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

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dc.contributor.authorChitsamatanga, Bellita Banda
dc.date.accessioned2025-10-13T17:03:46Z
dc.date.available2025-10-13T17:03:46Z
dc.date.issued2023
dc.description.abstractRuraqueer students constantly experience higher levels of victimization, and negative university experiences than their urban and suburban peers. Further, rural students have limited access to university resources while, queer events and workshops related to queer community, as well as university-based ongoing activities to support positive sexuality and gender identity development are scanty. This has been worsened by extant research written from an ‘outsider’ perspective lacking breadth and depth of experiences of queer students especially in rural universities from an African perspective. Anchored on a qualitative approach using purposive sampling, in depth semi-structured interviews were conducted in this study with eight under and postgraduate students who identified as queer. Emerging themes show how rurality intersects with actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity or sex characteristics of queer students in university spaces. Findings challenge the homogenization of university residencies; non-inclusive LGBTQ curricular; university environment that remains homophobic and how traditional, cultural and societal norms contribute to queer students sense of belonging. Implications suggest inclusive teaching and learning and ongoing awareness programmes that acknowledge diversity and enhance visibility of students with intersecting marginalized identities.
dc.description.sponsorshipNRF Sarchl Chair in Sexualities, Genders and Queer Studies - University of Fort Hare.
dc.identifier.citationBanda Chitsamatanga, B. (2025). 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, 28(1-2), 632-653. https://doi.org/10.1177/13634607231208052
dc.identifier.issn1461-7382
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11837/3268
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherSAGE Publications
dc.subjectCis-heteronormative Curriculum
dc.subjectInclusion
dc.subjectIntersectionality
dc.subjectQueer
dc.subjectRural University
dc.titleDo 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
dc.typeArticle
person.identifier.orcidChitsamatanga, Bellita Banda 0000-0003-3208-1071

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