It was never in our vocabulary to say that men were promiscuous. They reject it because of what the word attaches to their masculinity and superiority.'' A groundbreaking program in Botswana underscores how difficult it is to change deeply-rooted attitudes. Over the past 18 months, the Norwegian-funded Men, Sex, and AIDS has run workshops to encourage men to talk openly about sexuality. Pilot programs modeled after the project are scheduled to start next month in Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Swaziland. By the end of each three-day workshop, most of the men overcome their initial shyness.
Men are difficult to reach.
So our main concern for now is creating a place where men can go without being labeled. The Syamalevwes, however, say that it is often the men who reject or ridicule their message publicly who come back privately for help. Many men are afraid to show weakness, they say, and conform to peer pressure.