A feminist analysis of Black lesbian students’ academic and social experiences at a technical and vocational education and training institution in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa = Uhlaziyo lwenjulalwazi yemvunamanina yamava abafundi abathandana nobulili obufana nobabo ezikhungeni zemfundo ephakeme nezokufundela umsebenzi KwaZulu-Natali, eNingizimu Afrika.

Abstract

There is scant research regarding the experiences of Black lesbian students in relation to their access to tertiary education, their success at higher education institutions and their experiences with their lecturers and co-students, especially within the environment of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges. The lack of empirical research on the academic and social experiences of Black lesbian students has left a gap in the understanding of how their social identities intersect to influence their post-school education and training experiences. To address this gap in knowledge, I investigated the academic and social experiences of six Black lesbian students at a TVET college in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. This dissertation adopted an eclectic theoretic approach, using the African decolonial perspective of Oyeronke Oyèwùmí as well as the work of decolonial feminist theorist, Maria Lugones. I also drew on key concepts from Black feminist thinkers Patricia Hill-Collins and bell hooks – in particular, their concept of intersectionality. I used these frameworks to argue against the ongoing influences of past colonialism and apartheid that tend to permeate the institutional culture of TVET colleges in South Africa. This feminist research study adopted a qualitative methodology and used visual narrative inquiry. Data was collected using semi-structured interviews, photo voice, reflective journaling and focus groups. Poetry was used as a data-generating reflective tool. Data analysis combined both visual narrative analysis and analysis of the narratives. Findings revealed institutional heterosexism and a lack of educational access for black lesbian students at this TVET college which impeded their educational participation and success, resulting in failure, absenteeism and dropout. Educational access is understood in this thesis as a multifaceted phenomenon that includes administrative, financial, physical, social, career guidance and epistemic aspects. Enablers to learning at the college included individual strategies (using their own agency) as well as strategies that the college could initiate. This included stronger support from lecturers to contribute to lesbian students’ participation in class and their academic success. Meeting other lesbians who were open about their sexual identities was also another enabler to learning, as it provided these students with a sense of belonging. Financial enablers to be able to attend a college and study were present in the form of the NSFAS grant, which covered their study costs and also enabled them to provide support to their families. Whilst there has been significant evolution in the TVET sector in terms of administrative access and funding for students, the provision of psychological support for minority students is still lacking. This study recommends that the Department of Higher Education develop ongoing psychological support interventions to address the negative psychological impacts LGBTQ+ students experience within the tertiary environment, inclusive curriculum and institutional policies. New college buildings should always include 3-5 individual toilets to provide an alternative for individuals who feel uncomfortable entering the main toilet blocks.

Iqoqa.

