The persistence of homophobic discourses: Narratives of a group of gay men in Cape Town, South Africa

abstractHomophobia and ‘hate crimes’ against the LGBTI community have been widely documented in South Africa, notwithstanding huge advances that have been made to protect the right of sexual orientation post-1994. This article draws on a larger qualitative study within contemporary South African contexts, following constitutional and legal changes in this respect. A qualitative study based on in-depth interviews with 15 participants, a sample of self-identified gay men aged 20–46 years, drawn from a local university in the larger Cape Metropole, was conducted. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed through thematic and narrative analysis, drawing on the listening guide of Gilligan and co-authors (2003). The narratives that were shared by participants highlighted how homophobia continues to exist within different spheres of society (home, school and tertiary education). Some gay participants were emboldened to subvert or challenge power relations, particularly when facing homopho...