This study attempts to provide pertinent insights into the experiencing of black South Africans who are gay or lesbian. The aims of the investigation were to provide more holistic information on the gay and lesbian worldview in general; to provide a conceptualisation of the ontology of black gay and lesbian individuals in South Africa within a psychosocial context, and to explore the effects of a dual oppressive system related to race and sexual identity. Of 150 questionnaires distributed to black gays and lesbians, 23 were completed. Although frequency tables were utilised to organise the responses to the 73 items on the questionnaire, a phenomenological approach was adopted in interpreting responses. Within this paradigm, the initial focus was on the exposition of individual responses and thereafter, on the contextualisation of common themes in the perceptions of black gays and lesbians as a group. The study generated pertinent insights into the experiences and perceptions of black gays and lesbians, related to the lifespan development processes (early childhood to ageing) and relevant socio-political factors. In this regard the study highlighted issues that need to be addressed by black gays and lesbians in their acknowledgement of sexual identity; concerns the participants experienced as children; issues regarding relationships, parenting and old age, and the influence of religious, legal, social and political factors on their worldview. Among the most significant findings generated by this investigation, is that of the adoption of society's homonegative attitudes by gays and lesbians themselves at almost every level of their psychosocial development. Respondents also tended to emphasise oppression with regard to being gay or lesbian, than with being black. Recommendations for future research have been identified for the purposes of generating further insights into the experiencing of black gays and lesbians in South Africa. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Durban-Westville, 1996.

This project argues that there is a 'lacuna' in the representation of the demographic understood as 'young, white, urban, gay men' in contemporary South Africa. Whilst mediated popular representations of this demographic exist, these representations perpetuate a transnationalised, commercialised sense of identity – which in turn masks authentically local experiences. There are no literary representations of this demographic which speak to local experiences of support structures, community, identity, and ethics in a post-apartheid context. By deconstructing the label of 'gay' this project maps the problems of interpreting this demographic under a marker of 'gayness'. Using Alex Sanchez's American Rainbow Boys, Rainbow High, and Rainbow Road it traces the history and meaning of 'gay'. It relates this meaning to a South African context by using André Carl van der Merwe's Moffie, Malan and Johaardien's Yes, I am! and mediated representations of the popular Mr Gay South Africa competition. These cultural sources point toward the need for a new framework of understanding in South Africa – one which shifts away from an overreliance on Western discourses. This framework is provided in relation to five local narratives gathered through ethnographic research, where the experiences of these five men are interpreted under a paradigm of 'pomosexuality' rather than 'gayness'. The project argues that pomosexuality, as a perspective, appreciates liminality but does not rely on it for identity. Rather, it focuses on the unrepresented shift from a Western ethic of the politicisation of identity to a local ethic of the politicisation of values. It ultimately argues that the lacuna of representation can be filled by adopting this pomosexual framework and breaking free of assumptions of homogeneity and assimilation. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2011.

MA (Psychology) / Department of Psychology / The study aimed to explore societal attitudes towards homosexual individuals in the Thulamela Municipality of the Vhembe District Municipality. The objectives of the study were to identify societal attitudes towards homosexuals in Thulamela Municipality, to explore challenges posed by society towards homosexual people in Thulamela Municipality, and to describe societal perceptions of homosexual individuals. The study was qualitative in nature and purposive sampling was used in the study. A semi-structured interview guide was used. A minimum of 12 non-homosexual people were interviewed. Thematic content analysis was used to analyse data. Different ethical issues were taken into consideration before the study was conducted. The findings of the study show that society is still conservative when it comes to homosexuality. However, it discourages harsh negative attitudes towards homosexual people. Society needs to develop more accepting and tolerant behaviors towards homosexuality. The study found that age, sex, race, ethnicity, social background, level of education and religious affiliation were consistent factors in determining attitudes towards homosexuality. This study recommends that training workshops on sexual orientation should be intensified for teachers, police officers, nurses and other public service employees as well as school administrators to inform them of current trends of homosexuality in the schools. It is also recommended that student accessibility to appropriate and accurate information regarding students’ sexuality should be increased at early stages through library and Internet resources, as well as workshops and forums. / NRF

