Queer-Trans-Straight alliances: disrupting cisheteronormativity on University Campuses in the Western Cape Province, SA
Keywords:
cisheteronormativity, queer-trans-straight alliances, trans, allies, higher education, South Africa
Abstract
The Western Cape province is home to four universities ‒ all of which host queer-trans-straight alliances committed to promoting education and advocacy to tackle the marginalisation of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer/questioning, and asexual (LGBTIQ+) students. These alliances include Stellenbosch University’s QueerUS Society, the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Rainbow Society, the University of Western Cape’s (UWC) LoudEnuf Society, and Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) Queer Unicorns. This article offers a comprehensive analysis of the research literature, reports, and media documenting the efforts of these four queer-trans-straight alliances in the Western Cape to highlight their pivotal role in promoting institutional policy reforms and raising social awareness and change initiatives. Using Livermon’s concept of queer labour, this article spotlights the efforts undertaken by queer-trans-straight alliances and argues that they play a pivotal role in destabilising the representation of cisheteronormative cultures and ideologies promoting visibility and inclusion for LGBTIQ+ communities in higher education. The article concludes by exploring how queer labour facilitates queer-trans-straight alliances, social awareness, and change processes in higher education.
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References
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Lesch, E., S. Brits, and N. T. Naidoo. 2017. “‘Walking on eggshells to not offend people’: Experiences of same-sex student couples at a South African university.” South African Journal of Higher Education 31(4): 127-149.
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Livermon, Xavier. 2014. “Soweto Nights: Making black queer space in post-apartheid South Africa.” Gender, Place & Culture 21(4): 508-525.
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Matandela, Mbalenhle. 2017. “Redefining Black Consciousness and resistance: The intersection of Black Consciousness and Black feminist thought.” Agenda 31 (3-4): 10-28.
Matthyse, Glenton. 2017. “Heteronormative higher education: Challenging this status quo through LGBTIQ awareness-raising.” South African Journal of Higher Education 31(4): 112-126.
Mkhize, S.P. and Mthembu, A. 2023. “Unpacking pervasive heteronormativity in sub-Saharan Africa: Opportunities to embrace multiplicity of sexualities.” Progress in Human Geography 47(3) 377-391.
Milani, Tommaso M. 2014. “Querying the queer from Africa: Precarious bodies–precarious gender.” Agenda 28(4): 75-85.
Mwikya, Kenne. 2014. “Unnatural and Un-African.” Feminist Africa 19: 98-105.
Ncwane, Nokwanda. 2023. “LGBTQI staff at UCT against ‘homophobic’ Prof Lumumba’s lecture on campus.” The South African. June 9, 2023. https://www.thesouthafrican.com/news/uct-petition-prof-plo-lumumba-public-lecture-lgbtqi-eff-9-june-2023/
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Rolfe, Lana, and Simone, Peters. 2014. “Through the Rainbow Lens: A Participatory Photovoice Study of LGB students at UCT.” Research Paper. University of Cape Town Psychology Department.
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Stellenbosch University. 2022. “QueerUS”. http://www.sun.ac.za/english/students/student-societies/social-awareness-societies/queerus
Vink, Alex. 2022. “Student’s Representative Council (SRC) 2021/2022 Term Report 3. Womxn and Queer Empowerment ‘WAQE’.” https://www.sun.ac.za/english/management/src/Documents/SRC%20Term%203%20report%20WAQE.pdf
Beukes, Almaz, and Dennis Francis. 2020. We don't want to stand out, yet some of us do”: the experiences and responses of gender counter-normative students at Stellenbosch University. South African Journal of Higher Education. 34(6):10-26.
Braun, Virginia, and Victoria Clarke. 2006. “Using thematic analysis in psychology.” Qualitative research in psychology 3(2): 77-101.
Brown, Anthony, Nonhlanhla Maseko, and Mabatho Sedibe. 2020. “‘I only relieve myself when I get home in the afternoons’ Microaggressions in (queered) bathroom spaces at a South African university.” Agenda 34(2): 32-40.
Buthelezi, Johannes, and Anthony Brown. 2023. “In (ex)clusion of transgender students in South African higher education institutions.” Transformation in Higher Education 8:1-11.
