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The study examined attitudes toward homosexuals from a neo-functional perspective, including a proposal that these attitudes are primarily 'open' and informationally based, or primarily 'closed' and affectively based. Scientific evidence of a genetic predisposition to homosexuality should be differentially received, based on the attitudes of the recipients of the information.

Bibliography: pages 562-602. / This study seeks to investigate the nature of homosexual identity and its development, to explore the manifestation and incidence of crisis among homosexuals, and to determine the relationships between crisis and homosexual identity growth. Furthermore, it attempts to identify the idiosyncratic features of the South African "gay experience" and to examine the way such experience impinges on homosexual identity development. Given the gravity of the recent phenomenon of AIDS and its increasing appearance, the study extends to an investigation of AIDS, and its link with crisis and homosexual identity. Finally, the study seeks to indicate how Social Work may address the diverse needs of the gay collective, including strategies to deal with AIDS. The study employs a combination of methodological techniques which include the application of clinical case material, an extensive survey of research literature, a newspaper inquiry, participant observation, random interviews and a mailed questionnaire. (This questionnaire was designed to tap information with regard to demographic profiles, the unfolding of sexual identity, "coming out", crisis, and attitudes towards a local South African gay organisation.) It presented a choice between fixed alternative items but also elicited open-ended commentary. A forty-eight percent response rate was received to the mailed questionnaire. On the basis of research, the writer has developed a theoretical model of homosexual identity growth which comprises various developmental stages ranging from early infancy to late adulthood. The study concludes that homosexual identity growth is a dynamic and on-going process catalysed by the interaction between self, society, and sub-culture. Homosexual identity is strongly linked to the gay sub-culture which presents a classic double-bind; it acts as a symbolic family for the homosexual person but it also perpetuates the expression of behaviours and emotions which are externally regarded as non-legitimate. Hence, crisis is universally experienced by homosexuals as part of their process of identity development, and is usually associated with "coming out". Crisis can be expressed in egocentric (internal) or sociocentric (external) terms, and may occur at any stage. The level of self-acceptance and self-esteem varies with each individual, and personal fantasy, as a core element of sexuality, is a key indicator of the extent of identity resolution.

Bibliography: pages 175-180. / Vanuit die staanspoor moet beken word dat hierdie skripsie nie daarop uit is om die outoriteit op die gebied van die gay-psige te wees nie. Die studie wil slegs fokus op sekere aspekte van die letterkunde wat aanduiding bevat van die ervaring van gay-persone binne die samelewing, en die impak van hierdie ervaring op die gay-individue se psige.

This study examined the influence of interpersonal and mass communication on heterosexual people's attitudes toward lesbians and gay men. In addition, the study examined the relationship between heterosexual people's tolerance for ambiguity, a personality factor, and their attitude toward homosexuality. Survey questionnaires were distributed to 149 heterosexual respondents at a small private university in the western United States. Three pre-existing instruments were used in the study: the Attitude Toward Homosexuality Scale (ATHS), the Index of Homophobia (IHP ), and the Multiple Stimulus Types Ambiguity Tolerance Scale (MSTAT-1). Two original instruments were also used: a set of four questions on contemporary gay issues and a survey assessing individuals' perceived sources of information on homosexuality. Frequency of both interpersonal and mass communication was found to be negatively correlated with support for gay issues. In addition, frequency of interpersonal communication was found to negatively correlate with homophobia (IHP). Tolerance of ambiguity negatively correlated with heterosexism on all measures. No statistically significant differences were found between the perceived credibility of interpersonal and mass communication sources. The results of a stepwise regression suggest that attitudes toward homosexuals can be most parsimoniously predicted by the number of acquaintances an individual has who are openly gay or lesbian and gender. Men were found to be considerably more heterosexist than women, except in the case of attitudes toward lesbians for which men's heterosexism was substantially reduced. Although a weak relationship exists between tolerance for ambiguity and attitudes toward homosexuality, tolerance of ambiguity does not appear to be a strong predictor of heterosexism. Interpersonal and mass communication sources exhibited no statistically significant residual effect on attitudes toward homosexuality after stronger predictors (number of gay acquaintances, gender, and tolerance of ambiguity) were entered into the stepwise regression. These results suggest that "coming out" may be the best means of reducing heterosexism in society.

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Thesis (M. A. (Clinical Psychology)) -- University of Limpopo, 2016 / The South African constitution makes provision for the rights of gays and lesbians, and has legalized same-sex relationships. However, many people, including students in same-sex relationships continue to be harassed and maltreated. The purpose of this study was to examine the attitudes of first entering students towards same-sex relationships at the University of Limpopo. A sample of 100 students (first entering students= 50, final level students = 50; with ages ranging from eighteen to forty five years), with a total number of twenty five (25) students drawn each of the four faculties at the university were selected using a convenience sampling method. Data was collected using the Homophobia Scale comprising of 25 close-ended questions which focus on behavioural, affective and cognitive attitudes towards gays and lesbians. Data were analysed using nominal data analysis and interpreted using the Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS) software. The study results revealed that fifty two percent (52%) of first entering students at the University of Limpopo have negative attitudes towards same-sex relationships with seventy four percent (74%) of first-entering students having no knowledge regarding same-sex relationships. Seventy three percent (73%) of participants behave negatively towards people in same-sex relationships. The study is concluded by recommending that more similar studies that include larger sample of students from different universities and different racial backgrounds be conducted. The results of the study have implications for the University of Limpopo in when it comes to understanding and promoting knowledge about same-sex relationships.

