Abstract
D.Litt. et Phil. (Sociology)
South Africa impressed the world when it became the first country in Africa to acknowledge the rights of same-sex partners in its post-apartheid Constitution. The formally instituted racial and sexual discriminations that dominated during the apartheid period were eradicated, and equality of all citizens, irrespective of their race and sexual orientations was assured as one of the key achievements of a democratic South Africa. The current Constitution allows room for people to express their sexualities freely without being discriminated against as in the past apartheid laws criminalised interracial and same-sex intimate relationships. This recognition bridges the gap of racial and sexual exclusion and inclusion that was created before and during the apartheid era. In spite of the constitutional rights of same-sex partners, same-sex partnerships are not as fully sanctioned within the society as heterosexual unions. Despite this, same-sex couples have forged ahead to establish enduring and fulfilling relationships. This study investigated the familial arrangements and domestic settings shaping interracial gay partnerships in the South African context and seeks to offer empirical and theoretical insights on the topic.
A qualitative research design was adopted in the study. The data was collected through in-depth interviews over a period of eight months from 20 gay men currently in interracial gay unions living in Johannesburg. A snowball technique was adopted and participants were asked to introduce the researcher to other people who met the criteria of the study, and those recommended were contacted and considered for interviewing ...