Calitz, Ernst. 2023. “UCT students and staff protest against anti-gay academic Patrick Lumumba at EFF event.” Daily Maverick. 25 July. https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2023-07-25-uct-students-and-staff-protest-against-anti-gay-academic-patrick-lumumba-at-eff-event/
Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT). 2022a. “A report on the launch of the Queer Unicorns Society at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) on 23 February 2022.” https://www.cput.ac.za/storage/services/CDISC/2022/Report-on-the-Launch-of-Queer-Unicorns-at-CPUT.pdf
Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT). 2022b. “CPUT proudly launches Queer Unicorns society.” March 2, 2022. https://www.cput.ac.za/newsroom/news/article/4426/cput-proudly-launches-queer-unicorns-society?fbclid=IwAR3bUGK8OrRoHc_65Tr6UyLoHR6BAjRRqpbzaQZUGVTPhNmfKp6Hj5Bbgec
Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT). 2023. “History of the Cape Peninsula University of Technology.” https://www.cput.ac.za/about/history#:~:text=The%20Cape%20Peninsula%20University%20of%20Technology%20was%20established%20on%201,education%20landscape%20in%20South%20Africa
Chitsamatanga, Bellita Banda. 2023. Do we have the right to call ourselves an inclusive university? Untold stories of queer students at a rural university in Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Sexualities. 1-22.
Creswell, John. 2014. A concise introduction to mixed methods research. Washington DC: SAGE publications.
Davids, Nuraan. 2019. “Gender-based violence in South African universities: An institutional challenge.” Council on Higher Education, 10:1-12. Available at: https://www.che.ac.za/file/6459/download?token=XT7N1ToO
Felix, Jason. and Charles, Marvin. 2023. “Controversial anti-gay scholar Patrick Lumumba delivers fiery speech at EFF birthday rally amid protests.” News24. July 25, 2023. https://www.news24.com/news24/politics/parliament/controversial-anti-gay-scholar-patrick-lumumba-delivers-fiery-speech-at-eff-birthday-rally-amid-protests-20230725
Francis, Dennis. 2021a. “A gay agenda”: Troubling compulsory heterosexuality in a South African university classroom. Teaching Sociology. 49(3): 278–290
Francis, Dennis. 2021b. ‘Queering the (Ab)Normalization of Gender, (Hetero)Sexuality and Schooling in South Africa’. Journal of Homosexuality 68(10):1571–90. doi: 10.1080/00918369.2019.1701337.
Francis, D.A. 2023. “And I would ask myself, what’s being gay got to do with this anyway?” Constructions of queer subject positions in student’s stories. Education, Citizenship and Social Justice. 18(1): 59-70.
Francis, Dennis. 2022. Queer Activism in South African Education: Disrupting Cis (hetero) normativity in Schools. New York: Taylor & Francis.
Gender DynamiX. 2023. “Model Policy Framework for Inclusion of Trans and Gender Diverse Students within Higher Education Institutions in South Africa” https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FBhoQwxAYmvmAh3QBpptvnX-0r02dMyR/view?usp=sharing
Graziano, Kevin J. 2005. “Reflections from university students in a South African gay and lesbian society.” International Journal for the Advancement of Counselling 27: 299-310.
Hames, Mary. 2007. “Sexual identity and transformation at a South African university.” Social Dynamics 33(1): 52-77.
Govender, Prega. 2023. Minutes show that Stellenbosch University SRC knew about Wilgenhof's allegations as far back as 2020. News24. 27 January, 2024. https://www.news24.com/news24/southafrica/news/minutes-show-stellenbosch-university-src-knew-about-wilgenhof-res-allegations-as-far-back-as-2020-20240127
Khampepe, Sisi. 2022. “Commission of Inquiry into allegations of racism at Stellenbosch University report: Final report.” https://www.sun.ac.za/english/Documents/2022/Commission-of-Inquiry-into-Allegations-of-Racism-at-Stellenbosch-University-Report.pdf
Kuloba, Robert W. 2016. “‘Homosexuality is Unafrican and unbiblical’: Examining the ideological motivations to homophobia in sub-Saharan Africa–The case study of Uganda.” Journal of Theology for Southern Africa 154: 6-27.
Kunene, Ashanti. 2018. “A Stellenbosch University# FeesMustFall Herstory: Reflections of a So-Called ‘Radical Black Intersectional Feminist’.” Politeia (02568845) 37(2): 1-14.
