December 6, 2025

Young South Africans are leading a slow but significant shift towards LGBTI tolerance

Key Points

Hate crimes against the LGBTI community persist in South Africa, impacting societal acceptance.
Public attitudes show a slow shift toward tolerance of LGBTI individuals over the past 15 years.
Using data from the South African Social Attitudes Survey, the gap between constitutional values and public attitudes is assessed.
Findings suggest changes in societal views, but discrimination remains a significant issue within the community.

Abstract

South Africa was the first country to protect the rights of same sex couples, and the fifth country to legalise same-sex marriage in 2005. However, hate crimes and discrimination against members of the LGBTI community remain common. Using data from the South African Social Attitudes Survey, HSRC researchers asked whether the gap between the countrys constitutional values and public attitudes have narrowed in the past 15 years.

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