The main aim of the present study is to undertake an examination of the discourses regarding lesbianism as produced by a group of black South African lesbians.

The main aim of the present study is to undertake an examination of the discourses regarding lesbianism as produced by a group of black South African lesbians.

Bibliography: leaves 286-301. / Most of what little research has been done on South African lesbians has been based on a clinical perspective. This study is based on Kitzinger's (1987) British research on the social construction of lesbianism, which includes an analysis of seven accounts of lesbian identities elicited using Q methodology. The major aim of this research was to find the accounts of lesbian identities presented by some South African lesbians, as the first stage in examining the ways in which these identities are constructed. Auxiliary aims were to examine the accounts of the natures and roles of women and men in society (rather than having the women identify their feminist and non-feminist orientations) and to attempt to link these two sets of accounts. One hundred and six self-identified lesbians, located largely in the major urban areas, volunteered, and sixty participated fully in the research. The participants ranged in age from 17 to 58, with a mean of 30.4 years. The majority were in managerial and professional positions (50%) or students (23.3%); and roost had completed a minimum of Standard 10. Fifty-five are classified "white", three "black African", one "Asian" and one "coloured". A Q-sample (1) of 65 statements, using Kitzinger's broad definition of lesbianism as a guideline, was developed from various sources including correspondence with participants. A second Q-sample (2) was developed from feminist and non-feminist perspectives on women, men and society presented in this thesis. Volunteers were sent a demographic questionnaire, and all those who returned this were sent the Q-samples and a standard set of instructions for completing the Q-sorts. The principal components factor analytic technique, with varimax rotation, was used to analyse the completed Q-sorts. Fourteen factors were extracted for Q-sample 1, and accounts were developed from the resulting factor Q-sorts. Two accounts were discarded. The following twelve accounts of lesbian identities are presented: "born lesbian; and happy"; "feminist and happy"; "woman-loving-woman"; woman-choosing-woman"; "definitely lesbian, but no different from heterosexuals"; "no strong sense of lesbian identity"; "certainly lesbian, but not really happy"; "lesbian as fairly happy gay person"; "wanting to be a man"; "bisexuality: lesbianism as sexual identity"; "lesbianism as sexual rejection of men"; and "sinful and sorry". Thirteen factors were extracted from the analysis of Q-sample 2, and one of the resulting accounts was discarded. These accounts can generally be characterised as moderate, with some support for feminist propositions and a strong rejection of both conservative views about women and controversial feminist propositions. Attempts to link the two sets of accounts were unsuccessful for a number of reasons which are discussed. The research fulfils one criterion for feminist research in that many participants found the process of completing the Q-sorts valuable. The need for a post Q-sort interview to clarify accounts is stressed. Suggestions are made for research into the way these identities are constructed; and for investigations into the experiences of "black" lesbians.

Women’s bodies and sexualities across history and race have been subjected to policing by the state, society and men. However, within the context of Black sexuality, black women’s bodies have been subject to silencing during the colonial encounter.This exploratory study set to document the subjective meanings associated with the Black WLW sexual identity of 50 women in Soweto. This study seeks to contribute to the recently emerging body of literature which has documented Black women’s same-sex sexualities as means to render their identities and experiences visible. Furthermore, to capture the terms used to describes samesex practicing women. The Q methodology was used to capture the various expressions along with their subjective representation. Two main distinct accounts emerged from the analysis. The Q analysis results indicated that there are two dominant forms of gender expressions and perceptions of what constitutes a Black WLW sexual identity in Soweto. Factor A distinguished itself through conceptualising this sexual identity in a ‘closed construction’ of attraction, with distinct gender roles. As such women in this factor identified with a sense of being domineering in the relationship, with potential partners expected to cook and clean. On the other hand, women who defined Factor B had a more inclusive construction of the Black WLW. These women placed emphasis on being comfortable with the bodies, particularly their breasts. Additionally, they valued the notion of equality in their relationships from sharing household chores to believing that sex should be about both partners pleasuring each other. The study also unpacked the meaning of self-identifying terms used by WLW in Soweto. In the absence of historically positive terms for same-sex sexualities, specifically indigenous terms, labelling becomes a site that does not prioritise meaning but reflects the negotiation of an oppressed sexual identity. What is in a name becomes a continuous struggle of reclaiming existence and visibility with oneself, the lesbian and gay community and the broader society.

M.A. / This dissertation attempts to understand the different meanings attached to lesbian identities by comparing the experiences of black and white lesbian women living in South Africa. Literature of the experiences of black lesbian women, especially in South Africa, is plentiful. Thus, by including white lesbian women in the sample, this dissertation begins to fill a gap in literature and provide some insights into an overall experience of lesbian identity in South Africa. In-depth interviews were conducted with seven black lesbians and seven white lesbians living in and around Johannesburg, and an intersectional model of analysis was employed to analyse the data. The study found that race as an identity marker is significant in how lesbian women attach meaning to their sexual identities, though it is not the only denominator when it comes to constructing a lesbian identity. A number of other key identities arose from the study which have an impact on the way in which a lesbian identity is constructed, such as gender, ties to family, different social spaces and religion. These multiple identities are not mutually exclusive, and thus interact with each other to influence the construction of a lesbian identity. This dissertation also asserts that a lesbian identity impacts on how the participants experience their other, non-lesbian, identities. Comparing the experiences of fourteen diverse lesbian women has contributed to a deeper understanding of lesbian identity construction, as well as the coming-out process.

