Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Troubling the Teaching and Learning of Gender and Sexuality Diversity in South African Education pp 33–54Cite as

Palgrave Macmillan

Troubling the Research

  • Chapter
  • First Online:

  • 327 Accesses

Part of the book series: Queer Studies and Education ((QSTED))

Abstract

In this chapter, I call attention to the contentions and complexities of researching gender and sexuality diversity and schooling. My research draws on two and a half years of in-depth interviews and classroom observation carried out in the Free State Province, the third largest province in South Africa. Drawing on this experience, I raise questions about researching the teaching and learning of non-heterosexualities in education. I conclude with suggestions for further studies, which include the need for engagement with methodological issues such as insider/outsider epistemological privilege and disadvantage, sampling and the recruitment of gender and sexuality minority participants, accessing gatekeepers, evaluating alternative methodologies, ethical protocols specifically issues of anonymity, informed consent, and participant risk as a field for future research.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   79.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD   99.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

References

  • Advertorial Supplement. (2011, November 18). Free state—Facts and figures. Advertorial Supplement. Mail and Guardian. Retrieved from http://mg.co.za/article/2011-11-18-free-state-facts-and-figures

  • Allen, L. (2010). Queer(y)ing the straight researcher: The relationship(?) between researcher identity and anti-normative knowledge. Feminism & Psychology, 20(2), 147–165. doi:10.1177/0959353509355146.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baxen, J. (2008). Teacher identity and the challenge of teaching about, and within, the context of HIV/AIDS. In M. Dunne (Ed.), Gender, sexuality and development (pp. 171–183). Rotterdam: Sense Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bhana, S., & Bridglal, P. (1984). A documentary history of Indian South Africans. Cape Town: David Philip.

    Google Scholar 

  • Browne, K. (2005). Snowball sampling: Using social networks to research non-heterosexual women. International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 8(1), 47–60. doi:10.1080/1364557032000081663.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Butler, A., & Astbury, G. (2008). The use of defence mechanisms as precursors to coming out in post-apartheid South Africa: A gay and lesbian youth perspective. Journal of Homosexuality, 55(2), 223–244. doi:10.1080/00918360802129485.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Butler, A., Alpaslan, A., Allen, J. G., & Astbury, G. (2003). Gay and lesbian youth experiences of homophobia in South African secondary education. Journal of Gay & Lesbian Issues in Education, 1(2), 3–28. doi:10.1300/J367v01n02_02.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clingman, S. (1998). Bram Fischer. Afrikaner Revolutionary. Cape Town: David Phillip Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coetzee, A., & Kok, J. (2001). What prohibits the successful implementation of HIV/AIDS, sexuality and life-skills education programmes in schools. South African Journal of Education, 21, 6–10.

    Google Scholar 

  • Davenport, T. (1991). South Africa. A modern history (4th ed.). London: Macmillan Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • De Larch, G. (2014). The visible queer: Portraiture and the reconstruction of gender identity. Agenda, 28(4), 118–124. doi:10.1080/10130950.2014.968408.

    Google Scholar 

  • Deacon, R. A., Morrell, R., & Prinsloo, J. (1999). Discipline and homophobia in South African schools: The limits of legislated transformation. In D. Epstein & J. Sears (Eds.), A dangerous knowing: Sexuality, pedagogy and popular culture (pp. 164–180). London: Cassel.

    Google Scholar 

  • DePalma, R., & Atkinson, E. (2006). The sound of silence: Talking about sexual orientation and schooling. Sex Education, 6(4), 333–349.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DePalma, R., & Francis, D. (2014). Silence, nostalgia, violence, poverty … : What does “culture” mean for South African sexuality educators? Culture. Health & Sexuality, 16(5), 547–561. doi:10.1080/13691058.2014.891050.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Department of Education. (2011). Curriculum and assessment policy statement life orientation further education and training phase grades 10–12. Republic of South Africa: Department of Basic Education.

    Google Scholar 

  • Donelson, R., & Rogers, T. (2004). Negotiating a research protocol for studying school-based gay and lesbian issues. Theory into Practice, 43(2), 128–135. doi:10.1207/s15430421tip4302_6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Du Preez Bezdrop, A. (2000). Winnie Mandela: A life. Cape Town: Zebra Press. Retrieved June 20, 2015, from http://www.sahistory.org.za/dated-event/winnie-mandela-banished-brandfort

  • Ferfolja, T. (2007). Teacher negotiations of sexual subjectivities. Gender and Education, 19(5), 569–586. doi:10.1080/09540250701535584.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fihlani, P. (2014). Inside South Africa’s whites-only town of Orania. Oriania: BBC News.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fine, M., & Weis, L. (1998). Being reflexive in critical educational and social research. In G. Shacklock & J. Smyth (Eds.), Confronting our own research/writing dilemmas in urban ethnographies (pp. 13–35). London: Falmer Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Francis, D. (2006). Between race; beyond race: The experience of self identification of Indian-white biracial young adults and the factors affecting their choice of identity. Psychology in Society, 34, 1–16.

