Twentieth International Conference on Diversity in Organizations, Communities & Nations

Abstract

The South African Schools Act of 1996 inaugurated a new education system that confronts all forms of unfair discrimination and intolerance. South African schools remain heteronormative and heterosexist sites. We report on learners’ attitudes and experiences towards learning of LGBT issues. Using a case study methodology, semi-structured interviews were conducted with eleven high school learners. Findings reveal that sexual and gender diversity is not taught in schools due to a lack of knowledge, ignorance, and stereotyping of gender and sexuality. We learned that gender and sexual diversity is a silent topic in schools and that silence perpetuates the compulsory heteronormative culture in schools. However, young people are exposed to and confront same-sex sexualities from different sources since many of the peers are disclosing their same-sex sexualities at younger ages. This study conclude that learners are positive and willing to learn about sexual diversity. If the learners are ready to be taught then we will have to revisit those who are charged with teaching, the educators. We conclude that the educators seem to be the barriers to the teachers and learning of sexual diversity and more research will have to look at pre-service teacher education.