Abstract
Over the last five decades, the field of lesbian studies in Africa has seen an increase in scholarly research. Previous research has focused on the existence of lesbianism in Africa, the fight for legislative rights of lesbian women, the ‘coming out’ experiences of lesbian women and societal views on lesbianism. However, there has been notable scarcity in research which focuses on the lived experiences of black1 lesbian women, even in South Africa (which is the most progressive country on the continent in terms of legislative inclusivity of LGBTI people). The present study sought to fill this gap by exploring the lived experiences of power dynamics in black lesbian relationships in Gauteng through a process of phenomenological enquiry. Three black lesbian women who had been in committed relationships were interviewed. The interviews were transcribed and analysed to identify shared themes between the narratives. These themes served to reveal the essence of the lived experience of power dynamics within black lesbian relationships. Based on the descriptions from the interviews it is evident that black women tend to experience the power dynamic within their relationships as fluid. This fluidity is based on various factors such as skill, preference, practicality and time availability. These findings provide valuable insight into the way in which black lesbian women go about negotiating power dynamics within their relationships, in a society that values patriarchy. These findings may be useful for practitioners working with black lesbian women in various helping professions. Furthermore, information gained in this study may encourage further qualitative research in the field of lesbian studies in South Africa, and Africa at large.
Key words: perception, power dynamics, lesbian relationships, gender roles