Negotiating sexuality, gender and personhood: A case of Nkomazi District Women, South Africa

Abstract

Many women derive meaning from their lived experiences of gender and sexuality across different contexts. In this article, we explore the personal narratives of women based in the rural community of the Nkomazi district in South Africa. Furthermore, we provide insights from group discussions (FGDs) held with the same group of women. Drawing from African personhood theory, we question and deconstruct socio-culturally constructed notions of what it means to be a woman who constantly has to negotiate notions of gender, sexuality, and personhood. The findings reveal women’s interpretations of their sexualities and sexual expression as shaped by hetero-patriarchal sexual scripts. What emerges are women’s narratives revealing that, throughout history and contemporary times, colonial patriarchal  constructions of gender and sexuality continue to shape and dictate women’s lived experiences. Overall, this study highlights  intersectionalities of women’s experiences of gender, personhood, race, age, and sexuality in changing socio-political contexts. We conclude by calling for a rethinking in how women’s bodies are constantly policed and governed; we argue that women should be able to inhabit spaces and move freely without systematic surveillance on their personhood.