Abstract
M.A. (Counselling Psychology)
Against oppressive heteronormative community and cultural norms, as well as conservatism and religious influences, South African gay men of Indian descent experience discrimination that has become less direct in the form of everyday homonegative verbal and nonverbal slights and insults known as microaggressions. Such sexual orientation discrimination is interpersonal, but also structural. The harm can be unintentional. Microaggressions have the effect of psychological harm, shame and invalidation of sexual orientation and gender performativity. This qualitative collective case study focussed on the microaggression accounts of South African gay Indian men. In the findings, both perpetrators and recipients of these microaggression messages were of Indian descent. The focus was on the receivers of these messages, who were four South African gay men of Indian descent. The men were interviewed about microaggressions perpetrated against them, and they also completed diaries where they wrote about these encounters. The data were analysed using a constructionist thematic analysis. The theory of microaggression and the theory of intersectionality were used to interpret the men’s accounts of those microaggressions that were directed at them. The findings showed that microaggressions ranged from direct microassaults to less direct microinsults and microinvalidations. Seven themes emerged from this study; they were: ‘frustration around gender expression’, ‘ugly words’, “coming out-rage”, ‘honour, respect and shame’, ‘reconciling religion and sexual orientation’, ‘double life’ and ‘loss of opportunity’. The findings were discussed the within ideological and discursive problems of heterosexism, heteronormativity, and Indian community values. Microaggressions that go unrecognised lead to oppressive positionings in social interactions.