Teaching About Heterosexism: Challenging Homophobia in South Africa

This article, a critical review of a module on heterosexism and homophobia, sets out the challenges to be overcome if the oppressive conditions for lesbian, gay, and bisexual students and teachers in South Africa are to be changed. It draws on evidence from student assignments, records of participatory discussions and the notes of the authors, who taught the module. The authors argue that the participatory methods used in this course are essential if teachers are to become agents of change. However, these methods need to be linked to a clear and coherent theoretical foundation that enables students to draw links between different forms of oppression.