Safely queer on the urban peripheries of Cape Town: a summary

Abstract

This study set out to compare the experiences of self-identifying gender non-conforming youth residing on the urban peripheries of Cape Town, against the realities of gender non-conforming youth in more affluent, resourced communities in the Southern Suburbs of Cape Town, South Africa. Specifically, the aim of this study was to explore how various socio-economic stratifications, or class distinctions, within 10 predominantly 'coloured' communities across the Cape Flats and the Southern Suburbs of Cape Town, impact on the expression of, and opportunities for, gender non-conforming youth. Over 13 months, 31 participants between 18 and 27 years old across 10 communities were interviewed. On the Cape Flats, these included Bellville-South, Bridgetown, Delft, Elsies River, Grassy Park, Kuils River, and Mitchell's Plain. For the Southern Suburbs, the communities included Ottery, Rondebosch East, and Wetton.