This study focuses on a group of homosexual men. The group has been defined as 'Queer' based on the value and pride which they place on their difference to the general norms and values of the wider society. Four of these men were interviewed on their moral structure and the way in which they structure their relationships. The study focused on: the nature of the norms this group has developed; the process by which this has occurred; and the psychological effects of this process. It was found that the research participants have developed new norms and behavioural scripts significantly different to those existing generally in society. These new behavioural scripts relate to the socially mandated scripts in various ways with some mandated scripts being rejected, some being adapted and amended and others being inverted. These differences seem to originate from individuals being rejected and stigmatised. The changes these queer men have made were moves to bring a greater sense of congruence between their experience, their morality and their behavioural scripts. The initial period of divergence between the socially mandated behavioural scripts and their sexual behaviour was marked by psychological distress while the move to greater congruence between behaviour and behavioural scripts was characterised by increased psychological empowerment and sense of self-worth. The study also showed that during these processes other differences developed between the way these individuals act in their world and the general norm of society. These differences included a greater self-awareness; an increased ability to operate at a meta-level; a conscious effort to create the life that one wants; differences in gender behaviour which incorporated behavioural aspects of both genders and new forms of establishing and maintaining relationships. Homosexuality is an historic opportunity to open up new relational and affective potentialities, not in virtue of qualities intrinsic to the homosexual, but because of the position of the homosexual 'offcenter', somehow, together with the diagonal lines which the homosexual can draw through the social fabric, makes it possible to bring to light these potentialities - a famous homosexual Queer (M. Foucault) / Psychology / M.A. (Clinical Psychology)

This qualitative study, informed by narrative and social constructionist theory, aimed to engage with the tensions and complexities emerging from the narratives of six white, South African homosexual men, of two different age-groups (older and younger). The intention was to assess the extent to which time-constrained understandings of homosexuality - as sin, sickness and adaptive choice - have impacted on the lived experience of these homosexuals. It was found that all-independent of era - refer to internalised homophobia. It was discovered, however, that due to freedom of the press, and psychologisation, while the younger participants testify to the complexity of their lived experience, they do have more recourse and agency in constructing and negotiating their sex lives, and their place in their gay communities. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2003.

Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / This research set out to give a better understanding of gay conscripts within the South African Defence Force (SADF) during the 1970's and 1980's, as well as to establish whether a noticeable change towards gay conscripts could be detected before and after c.1985. Based upon sources from the military archives, oral interviews as well as existing secondary literature on the topic, it becomes clear that aside from the “official line”, both conservative as well as progressive views on homosexuality existed. Even though it can be concluded that attitudes towards homosexuality among civilian South Africans became more permissive during the 1980‟s, it was not a change in attitude shared throughout (white) society. This research has been done firstly to add to the general knowledge of the experiences of gay conscripts in the 1970‟s and 1980‟s within the SADF. It has done so by conducting interviews with fifteen ex-conscripts, both gay and straight, covering anti-gay attitudes, coming out in the army, the existence of queer platoons and/or jobs perceived to be „gay‟, psychiatric treatment of homosexuals and the knowledge of the existence of these treatments, the gay/straight barrier and qualitative personal assessments of the period of conscription. Secondly, it attempts to answer the question whether a change in attitude towards gay conscripts could be seen roughly around 1985, as South African society also became (slowly) more permissive towards homosexuality.

