Young people’s lived experiences and perceptions of sexuality in Dhaka, Bangladesh

Background and aim: Many young people in Bangladesh have a poor understanding of their sexuality and wellbeing due, in part, to limited access to sexual and reproductive health services and reliable information. Having to navigate restrictive socio-sexual norms may also present challenges for young people. Thus, this demographic may confront negative sexual health outcomes such as sexually transmitted infections and gender-based violence. The aim of this qualitative research is to explore meanings and perceptions of sexuality through lived experiences of young people in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and to investigate how a phenomenological lifeworld perspective can expand our understanding of sexual health and wellbeing. Approach and methodology: Given the dearth of published research in the field of sexual health in Bangladesh, I adopted a qualitative research approach to explore lived experiences to provide a more in-depth understanding of young people’s sexuality. Moreover, the ‘lifeworld’ – a shared and meaningful world that is embodied and experienced by us and through us every day – has the potential to provide a better understanding of young people’s ‘life situation’ and experiences. I collected data across Dhaka, Bangladesh over nine months (February to October 2019) through in-depth one-to-one biographical interviews with 46 young people of varying characteristics – such as sexual and gender identity, educational background, and religion etc. – to elicit experiential narrative material. I followed a thematic approach to analysis to interpret findings by identifying and synthesising most prominent and recurring themes. I formulated meanings from significant statements by staying close to the phenomenon as experienced by participants. I clustered these meanings into common themes and developed inclusive descriptions of the phenomenon. Findings: Findings focus on reviewing socio-sexual norms and sexual health in South Asia; lived experiences of sexual violence in Bangladesh; navigating heteronormative straightening devices; and exploring queer lifeworlds. Studies included in the systematic review suggest that young people in South Asia faced gendered societal expectations around premarital ‘sexual purity’ through abstinence and had limited communication around sexuality with adults. According to the interviews with 46 participants in Bangladesh, young 5 people’s lives were punctuated by episodes of harassment and violence with adverse and long-lasting consequences on their mental and physical wellbeing. I also identified four key heteronormative straightening devices confronted by non-normative young people: marriage normativity (straightening the life course); compulsory heteronormativity in public space (performing straightness); heteronormativity within healthcare (straightening as ‘care’); and consequences of failing to embody heteronormativity (unbecoming straight). Finally, queer young people in Bangladesh understood sexual intimacy to mean desiring consensual sexual and romantic relationships with sexually ‘matched’ partner(s) while navigating heteropatriarchal sexuality norms.