    Google Scholar 

  • Francis, D. (2010). Sexuality education in South Africa: Three essential questions. International Journal of Educational Development, 30(3), 314–319. doi:10.1016/j.ijedudev.2009.12.003.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Francis, D. (2011). Wedged within a triad of contradictory values: Sexuality education in South Africa. African Journal of Psychology, 21(2), 319–328.

    Google Scholar 

  • Francis, D. (2012). Teacher positioning on the teaching of sexual diversity in South African schools. Culture, Health & Sexuality, 14(6), 597–611. doi:10.1080/13691058.2012.674558.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Francis, D. (2013). “You know the homophobic stuff is not in me, like us, it’s out there”. Using participatory theatre to challenge heterosexism and heteronormativity in a South African school. South African Journal of Education, 33(4), 1–14.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Francis, D. (2014). “You must be thinking what a lesbian man teacher is doing in a nice place like Dipane Letsie School?”: Enacting, negotiating and reproducing dominant understandings of gender in a rural school in the Free State, South Africa. Gender and Education, 1–14. doi:10.1080/09540253.2014.947246.

    Google Scholar 

  • Francis, D., Muthukrishna, N., & Ramsuran, A. (2006). Deconstructing participatory research in a context of HIV/AIDS. Journal of Education, 37, 139–164.

    Google Scholar 

  • Francis, D. A., & Reygan, F. C. G. (2016). Relationships, intimacy and desire in the lives of lesbian, gay and bisexual youth in South Africa. South African Review of Sociology, 47(3). doi:10.1080/21528586.2016.1163290.

  • Geoffrion, K. (2014). Book review: Researching non heterosexual sexualities. Culture Health & Sexuality, 16(4), 469–472.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Griffin, P. (1991). Identity management strategies among lesbian and gay educators. Qualitative Studies in Education, 4(3), 189–202.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Griffin, P., & Ouellet, M. (2003). Historical trends in addressing LGBT issues in schools. Equity and Excellence in Education, 36(2), 106–124.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Handelman, S. (1985). Only whites are free in Orange Free State. Star: Tor.

    Google Scholar 

  • Helleve, A., Flisher, A. J., Onya, H., Mũkoma, W., & Klepp, K.-I. (2009). South African teachers’ reflections on the impact of culture on their teaching of sexuality and HIV/AIDS. Culture Health & Sexuality, 11, 189–204.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Helleve, A., Flisher, A. J., Onya, H., Mũkoma, W., & Klepp, K.-I. (2011). Can any teacher teach sexuality and HIV/AIDS? Perspectives of South African life orientation teachers. Sex Education, 11(1), 13–26. doi:10.1080/14681811.2011.538143.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Humphrey, C., & Tolkien, C. (1955). The letters of J.R.R. Tolkien. London: HarperCollins Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jagose, A. (1996). Queer theory: An introduction. New York: New York University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Keet, A. (2014). Looking back into the future: A transformation report of the UFS, 2004–2014. Bloemfontein: University of the Free State.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kowen, D., & Davis, J. (2006). Opaque young lives: Experiences of lesbian youth. Agenda, 20(67), 80–92. doi:10.1080/10130950.2006.9674701.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kumashiro, K. (2000). Toward a theory of anti-oppressive education. Review of Educational Research, 70, 25–53.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kumashiro, K. (2001). “Posts” perspectives on anti-oppressive education in social studies, english, mathematics, and science classrooms. Educational Researcher, 30(3), 3–12. doi:10.3102/0013189X030003003.

  • Kumashiro, K. (2002). Troubling education: Queer activism and anti-oppressive pedagogy. New York: RoutledgeFalmer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Letts, W. J. (1999). How to make “boys” and “girls” in the classroom: The heteronrmative nature of elementary school science. In W. J. Letts & J. T. Sears (Eds.), Queering elementary school science (pp. 97–110). New York: Rowman & Littlefield.

    Google Scholar 

  • Limb, P. (2010). The ANC’s early years. Nation, class and place in South Africa before 1940, hidden histories series. Pretoria: UNISA Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • McArthur, T. (2015). Homophobic violence in a Northern Cape school: Learners confront the issue. Agenda, 1–7. doi:10.1080/10130950.2015.1056587.

