An Ethnography of Gays and Lesbians in Harare, Zimbabwe
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UNDERSTANDING DEFIANT IDENTITIES: AN ETHNOGRAPHY OF GAYS AND LESBIANS IN HARARE, ZIMBABWE A Thesis Submitted in Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY OF RHODES UNIVERSITY BY NELSON MUPARAMOTO February 2018 Supervisor: Professor Michael Drewett Department of Sociology Abstract Over the years, western and local media have mediated a narrative of a thoroughly homophobic Zimbabwe, not the least emanating from the former president Robert Mugabe’s ongoing homocritical utterances which recurrently generated global news stories. The country does indeed have a protracted history characterised by various forms of attacks on Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe, its membership, and the general lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community. A dominant discourse has framed homosexual identities as on or beyond the border of what is acceptable, giving the clear message that they should not be tolerated. However, the narrative needs a more nuanced analysis than what has been popularised. That homophobia has played a significant role in Zimbabwe is of great import, but it is not and cannot be all there is to say about LGBT lives in the country. And, while scholarship on Zimbabwean homosexualities has engaged with debates about its indigeneity, morality and acceptability, it has as of yet not significantly explored the lived realities of non-heterosexual individuals from their own point of view. This thesis aims to begin doing exactly that, addressing the experiences of same-sex loving and attracted individuals in Harare. Drawing on ethnographic sociology, the thesis focuses on understanding how gay and lesbian identities are constructed, negotiated and experienced within an environment that is in many ways overtly homophobic, where, for example, the risk for social exclusion is considerable. It explores what characterises and shapes gay and lesbian identities in Harare in an attempt to interrogate how they reinforce, modify and challenge dominant social categories and relate to globally circulating queer identity categories. The thesis demonstrates that the construction of identities among same sex loving people in Harare variously draws on both locally and globally circulating ideas and insights. The thesis reveals that beyond the considerable attacks on homosexual identities in Zimbabwe, the intersection of local and international discourses on gay and lesbian identities produces identities that are to varying degrees emergent, fluid and perhaps fragmented. Despite attempts to expunge non-heterosexuals from Zimbabwean citizenry by drawing borders on the basis of sexual orientation, same sex loving individuals in Harare have defiantly expressed, negotiated and managed their sexual identities. The thesis describes and analyses things like dating patterns, decision making in same sex relations as well as family and religious experiences. i Invoking Goffman’s concept of self-presentation enables one to understand how participants expressed themselves in the midst of like-minded or homo-tolerant individuals and how they deployed themselves in ‘spaces’ considered homocritical or where resentment was likely to be provoked by them openly expressing their sexual orientation. Crucially, same-sex loving and attracted individuals are agentic individuals who have variously stretched the traditional meanings associated with gender and sexuality in a context characterised by heteronormativity. This thesis usefully deploys Giddens’ (1991, 1992) theorisation of late modernity as characterised by conditions allowing a profusion of competing and sometimes contradictory identity discourses which offers the opportunity for self-reflexivity and identity negotiation. This helps us to understand the defiant identities. Whereas western circulating identity politics tout ‘coming out of the closet’, for most of the participants overt indiscriminate disclosure was to be avoided with participants therein deploying strategies that would help them to remain closeted to some family members as well as in religious circles. The consequences of ‘outing’ or disclosure are ostensibly not straightforward but complex, thus requiring a nuanced analysis that goes beyond the binary categories framed as either negative or positive. The thesis shows that experiences of same sex loving people in their families are complex rather than simply situated on the polar ends of either rejection or acceptance. Whilst dominant discourse has depicted religion as fuelling homophobia as it depicts a Christian identity and queer identities as incompatible, the thesis also explores how some participants challenge the borders drawn in religious circles and maintain a relatively active religious life but not always without conflict. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Firstly I thank God, my creator and redeemer, my provider and stronghold. My sincere gratitude goes to my academic advisors whose mental astuteness and magnanimous effort spurred me to complete this work. Professor Michael Drewett, I am indeed forever grateful, your patience and priceless insights during the course of this study. You often brought me back to the discipline of sociology as I occasionally strayed to epidemiology. Your sociological expertise made this study possible. Professor Kåre Moen, I am forever grateful. We have come a long way, since 2010 at the MARPs (Key populations) short course when you introduced me to scholarship on non- normative sexualities, the UZ journey, our beatings in the field (kuraidiwa) and the weeks spent in Oslo. I am glad you have been there from the beginning to the end of this project. When I was tempted to write as an activist you had a way of bringing me back to academic writing. Dr Rose Jaji and Professor Rudo Gaidzanwa you were very instrumental in the development of this work at UZ, your input is greatly appreciated. I am grateful to International Association for the Study of Sexuality, Culture and Sexuality (IASSCS) and Institute of Health and Society, University of Oslo. IASSCS provided some funds for completion of this work through the IASSCS-FORD FOUNDATION: Emerging Scholars International Research Fellowship. Prof Moen and Institute of Health and Society, University of Oslo I am deeply gratefully for the support that enabled my visits to the institute in 2016 and 2017. Along the way there are people who helped a lot in this study, Gertrude Bvindi, Tinashe Mukandidze, and Daniel Dauda you made the fieldwork possible through your support in various capacities. Most importantly I want to thank all the study participants whom I am unable to list, for openly sharing your life experiences. The study would not have been possible without your participation. I am indeed grateful to my friends at the Centre who have tirelessly worked in an environment that can potentially be dangerous: Chester, Sammie, Gilbert, Munya, Lewis, Dianna, Tash and Rody. When I was beaten in the field some of you came to visit me that was so inspiring. Trymore Gendi (Tiara) I owe you big time, thank you for some meaningful insights whenever I engaged with you during the write up phase. I would also want to extend my appreciation to the epistemic community that I work with. The first month of 2018 we have been in the trenches together fighting for ‘what we believe to be a iii just cause’. Sandra Bhatasara, Julius Musevenzi, Reko Mate, Rudo Gaidzanwa, Ignatious Gutsa (Gustavo), Mandizadza, Chevo, Bigman, Cde Sadomba, we have been there for each other despite all the intimidation and threats, thank you guys. Aluta continua. To Oliver Mutanga, Admire Mare and Manase Chiweshe, thank you guys for your valuable input and support. Pastor Innoe Chizhande, Pastor Morris Mlambo and Bamunini Munya Mutema, brothers in Christ, you encouraged me when I felt the heat. Samson Mhizha, N.Z. Choguya- Setete, Owen Nyamwanza (Baba Nomu) and Justin (Mtape) Tandire we shared some notes and encouraged each other, thank you. Amuzweni Lerato Ngoma, thanks for challenging me during my brief visit to Rhodes. Mr D Mungoshi thank you for reading through the thesis. Malvin Chiweshe your support with accommodation and the wheels in Grahamstown is greatly appreciated. Elder Shanganya and Dzvuke the drives to the airport at times during odd hours, thank you. Dulcie and Mai Maumbe you had faith in all this, thank you for the encouragement. Sandra (mama Sandie) Sigauke, Takunda (Blakes) Chipfiko, Rejoice Murisi and Winnie Bakili thank you for helping out with some transcriptions when it became overwhelming. To my family: my parents Baba namai Sigauke & Baba namai Muparamoto, thank you very much. Kule Simba, Allan, Sandra, Rodgers, Gatsi, Tsano Tawa, Tsano Berto and family I appreciate your support, thank you. My ‘sink boys’, legends in the own right Tumaini and Inathi you kept me going, I have set the bar, I hope will uphold the legacy. My beautiful partner Rufaro Violet, you have supported me all the way, sometimes you had to endure solitary moments as I travelled this journey. That look when I came home after the beatings in the field, sorry love I got you scared, but that’s ethnography, you can’t afford not to get dirty. I know I put you in a difficult situation when our relatives had to ask you about what I study, you did not think they would be comfortable with my area of interest. You are next online dear, it’s your turn, and I believe you will make it. iv Table of Contents Abstract ...........................................................................................................................................