“It's not that bad”: Homophobia in the residences of a university in KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa

Abstract

abstractHigher education residences are ‘homes away from home’ where students from different social and cultural backgrounds live together, holding different norms, values and practices. The various diversities often present in higher education institutions and the distance from their home communities mean many gay, lesbian and bisexual (LGB) students often find space and freedom to ‘claim’ and negotiate their same-sex identities at these institutions. We showcase the experiences of LGB students living in a teacher-training residential space of one South African university located in KwaZulu-Natal. Using heteronormativity as a theoretical framework and a case study methodology we demonstrate how LGB students experience homophobia, and the institutional responses when such incidents occur. Interviews were conducted with 10 LGB-identifying participants studying to be teachers at the university. Findings reveal an ingrained culture of sustained tolerance for homophobia among the general students in the residences, driven largely by the systemic conditions present in higher education residential spaces. These conditions normalise homophobia, thereby positioning same-sex attraction as abhorrent and unacceptable, especially for students aspiring to be teachers. The analysis also shows that the interviewed students internalise homophobia, evidenced by their strategies of defending homophobic practices. While the data demonstrate clear evidence of homophobia in higher education residential spaces, we also show that some LGB students exhibit agentic actions of resistance, but these are often constrained by the deeply conservative space they find themselves in. We conclude by calling for more proactive interventions from university administrators in order to address homophobia. We also call for more research work with a focus on residences.