Kunocwaningo olungenele mayelana nezimpilo zabaFundi abaMnyama abathanda nobobulili obufana nobabo mayelana nokungena kwabo ezikhungweni zemfundo ephakeme, ukuphumulela kwabo ezikhungweni zemfundo ephakeme kanye nezimpilo zabo kanye babafundisi babo basezikhungweni eziphakeme Kanye namava abo nabafundisi nabanye abafundi abafunda nabo, ikakhulukazi phakathi ezimweni zasemaKolishi okufundela imfundo yamakhono kanye nokuqeqeshelwa imisebenzi (TVET). Ukwesweleka kocwaningo olubambekayo ngempilo yokufunda kanye nenhlalo yabafundi abaMnyama abathandana nobulili obufana nobabo sekushiye igebe ekuqondakaleni kokuthi kuhlangana kanjani ububona benhlalo ekubeni nomthelela emfundweni engale kwamabanga aphezulu kanye nempilo yalapho abaqeqeshwa khona. Ukubhekana naleli gebe olwazini, ngiphenye impilo kwezemfundo kanye nenhlalo yabafundi abayisithupha abaMnyama abathandana nobulili obufana nobabo ekolishi lase-TVET eMgungundlovu, esiFundazweni saKwaZulu-Natali, eNingizimu Afrika. Lolu cwaningombhalo lulandele indlelakwenza yenjulalwazi ehlanganisa konke, ngokusebenzisa indlelakubuka ephikisana nokuqonela yase-Afrika ka-Oyeronke Oyèwùmí kanye nomsebenzi kaNonjulalwazi wenjulalwazi yokuqonelwa ngokweMvunamanina, uMaria Lugones.Ngibuye ngacaphuna imiqondomsuka esemqoka yezincithabuchopho zabaMnyama ezingoNonjulalwazi oPatricia Hill-Collins kanye noBell Hooks – uma ngikhetha, ukuqonda kwabo inhlanganisela yengxenye yempilo. Ngisebenzise lezi zinhlaka ukuqakulisa ngokuphikisana nemithelela eqhubekayo yobuqonela obedlule kanye nesikhathi sobandlululo okubonakala kuvela esikweni lwezikhungo zamakolishi angama-TVET eNingizimu Afrka. Lolu cwaningo ngempilo yabesifazane lulandele indlela yocwaningo yobunjalobotho futhi lusebenzise uphenyo lwezingxoxo ezinezibonakaliso. Imininingo yaqoqwa kusetshenziswa izingxoxo ezisakuhleleka, izwi eliqoshiwe, amajenali okuqophela ukubuyekezwa kokuqoshiwe kanye namaqoqo azocwaningwa. Ubunkondlo basetshenziswa njengensizakusebenza yokuqoqa imininingo. Ukuhlaziywa kwemininingo kuhlanganise kokubili izingxoxo ezinezibonakaliso kanye nokuhlaziya izingxoxo. Imiphumela yaveza ubulili obamukelekile besikhungo kanye nokungangeneki kwezemfundo kubafundi abamnyama abathandana nobulili obufana nobabo kuleli kolishi lase-TVET nokuphazamise ukuzibandakanya kwabo ekufundeni kanye nempumelelo, okuholela ekwahlulekeni ezifundweni, ukungayi esikoleni kanye nokuyeka phakathi nendawo. Ukungenelela kwezemfundo kuqondakala kulo mqingo njengesimo esiyizinhlaka ezahlukehlukene okubalwa kuso ukwaqwashiseka ngokwamukeleka ngokubhalisa, ezezimali, imizimba yabo, ezenhlalo, imikhakha yemisebenzi kanye nezinhlaka zolwazi. Okuvumela ukufunda ekolishi kubalwa kukho amasu omuntu ngamunye (esebenzisa imigudu yakhe) kanye namasu amakolishi angawasebenzisa. Lokhu kubalwa njengokwelekelelwa okuqinile kwabafundisi basezikhungweni eziphezulu okuba nomthelela ekuzibandakanyeni kwabafundi abathandana nobulili obufana nobabo eklasini kanye nasempumelelweni yabo ekufundeni kwabo. iii Ukuhlangana nabanye bobulili obuguquliwe abavulelekile ngobubona bobulili babo kwaba okunye okuvumela ukufunda, njengoba kwakunikeza laba bafundi umuzwa wokwamukeleka. Ukuvunyelwa ngezezimali ukukwazi ukuthi bangene ekolishi futhi bafunde kwakukhona ngendlela yesibonelelo sezimali zika-NSFAS, okwakubhekelela izindleko zokufunda kwabo kanye nokubhekelela izidingo zemindeni yabo. Yize sekukhona ukuthuthuka okukhulu emkhakheni wase-TVET mayelana nokungena ngokubhalisa kanye nokwelekelwa ngezimali kwabafundi, ukunakekelwa ngosizo lokwezengqondo kubafundi abaphuma emiphakathini emincane kusasweleka. Lolu cwaningo luphakamisa ukuthi uMnyango wezeMfundo ePhakeme uqalise ukungenelela ngosizo lozwelululekwa ngokwezengqondo ukubhekana nomthelela ongemuhle ngokwezengqondo ngempilo yabafundi aba-LGBTQ+ endaweni yesikhungo esiphakeme, okubalwa kukho nokuqukethwe kokufunda kanye nemigomo yesikhungo. Izakhiwo ezintsha zekolishi kumele zifake kuzo izindlu zangasese ezizimele ezi-3-5 ukunikezela ukuzikhethela kwabanye abangazizwa bekhululekile ukungena ezindlini zangasese ezikhona.