The representatives reversed themselves on the final vote of the full General Assembly when sexual orientation was amended back in. 

• An Open Statement from the Psychological Society of South Africa to the People and Leaders of Uganda Concerning The Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2009 (PDF, 107KB), February 2010
  The Psychological Society of South Africa argues against the proposed Ugandan Anti-homosexuality Bill from a scientific perspective.