This study focuses on a group of homosexual men. The group has been defined as 'Queer' based on the value and pride which they place on their difference to the general norms and values of the wider society. Four of these men were interviewed on their moral structure and the way in which they structure their relationships. The study focused on: the nature of the norms this group has developed; the process by which this has occurred; and the psychological effects of this process. It was found that the research participants have developed new norms and behavioural scripts significantly different to those existing generally in society. These new behavioural scripts relate to the socially mandated scripts in various ways with some mandated scripts being rejected, some being adapted and amended and others being inverted. These differences seem to originate from individuals being rejected and stigmatised. The changes these queer men have made were moves to bring a greater sense of congruence between their experience, their morality and their behavioural scripts. The initial period of divergence between the socially mandated behavioural scripts and their sexual behaviour was marked by psychological distress while the move to greater congruence between behaviour and behavioural scripts was characterised by increased psychological empowerment and sense of self-worth. The study also showed that during these processes other differences developed between the way these individuals act in their world and the general norm of society. These differences included a greater self-awareness; an increased ability to operate at a meta-level; a conscious effort to create the life that one wants; differences in gender behaviour which incorporated behavioural aspects of both genders and new forms of establishing and maintaining relationships. Homosexuality is an historic opportunity to open up new relational and affective potentialities, not in virtue of qualities intrinsic to the homosexual, but because of the position of the homosexual 'offcenter', somehow, together with the diagonal lines which the homosexual can draw through the social fabric, makes it possible to bring to light these potentialities - a famous homosexual Queer (M. Foucault) / Psychology / M.A. (Clinical Psychology)

Thesis (Ph. D. (Psychology)) -- University of Limpopo, 2020 / Eurocentric literature has contributed towards the understanding of homosexuality for centuries. However, there is very little literature on perceptions of homosexuality from an African perspective. Based on this historical gap, the aim of the current study was to explore Northern Sotho traditional healers’ perceptions of homosexuality in the Capricorn District in Limpopo Province, South Africa. This was with the intention of documenting themes pertinent to Northern Sotho culture regarding homosexuality. Ten (10) participants (7 females and 3 males) were interviewed in the current study and they were selected using snowball sampling. Data was collected using individual face-to-face interviews guided by semi-structured questions and analysed using Thematic content analysis (TCA). The study was underpinned by Afrocentricity. The main themes and sub-themes which emerged from the data analysis were: homosexuality threatens family structure and values; homosexuality is regarded as a taboo and a disgrace; homosexuality and ancestral calling; historical evidence of homosexuality; homosexuality is confusing; homosexuality and western culture; homosexuality and cleansing (mourning process); homosexuality, traditional healing and ancestral calling; homosexuality and initiation schools as well as proposed interventions to curb homosexuality. The results of the study suggest that understanding homosexuality is not consistent with Northern Sotho culture. The study contributes to knowledge and information within Northern Sotho culture and offers suggestions for indigenous knowledge systems (IKS), academic training, policy development and legislation in terms of homosexuality and the indigenous culture. The study also offers guidelines, which health care workers and any other relevant personnel who work closely with homosexuals, should be cognisant of. Furthermore, valuable lessons were also reasoned from the current study in terms of homosexuality and Northern Sotho culture in the area where the research took place.

This research examined the representation of homosexual men in soap opera Generations. It reveals that while homosexual characters have been incorporated in the locally produced soap opera Generations, the representation of such characters is revealed as 'other’. This dissertation argued that the representation of homosexual men in soap opera Generations are categorized negatively often being seen to be morally degenerate consequently; the inclusion of homosexual men in Generations is often associated with negative stereotypes. This study argues that homosexual men in Generations are often represented as having problems to be solved. This include homosexual men being faced with secrecy, shame, guilt, homosexual violence, rejection and other negative stereotypes as represented in soap opera Generations. The research highlights the social constructions and gender stereotypes in mainstream media television which consider homosexuality as abnormal, unnatural and sickness. The secrecy of homosexuality implied by mainstream media television representation makes homosexuality to appear as something concealed and related to shame and regret. In addition, the dissertation also looks in-depth into categories of negative stereotypes where being a gay primarily realizes on the rigid gender schemas exploited by the mainstream media television to represent homosexual men as not men enough which appeared as natural rather than socially constructed. This study‟s theoretical frame work brought together the concepts of different area of enquiry such as negative representation of homosexuality, homophobia, secrecy, guilt, shame while using discourse analysis. The major areas addressing the coding includes the representation of homosexuality in the text, soap operas' (Generations) representation of homosexual men and the specific themes and objectives guiding each selected episode of Generations. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-Unversity of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2012.