When lesbians, as women divert from social norms and reject the compulsory heterosexual norm, they are either punished through legal systems for transgressing patriarchial structures or not recognised at all. As women, lesbians suffer at the hands of a homophobic society which believs that women have stepped out of line through challenging the hegemonic discourses stipulating that they have specific and distinct roles to play - that of wives, mothers, homemakers and sexual partners to men. Because lesbians do not fit into this construct, their behaviour is socially and legally condemned for diverting from the &quot / natural order&quot / . This study aimed to identify and explore the various ways people construct and perceive lesbians and to reveal how sexuality, as a product of history and culture, determines the ways lesbians are treated in their own communities. This study attempted to explore how, despite the democratic stance of the new constitution, South African lesbians still experience discrimination on the basis of their sexual orientation.

A Research Report submitted to the Department of History of Art, Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts, 2016 / Statistics indicate that over the past 16 years (since the year 2000), there have been over 30 black lesbians in South Africa, who have been victims of rape (and in some cases, brutal murder as well) as a result of homophobic violence, which is aimed at “curing” lesbians of their homosexuality. The aim of this research report is to examine how activist methods, such as art exhibitions and public performances, are challenging homophobic violence. The report explores the effectiveness of activist artworks (which include public performances and works by South African artists Zanele Mutholi and Gabrielle Le Roux) in raising awareness and educating South Africans about homophobic violence, which is a daily reality for many members of the South African LGBTQ community. For the purpose of this report, the Queer and Trans Art-iculations exhibition, which was held at the Wits Art Museum (WAM) in 2014, is compared to the annual Johannesburg Pride parade of 2012. These events are analysed in terms of their effectiveness in creating awareness about homophobic violence and how they can improve on being more informative and effective in the future. The importance of this research is to add to the existing body of work around art activism as it explores the ways in which activist artists attempt to make social and political change regarding the South African LGBTQ community. / MT2017

M.A. (Clinical Psychology), University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Humanities / In 1996 South Africa was the first country in the world to protect sexual minorities from discrimination in its Constitution. The benefits of a liberal constitution cannot go unacknowledged, however, negotiating lesbian identity within the work context is still a challenge due to the pervasive stigma attached to homosexuality, as well as the remnants of South Africa’s stormy, oppressive political history. Lesbian woman in South Africa grow up in a society which remains predominantly patriarchal and conservatively religious and where the heterosexual assumption, the idea that one is ‘straight’ unless otherwise stated, is continually confirmed and perpetuated in a variety of contexts, including the occupational environment. It is within this setting that lesbian women woman must attempt to negotiate and continually, in varying degrees, and not always by choice, take part in the coming out process in different social spaces. In interviews with seven self-identified lesbian women, the dynamic process of coming out within the occupational environment, was explored in relation to and within relevant cultural, historical, familial and social contexts. All participants had disclosed their sexual identity within the work place, in varying degrees. Key aims of the research were exploring the negotiation of lesbian identity in various occupational contexts as well as identifying strategies used to negotiate the work environment and lesbian identity / MT2017

Thesis ( M.A. (Media Studies)) --University of Limpopo, 2015 / The visibility of gays and lesbians has predominantly improved in recent years, and the media have been a fundamental tool when measuring the homosexual communities’ social status. This study investigates whether current mainstream television accurately depicts and represents gays and lesbians, and whether gay and lesbian individuals are impacted by these television portrayals. Through in- depth interviews, focus groups and observations, the research findings reveal that gay and lesbian television depictions are not completely accurate and have varying effects on audiences. However, this evidence is significant to the entertainment industry when creating fair gay and lesbian character portrayals that could be positively receptive by the homosexual community.

When lesbians, as women divert from social norms and reject the compulsory heterosexual norm, they are either punished through legal systems for transgressing patriarchial structures or not recognised at all. As women, lesbians suffer at the hands of a homophobic society which believs that women have stepped out of line through challenging the hegemonic discourses stipulating that they have specific and distinct roles to play - that of wives, mothers, homemakers and sexual partners to men. Because lesbians do not fit into this construct, their behaviour is socially and legally condemned for diverting from the &quot / natural order&quot / . This study aimed to identify and explore the various ways people construct and perceive lesbians and to reveal how sexuality, as a product of history and culture, determines the ways lesbians are treated in their own communities. This study attempted to explore how, despite the democratic stance of the new constitution, South African lesbians still experience discrimination on the basis of their sexual orientation.