Taylor and Francis Group, National Identities, 3(18), p. 241-264, 2015
DOI: 10.1080/14608944.2014.990957
Full text: Unavailable
South Africa became the first country in Africa to legalise same-sex marriages in its post-apartheid constitution. The formally instituted racial and sexual discriminations that dominated during the apartheid period were revised and equality of all citizens, irrespective of their race and sexual orientations, represents one of the key achievements of democratic South Africa. The current constitution gives room for people to express their sexualities freely without being discriminated against. This recognition is bridging the gap of racial and sexual exclusion and inclusion that were created during and before the apartheid era. Despite the everyday negative experiences of gay men based on their sexual orientation in post-apartheid Sou! th Africa, gay partners persist in their intimate relationships and continue to negotiate their social and constitutional rights. What is interesting at the moment is the increasing visibility of interracial gay partners in this country as a whole. This paper explores how a small group of men of different racial backgrounds assert their constitutional rights through the formation of interracial same-sex intimate relationships that used to be a criminal offence.