Lesch, E., S. Brits, and N. T. Naidoo. 2017. “‘Walking on eggshells to not offend people’: Experiences of same-sex student couples at a South African university.” South African Journal of Higher Education 31(4): 127-149.
Livermon, Xavier. 2012. “Queer (y) ing freedom: black queer visibilities in post-apartheid South Africa.” GLQ: A Journal of Lesbian and Gay Studies 18(2-3): 297-323.
Livermon, Xavier. 2014. “Soweto Nights: Making black queer space in post-apartheid South Africa.” Gender, Place & Culture 21(4): 508-525.
Livermon, Xavier. 2023. “Pivoting toward solidarity: Black studies, Black feminism, and performance in geographical scholarship on sexuality.” Dialogues in Human Geography: 1-5.
Manare, Hloni. 2020. “SRC revamps portfolio to empower women and queer students.” Matie Media. May 5, 2020. https://www.matiemedia.org/src-revamps-portfolio-to-empower-women-and-queer-students/?fbclid=IwAR2X8Si2rHiCX1vwJj0gP-qjU9juAHp_XalbD7YZemxArH2Lz4UKOz0u4Dk
Matandela, Mbalenhle. 2017. “Redefining Black Consciousness and resistance: The intersection of Black Consciousness and Black feminist thought.” Agenda 31 (3-4): 10-28.
Matthyse, Glenton. 2017. “Heteronormative higher education: Challenging this status quo through LGBTIQ awareness-raising.” South African Journal of Higher Education 31(4): 112-126.
Mkhize, S.P. and Mthembu, A. 2023. “Unpacking pervasive heteronormativity in sub-Saharan Africa: Opportunities to embrace multiplicity of sexualities.” Progress in Human Geography 47(3) 377-391.
Milani, Tommaso M. 2014. “Querying the queer from Africa: Precarious bodies–precarious gender.” Agenda 28(4): 75-85.
Mwikya, Kenne. 2014. “Unnatural and Un-African.” Feminist Africa 19: 98-105.
Ncwane, Nokwanda. 2023. “LGBTQI staff at UCT against ‘homophobic’ Prof Lumumba’s lecture on campus.” The South African. June 9, 2023. https://www.thesouthafrican.com/news/uct-petition-prof-plo-lumumba-public-lecture-lgbtqi-eff-9-june-2023/
Odendaal, Alison J., and Juan A. Nel. 2022. "Reflections on University of South Africa’s LGBTIQA+ Community Engagement.” In Un) Silence LGBTI Experiences and Identities in Institutions of Higher Learning in South Africa, eds. Kiguwa, P, Nduna, M, Mavhandu-Mudzusi, A, Mooketsane, K & Bandawe, C. 1-20. Pretoria: UNISA Press.
Reid, Graeme. 2022. “Progress and Setbacks on LGBT Rights in Africa — An Overview of the Last Year.” Human Rights Watch, June 22, 2022. https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/06/22/progress-and-setbacks-lgbt-rights-africa-overview-last-year
Rolfe, Lana, and Simone, Peters. 2014. “Through the Rainbow Lens: A Participatory Photovoice Study of LGB students at UCT.” Research Paper. University of Cape Town Psychology Department.
South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC). 2023. “Professor Patrick Lumumba on Uganda's anti-homosexuality act.” June 12, 2023. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0COPj3xkjI
SPECTRUM! 2021. “Constitution of SPECTRUM!” https://tr.ee/7BTqeGoas8
Stellenbosch University. 2022. “QueerUS”. http://www.sun.ac.za/english/students/student-societies/social-awareness-societies/queerus
Vink, Alex. 2022. “Student’s Representative Council (SRC) 2021/2022 Term Report 3. Womxn and Queer Empowerment ‘WAQE’.” https://www.sun.ac.za/english/management/src/Documents/SRC%20Term%203%20report%20WAQE.pdf
Published
2025-07-04
How to Cite
Bimha, P.Z.J., and D. Francis. 2025. “Queer-Trans-Straight Alliances: Disrupting Cisheteronormativity on University Campuses in the Western Cape Province, SA”. South African Journal of Higher Education 39 (3), 37-52. https://doi.org/10.20853/39-3-6483.
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