In this thesis, I sought to showcase the experiences of LGB students living at the University of KwaZulu Natal, Edgewood campus residences. I have noted with concern incidents of homophobia in the residence halls and therefore want to understand whether these incidents are isolated cases or whether they represent a daily experience for most gay, lesbian and bisexual students. More specifically, I focus on students living in the University of KwaZulu-Natal's Edgewood campus housing.
The aims of this study are fourfold: First, I want to gain insight into how gay, lesbian and bisexual students experience homophobia in the residence halls. Essentially, in accordance with the objectives of the study, there are four research questions in the study. Why do lesbian, gay and bisexual students at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Edgewood campus residences negotiate their sexual identity the way they do.
By dealing with the first question, I want to explore the different ways in which homophobia is experienced by LGB students in the residences. In the second question, I then consider the ways in which the homophobic practices are negotiated by LGB students in the residences.
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK AND LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1. Theoretical framework
In addition to the aforementioned, queer theory, which emerged in the 1980s (Siedman, 1995), perhaps the most prominent approach in the field of LGBT sociological theorizing (Gamson & Moon, 2004), points to the arbitrary, unstable and exclusionary nature of identity categories and tries to deconstruct umbrella categories, which contribute to the deconstruction of inequality (Fish, 2008). In the next section, I begin to review the literature on what is currently known internationally about the experiences of LGB students in university accommodation. In reviewing the literature, I engaged with South African and international literature on the experiences of LGB students in higher education institutions, specifically the lives of these students in residential settings.
A very important aspect in most of the research I found was the hostility experienced by LGB students in the residence halls. Another key issue is the negative way in which LGB students are treated by residence hall staff. In the review that follows, I show that the idea of same-sex desire as un-African in South Africa has created a culture of discrimination in higher education institutions, schools and communities for LGB people.
According to Graham and Kiguwa (2004), in their study of the experiences of LGB youth, religion and spirituality are important factors in the lives and experiences of homophobia among gays and lesbians. Study participants also suggested that they had been insulted and felt humiliated as a result. In the next section, I review the literature on minority studies of higher education and higher education residencies.
In light of the above findings, it is clear that homophobia is still common in many higher education institutions in South Africa, especially in the living spaces.
METHODOLOGY AND DATA COLLECTION ANALYSIS 3.1. Introduction
In the larger residences there are 100 students with 50 students living on each of the two floors. In the final grouping of participants, I interviewed ten LGB students living in residences at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Edgewood campus. Many of the participants were close friends with those students who were also in the LGB community.
The findings of this study are that homophobia is widespread in the living areas of the university where this study took place. The homophobic behavior of the students in the residence halls demonstrated their intolerance towards LGB students living in the residence halls. The participants' stories also made it clear that the colonization of space instills fear in LGB students.
Cynthia and Elizabeth, who live in off-campus housing, shared their experiences with the busing situation. It is clear that RAs are supportive, but other housing staff have no interest in the homophobic practices of residential students and the experiences of LGB students in housing. The housing staff, on the other hand, are not supportive and show no interest in LGB students' lives and experiences in the housing.
As previously emphasized, LGB students often indicated that they were happy to be allowed to stay in the housing. It was also found that spaces within the residences were being colonized to prevent LGB students from claiming their identity. These research questions were motivated by my interest in wanting to understand how lesbian, gay and bisexual students in the University of KwaZulu-Natal residence halls, Edgewood campus, experience homophobia.
The findings show that homophobia was present in residences at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Edgewood Campus. Several students in the study indicated that it was the most homophobic space in the residence halls. It was clear in the findings that students use parliament as a way to correct and control LGB students.
Message boards were also used by residence hall students to expose LGB students living in the residence halls. It was clear that the Five Faces of Oppression were present in the experiences of the students studied. Diversity and inclusion at university: exploring the experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students in Britain.
Reflections on the intersectionality of race, class, gender, culture and religiosity of the perception of homophobia in the black community.