  • Merriam, S. B. (1998). Qualitative research and case study application in education. San Francisco: JosseyBass Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller, S. J. (2015). A queer literacy framework promoting (a)gender and (a)sexuality self-determination and justice. English Journal, 104(5), 37–44.

    Google Scholar 

  • Morrell, R. (2002). A calm after the storm? Beyond schooling as violence. Educational Review, 54(1), 37–46.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morrell, R. (2003). Silence, sexuality and HIV/AIDS in South African schools. The Australian Educational Researcher, 30(1), 41–61.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Msibi, T. (2012). “I’m used to it now”: Experiences of homophobia among queer youth in South African township schools. Gender and Education, 24(5), 515–533. doi:10.1080/09540253.2011.645021.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Msibi, T. (2013). Denied love: Same-sex desire, agency and social oppression among African men who engage in same sex relations. Agenda, 27(2), 105–118.

    Google Scholar 

  • Phellas, C., & Coxon, A. (2012). An overview of development in research methods applied to non-heterosexual men. In C. Phellas (Ed.), Researching non-heterosexual sexuaities (pp. 9–38). Farnham: Ashgate.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reddy, S. (2005). “It’s not as easy as ABC”: Dynamics of intergenerational power and resistance within the context of HIV / AIDS. Perspectives in Education, 23, 11–19.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reygan, F., & Francis, D. (2015). Emotions and pedagogies of discomfort: Teachers responses to sexual and gender diversity in the Free State, South Africa. Education as Change, 19(1), 101–119. doi:10.1080/16823206.2014.943259.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Richardson, E. (2008). Researching LGB youth in post apartheid South Africa. Journal of Gay and Lesbian Issues in Education, 3, 135–140.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rugalema, G., & Khanye, V. (2002). Mainstreaming HIV/AIDS in the education systems in sub-Saharan Africa: Some preliminary insights. Perspectives in Education, 20(2), 20–36.

    Google Scholar 

  • SAPA. (2014, August 4). Free State principals and teacher suspended. The Citizen.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schoeman, K. (1986). ’n Ander land. Cape Town: Human & Rousseau.

    Google Scholar 

  • Seidman, S., Meeks, C., & Traschen, F. (1999). Beyond the closet? The changing social meaning of homosexuality in the United States. Sexualities, 2(1), 9–34. doi:10.1177/136346099002001002.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, D. (2011, December 30). ANC celebrates its centenary trading on past glories. Publication.

    Google Scholar 

  • Soudien, C., Micheals, W., Mthembi-Mahanyele, S., Nkomo, M., Nyanda, G., Nyoka, N., et al. (2008). Report of the ministerial committee on transformation and social cohesion and the elimination of discrimination in public higher education institutions. Pretoria: Department of Education.

    Google Scholar 

  • South African History Online. (2000). Anti-Indian Legislation 1800s–1959. Retrieved June 19, 2015, from http://www.sahistory.org.za/politics-and-society/anti-indian-legislation-1800s-1959

  • Toft, A. (2013). Researching bisexuality and Christianity; locating hidden population and the use of reflexivity. In C. Phellas (Ed.), Researching non-heterosexual sexualities (pp. 41–55). Ashgate: Farnham.

    Google Scholar 

  • University of the Free State (2006). From grey to gold. The first 100 years of the University of the Free State. Paarl: Paarl Print.

    Google Scholar 

  • Unterhalter, E., Epstein, D., Morrell, R., & Moletsane, R. (2004). Be yourself: Class, race, gender and sexuality in South African schoolchildren’s accounts of social relations. Pedagogy, Culture & Society, 12(1), 53–72. doi:10.1080/14681360400200189.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weather South Africa. (2015). South African Weather Service. Retrieved June 17, 2015, from http://web.archive.org/web/20120315025056/http://old.weathersa.co.za/Climat/Climstats/BloemfonteinStats.jsp

  • Wilcox, M. (2012). Research religion in LGBTQ populations. In C. Phellas (Ed.), Researching non-heterosexual sexualities. Farnham: Ashgate.

    Google Scholar 

  • Willigg, C. (2001). Introducing qualitative research in psychology: Adventures in theory and method. Buckingham: Open University Press.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Sociology and Social Anthropology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa

    Dennis A. Francis

Authors
  1. Dennis A. Francis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Copyright information

© 2017 The Author(s)

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Francis, D.A. (2017). Troubling the Research. In: Troubling the Teaching and Learning of Gender and Sexuality Diversity in South African Education. Queer Studies and Education. Palgrave Macmillan, New York. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-53027-1_3

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-53027-1_3

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, New York

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-137-53026-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-137-53027-1

  • eBook Packages: EducationEducation (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation