Negotiating the coming out process within the South African Indian community

Abstract

The coming-out process of South African Indian queer individuals was investigated in this study. The focus was on their identities and how they have to negotiate their coming out. Their experiences were discussed in the context of the theory of intersectionality, and narrative identity. Where intersectionality constitutes the theoretical framework for this study. It is through the implementation of these concepts that the researcher grappled with the complex identities of these individuals. Theresearch was qualitativein nature and looked at the experiences of fiveSouth African Indian queerindividuals comprisingtwo females and three males who ranged from 18to 40 years old, with a diverse sample of sexuality and gender identities. The data was transcribed from interviews and analysed by means of thematic analysis. The themes that emerged in the interviews included coming out to one’s self, the knowledge that a part of you is not accepted or tolerated, the various methods of coming out, the outcomes of coming out, culture, family, gender and race at a crossroads and the significance of spaces. These themes allowed for insight into how South African Indian queer individuals have negotiated their coming-out stories and how this in turn has influenced their identities as well as how they relate to their communities