Crossing boundaries: religion, sexuality and identity in the lives of Zanele Muholi and Nkunzi Zandile Nkabinde

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dc.contributor.advisorShaikh, Sadiyyaen_ZA
dc.contributor.advisorChidester, Daviden_ZA
dc.contributor.authorCarlse, Janineen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2015-09-25T07:41:49Z
dc.date.available2015-09-25T07:41:49Z
dc.date.issued2013en_ZA
dc.description.abstractThe 21st century has brought new concerns to the fore within South Africa's democracy. Sexuality and the freedom to express one's sexual identity are currently at the forefront of academic writing and investigation in the social sciences in Africa. In following this interdisciplinary line of research, this thesis explores some of the ways that religious ideologies influence women's agency in relation to their sexuality and identity. In particular, I examine how dominant religious and cultural norms framed by patriarchal and heteronormative ideals are negotiated by black lesbian Zulu women. My research is focused on the lives of two Zulu women, lesbian activist photographer Zanele Muholi and lesbian sangoma Nkunzi Zandile Nkabinde, who inhabit very different social realities from one another. Both these women are redefining the paths of women's sexuality in their specific contexts, while taking somewhat different approaches to this task. I argue that religion has a very powerful impact on the way that these women approach their sexuality and sexual choices, whether directly or indirectly, with a hybridity of Zulu tradition and Christianity influencing their lives in various ways. Muholi and Nkabinde are directly affected by religious ideologies through the way that they have to reconcile their sexuality with their religion and culture; and indirectly through the way that certain heteronormative religious ideologies have influenced the political and social structures within South Africa. Religious ideologies that divide humanity into the essentialist complimentary categories of masculine and feminine pose a problem for people who straddle both these spheres. By not fitting neatly into any of these categories, black lesbians are often viewed or depicted as not fitting into the social structure, particularly within and around urban townships, giving reason for their oppression and marginalisation.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationCarlse, J. (2013). <i>Crossing boundaries: religion, sexuality and identity in the lives of Zanele Muholi and Nkunzi Zandile Nkabinde</i>. (Thesis). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Department of Religious Studies. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/14092en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationCarlse, Janine. <i>"Crossing boundaries: religion, sexuality and identity in the lives of Zanele Muholi and Nkunzi Zandile Nkabinde."</i> Thesis., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Department of Religious Studies, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/14092en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationCarlse, J. 2013. Crossing boundaries: religion, sexuality and identity in the lives of Zanele Muholi and Nkunzi Zandile Nkabinde. University of Cape Town.en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Carlse, Janine AB - The 21st century has brought new concerns to the fore within South Africa's democracy. Sexuality and the freedom to express one's sexual identity are currently at the forefront of academic writing and investigation in the social sciences in Africa. In following this interdisciplinary line of research, this thesis explores some of the ways that religious ideologies influence women's agency in relation to their sexuality and identity. In particular, I examine how dominant religious and cultural norms framed by patriarchal and heteronormative ideals are negotiated by black lesbian Zulu women. My research is focused on the lives of two Zulu women, lesbian activist photographer Zanele Muholi and lesbian sangoma Nkunzi Zandile Nkabinde, who inhabit very different social realities from one another. Both these women are redefining the paths of women's sexuality in their specific contexts, while taking somewhat different approaches to this task. I argue that religion has a very powerful impact on the way that these women approach their sexuality and sexual choices, whether directly or indirectly, with a hybridity of Zulu tradition and Christianity influencing their lives in various ways. Muholi and Nkabinde are directly affected by religious ideologies through the way that they have to reconcile their sexuality with their religion and culture; and indirectly through the way that certain heteronormative religious ideologies have influenced the political and social structures within South Africa. Religious ideologies that divide humanity into the essentialist complimentary categories of masculine and feminine pose a problem for people who straddle both these spheres. By not fitting neatly into any of these categories, black lesbians are often viewed or depicted as not fitting into the social structure, particularly within and around urban townships, giving reason for their oppression and marginalisation. DA - 2013 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2013 T1 - Crossing boundaries: religion, sexuality and identity in the lives of Zanele Muholi and Nkunzi Zandile Nkabinde TI - Crossing boundaries: religion, sexuality and identity in the lives of Zanele Muholi and Nkunzi Zandile Nkabinde UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/14092 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/14092
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationCarlse J. Crossing boundaries: religion, sexuality and identity in the lives of Zanele Muholi and Nkunzi Zandile Nkabinde. [Thesis]. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Department of Religious Studies, 2013 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/14092en_ZA
dc.language.isoengen_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Religious Studiesen_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Humanitiesen_ZA
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.subject.otherReligious Studiesen_ZA
dc.titleCrossing boundaries: religion, sexuality and identity in the lives of Zanele Muholi and Nkunzi Zandile Nkabindeen_ZA
dc.typeMaster Thesis
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
dc.type.qualificationnameMSocScen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceThesisen_ZA
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