published_or_final_version / English Studies / Master / Master of Arts

This dissertation is the product of research into white, South African masculinities. It is concerned with the official treatment of white, gay men in this country by the governments of the day from the 1960s to 2000 and the government’s control of hegemonic masculinity in order to maintain power. By looking at gay masculinities the threat to hegemonic masculinity was ascertained as well as the different versions of heterosexual masculinities. This thesis also analyses the degree of change in the toleration or acceptance of white homosexuality in South Africa from churches, society, and elements within the SAP and the SADF as well as within gay organisations. Legislative achievements in the Constitutional Court show the most extreme changes in the perceptions of gay masculinities. This dissertation primarily begins in the 1960s, looking at why it was necessary to set up the 1968 Select Committee. This committee investigated criminalising all male homosexual acts, including those in private and also aimed to dictate societal norms and maintain white, privileged, hegemonic masculinity established and defined by the NP government. The state had always repressed homosexuality through law; even colonial legislation proved this. It was the creation and maintenance of hegemonic masculinity that advocated such legislation. 1966 was the focal year where white homosexuality became a recognisable problem. A gay party was held at a Johannesburg residence, which made white homosexuality visible and alerted the police to this alternative masculinity. The Select Committee, however, did not fulfil its initial aims. Once elements within the SAP were faced with the visibility of white homosexuality, their power thereby being challenged, Major van Zyl set about requesting stricter legislation by proposing amendments to the Minister of Justice regarding the 1957 Immorality Act and submitting evidence to the Select Committee. However, numerous submissions to and interviews by the Select Committee proved that it was unnecessary and illogical to criminalise private homosexuality. Such submissions showed white homosexuality was no societal threat and that some in white society recognised gay masculinities and challenged hegemonic masculinity. Consequently the Select Committee did not propose stricter legislation regarding homosexuality. Furthermore, repressive official treatment of white, male homosexuals was evident in the SADF in the 1970 and 1980s. Through a military perception of masculinity, that is, aggressive masculinity, most in the SADF were intent on conforming its white soldiers to the traditional definition of masculinity, the NP government’s definition of white masculinity, which did not include homosexual men. Dr Levine used electro-shock therapy to ‘cure’ gay conscripts at 1 Military Hospital. This extreme practice of ensuring conformity was no longer utilised by the 1980s and there was also some unofficial acceptance of white homosexuality within the SADF by some white commanders and soldiers. There was no gay liberation movement to speak of until the 1980s. GASA, a white gay organisation, led the movement but it was to be unsuccessful in that it supported the NP government, that is, it benefited from hegemonic masculinity because GASA’s membership was predominantly white men. Because of this GASA was seen to support the government’s policy of apartheid and there ensued the consequent debate between gay essentialism and gay rights as part of the broader struggle. GASA was purely reactionary, because in effect it did not really want change and was therefore ineffective. The gay movement grew but it did not unify. This failure to unify meant the gay liberation movement, as a movement had failed, even though, later, liberation and much change was achieved, mainly through the work of the NCGLE. Like the 1968 Select Committee, the President’s Council was set up in 1985 to once again investigate stricter penalties against homosexuality. The ANC was still very quiet on the issue of gay rights, supporting heterosexist hegemony and not recognising gay masculinities. The President’s Council did not recommend stricter legislation against homosexual men but the 1988 Sexual Offences Act retained the penalties against homosexuality as stipulated by the 1969 Immorality Amendment Act. Gay essentialism damaged any headway regarding gay rights, especially when it came to gaining the support of progressive organisation in the broader political struggle because there was so much in-fighting regarding defining gay masculinities. Race could not be discounted in this equation and the RGO, a black gay organisation, challenged GASA’s support of the NP government. New gay organisations only contributed to the failure of the gay liberation movement because again there was no unity. In 1989 Albie Sachs of the ANC met with a liberal gay organisation, OGLA, and finally gay rights were beginning to be taken seriously, culminating in the protection of gay rights in the 1996 Constitution. This was due to individual members of the ANC and Kevan Botha, the lawyer hired by the NCGLE to represent gay rights at CODESA. Once sexual orientation was retained in the equality clause of the Constitution it was left to the NCGLE to fight for the legal practice of equality for gay men and lesbians. There was also greater toleration and even acceptance of homosexuality by the South African society at large, both black and white, the churches, and the SAP, especially officially. Hence, although the gay liberation movement had failed, gay rights had been entrenched and change allowed for potential equality, the last of which would be legal gay marriage, which remains to be seen. / Prof. L. Grundlingh

This qualitative practitioner research study examined a ninth-grade young adult (YA) queer book club curriculum and culturally relevant pedagogy. Students read two out of nine queer-themed YA novels paired with a collection of nonfiction and media on topics that ranged from rethinking gender norms in society to historical issues that impact people with intersectional queer identities. The author collaboratively designed, planned, and taught the 6-week unit at the center of the study, Disrupting Dominant Narratives and Queer Book Clubs, using a critical queer pedagogy framework. The findings illuminated the ways in which pedagogy that nurtures and prizes student voice, critical reading, discussion, and humanizing classroom discourse work to situate students as empathic critical readers and writers of the world. The findings suggest that analyzing queer- themed literature moves students to build empathy, disrupts oppression, and humanizes people of all identities, thus empowering youth as producers and consumers of knowledge that facilitates their growth and supports queer and questioning youth. In addition, students found common experiences as teenagers with the queer characters across the novels, therby affirming the decision to use exclusively YA fiction for the book club and serving to aid in disrupting dominant discourses about queer youth. The study concludes with a suggestion for seven implications for practice and a call for further research that aims to advance culturally relevant queer pedagogy.