Clinical psychology’s relevance and future viability depend on its ability to render services that are relevant and sensitive to multicultural and minority issues. Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people are one such group that professional psychology – both in South Africa and abroad - has identified as having unique treatment needs for which psychologists require specialised knowledge and skills in order to render appropriate treatment. Competence to treat non-heterosexual patients has been framed in terms of a gay affirmative paradigm which has as its basic tenet the recognition that same-gender orientation is not pathological but rather a healthy alternative to heterosexuality. From this perspective being “gay friendly” or “gay accepting” is not enough. To implement a gay affirmative approach in practice, practitioners must have resolved their possible prejudice and heterosexist bias and have the requisite knowledge of concerns unique to lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals to be able to apply their skills in a culturally sensitive manner. Although more American post-graduate psychology programmes are addressing sexual diversity, their failure to produce psychologists who feel competent to treat lesbian/gay or bisexual individuals has highlighted the need to develop effective training strategies based on empirical nvestigation. The dearth of comparable data about local South African psychology training prompted this inquiry which had four broad aims namely, (i) to establish to what extent trainees’ prior training had equipped them with the knowledge, awareness, and skills to approach their work with non-heterosexual patients in a gay affirmative manner, and (ii) to implement and (iii) to evaluate to what extent a brief structured training programme is effective in engaging the trainees; in increasing knowledge, in raising awareness, and in changing specific attitudes and imparting specific skills required for treating lesbian and gay patients.; and (iv) what, if any, recommendations should be made for the future with respect to training of sychologists in this area? The field of sexual orientation research has been expanded to include issues pertaining to bisexual, transgendered and intersexed people, but serious time constraints meant that issues pertaining to these groups could not be addressed in depth. Although the exclusion of these groups is problematic and may be seen as reinforcing their invisibility, it was decided to focus primarily on gay and lesbian issues s an introduction to same-sex orientation. It is envisaged that bisexual and transgender issues would be dealt with in depth in more advanced training. Nine trainee psychologists employed at hospitals in the greater Cape Town area volunteered to participate in the programme which comprised a series of two-hour experiential workshops offered once a week over six weeks. The study employed both quantitative and qualitative data analysis methods. The first stage entailed gathering information to better understand trainees’ existing level of competence. Individual interviews were conducted prior to the course to obtain data about their attitudes and perceptions regarding the need for such specialised training, and how qualified they considered themselves to be to treat LGB patients, and their experience in this regard. For the purpose of the over-all analysis information was also gathered about pertinent personal and social characteristics of the trainees, as well as their contact with lesbian/gay persons. In addition, an attitude survey and the Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Counselling Self-efficacy Scale (LGB-CSI) were administered to obtain benchmarks against which change could be measured. The second stage involved the implementation of the educational programme and gathering information about trainees’ responses to its various components. This stage concentrated on discovering how individual trainees reacted to material on lesbian, gay, and bisexual issues and how they used the programme to improve their self-awareness and skills. The results indicate that local psychology training might not address same-gender orientation adequately, thus reinforcing trainees’ belief that sexual orientation is irrelevant, and that their generalist training equips them to work with gay/lesbian/bisexual patients. While the training strengthened existing positive attitudes, it was less effective in changing blatant antigay prejudice. However, both quantitative and qualitative data suggest that the programme increased individuals’ awareness and insight into their previously unrecognised heterosexist biases and created greater understanding of the effects of stigmatisation on sexual minority individuals. In addition, the training increased trainee’s sense of competence to provide affirmative treatment as evidenced by the significant differences between the pre- and post-training mean scores on the Relationship, Knowledge, and Advocacy Scales and between the mid- and post-training means scores on the Assessment and Awareness Scales of the LGB-CSI. Despite the limited generalisability of these findings on account of possible sampling bias, the need and value of such training was confirmed by trainees’ recommendation that this programme should be a mandatory offering in the first year of clinical psychology training.