First: TRIGGER WARNING

From gender inequity to anti- lesbian rape and violence… How did that happen? … It’s all about Gender roles and gender expression

What’s That?

Some Definitions: 1.Gender roles: The expectations that a society imposes on someone based on their perceived gender identity. 1.Gender expression: How we as humans manifest masculinity or femininity. This can be done in the way we dress, the way we speak, and the relationships we create. Usually, it’s an extension of our gender identity.

3.Lesbian: A woman who is primarily attracted to other women. 3.LGBTQ: The acronym for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer or Questioning communities. 5. Butch: Someone who identifies as masculine. In the context of South Africa, “butch” refers to a lesbian who demonstrates masculine qualities. 5. Femme: Someone who identifies as feminine. In the context of South Africa, “femme” refers to a lesbian who demonstrates feminine qualities.

7.Apartheid: The period of time from about in which racial segregation was a government- acknowledged practice in South Africa. The white minority dominated politics and social constructs. 7.**Punitive rape: Often referred to as “corrective” or “curative” rape “…women, and occasionally men, are singled out and brutally raped because they happen to be, or are perceived to be, lesbian or gay.” –Navi Pillay, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

Anti-lesbian Rape & Violence: The Pressing Questions *Photo Credits to Zanele Muholi*

I will be speaking about the black lesbian population in South Africa, not the white lesbian population.

Why does curative rape happen? 1.South African lesbians are challenging conventional gender roles through their expressions of masculinity and sexuality “I know you are a lesbian. You are not a man, you think you are, but I am going to show you, you are a woman. I am going to make you pregnant. I am going to kill you.” --Millicent Gaika’s rapist “How can a lesbian be raped? She is a man.” --Rape for Who I Am, a film by Lovinsa Kavuma Rape for Who I Am Clip

2.South African lesbians are perceived as both threatening and unavailable to the men in their communities “Lesbians are raped in ways intended to be punitive, or “corrective” or “curative,” because they undermine monolithic notions of masculinity and heterosexuality and refuse men’s proposals and advances.” --Amanda Lock Swarr, Author and Activist

Why does masculinity play a central role? …Something called “Brittle Masculinities”

“For white men, the uneven distribution of power [under apartheid] made them defensive about challenges (by women, blacks, and/or other men) to their privilege. For black men, the harshness of life on the edge of poverty and the emasculation of political powerlessness gave their masculinity a dangerous edge” –Robert Morrell, 2001

Where does curative rape happen? *Photo credits to Zanele Muholi*

How often does curative rape happen?

South Africa: “Rape Capital of the World?” Highest per-capita rape rate in the world ( ). 500,000 reported rapes per year on average since 1998 – One rape every 17 seconds – One in every two women will be raped in their lifetime

On record, 31 lesbians have been reported murdered in homophobic attacks since 1998 How many offenders have been convicted?

On record, 31 lesbians have been reported murdered in homophobic attacks since 1998 How many offenders have been convicted? TWO

"What we're seeing is a spike in the numbers of women coming to us having been raped and who have been told throughout the attack that being a lesbian was to blame for what was happening to them." --Vanessa Ludwig, chief executive to Triangle

Why is the data on curative rape limited?

1.The South African government does not recognize curative rape as a hate crime against lesbians. “On 8 May 1996, South Africa became the first country in the world to constitutionally prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation….protects people from discrimination on the basis of ‘race, gender, sex, pregnancy, marital status, ethnic or social origin, colour, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, conscience, belief, culture, language and birth.’"

… But there appears to be a light at the end of the tunnel

“Without a crime category that recognizes the influence of homophobic prejudice in violence against LGBTI people, we have no hope of systematic data collection and monitoring of the problem” --I ngrid Lynch, research, advocacy and policy coordinator for Triangle

Sources: 1.Bendix, Melany. "INTER PRESS SERVICE." South Africa's Law to Stop Hate Crimes Against Gays. IPS, 14 Feb Web. 10 Oct Gleckman-Krut, Miriam. "Constructing “Corrective Rape” for South Africa: An Evaluation of a Global Media Discourse around Sexual Violence in South Africa." (n.d.): n. pag. Web. 9 Oct Mieses, Alexa (December 2009). "Gender Inequality and Corrective Rape of Women Who Have Sex with Women" (pdf). GMHC Treatment Issues (Gay Men's Health Crisis). Retrieved February 20, 2014."Gender Inequality and Corrective Rape of Women Who Have Sex with Women"Gay Men's Health Crisis 4.Mkhize, Nonhlanhla, Jane Bennett, Vasu Reddy, and Relebohile Moletsane “The Country We Want to Live In: Hate Crimes and Homophobia in the Lives of Black Lesbian South Africans.” Policy Analysis and Capacity Enhancement Research Programme Occasional Paper 1. HSRC Press, Cape Town. 5.Morrell, Robert “The Times of Change: Men and Masculinity in Southern Africa.” In Changing Men in Southern Africa, 3–37. London: Zed. 6.Muholi, Zanele. Crime Scene MO(U)RNING, n.p. 7.Muholi, Zanele. N.d. SIFELA I AYIKHO, n.p. 8.Muholi, Zanele. ZaVa I Paris. 9.Paradoxes of Butchness: Lesbian Masculinities and Sexual Violence in Contemporary South Africa. Amanda Lock Swarr. Signs, Vol. 37, No. 4, Sex: A Thematic Issue (Summer 2012), pp Paradoxes of Butchness: Lesbian Masculinities and Sexual Violence in Contemporary South Africa Signs 10."People and Society: South Africa." Central Intelligence Agency. Central Intelligence Agency, n.d. Web. 19 Oct Pillay, Navi. "The Shocking Reality of Homophobic Rape." DisplayNews. United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, 20 June Web. 10 Oct Rape For Who I Am. Dir. Lovinsa Kavuma Documentary. 13."South Africa: New Constitution Protects Gays and Lesbians." IGLHRC: International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission. IGLHRC, n.d. Web. 10 Oct "Statistics | RAINN | Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network." Statistics | RAINN | Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Oct Strudwick, Patrick. "Crisis in South Africa: The Shocking Practice of 'corrective Rape' - Aimed at 'curing' Lesbians." The Independent. Independent Digital News and Media, 4 Jan Web. 10 Oct VIOLENT HATE CRIME IN SOUTH AFRICA (n.d.): n. pag. Human Rights First, Web. 10 Oct Walker, Liz “Men Behaving Differently: South African Men since 1994.” Culture, Health and Sexuality 7(3):225– Wesley, Tiffani. "Classifying ‘Corrective’ Rape as Hate Crime: A Call for Justice." (n.d.): n. pag. OSISA, 25 Nov Web. 10 Oct