Can you hear the ngochani? An exploration of how queer activists in Southern Africa reflect on their subalternity

Abstract

This research focuses on how queer activists in Zambia and Zimbabwe reflect on their subalternity in a postcolonial context. More specifically, it aims to explore whether queer activists in Zambia and Zimbabwe consider themselves subaltern in the relationship with their own governments and western organizations The study combines Antonio Gramsci's concept of subaltern, postcolonial theory, and queer theory. My research argues that the study of queer individuals as subalterns are underdeveloped, particularly in Africa, and aims to fill this gap. The research question is how queer activists in Zambia and Zimbabwe reflect on their subalternity as determined by conflicting identifications with the West and their native cultures. This research surveys queer activists in Zambia and Zimbabwe to explore a potential dual subalternity, where queer activists are excluded from the dominant hegemonic orders of Western imperialism and their government. The thesis also briefly overviews homosexuality in pre-colonial Africa and how colonialism altered African sexual practices, leading to homophobia in Zambia and Zimbabwe. The starting point for the empirical inquiry is a Critical Discourse Analysis of 33 Zambian and Zimbabwean news articles about homosexuality and LGBT activism. It establishes that three primary discourses are occurring related to queer activism: Religious, anti-west, and Public Health discourses. I take these findings and conduct an anonymous open-ended survey with ten queer activists, followed by an autoethnographic reflection. The findings from this survey suggest that queer activists do not feel completely marginalized from mainstream discourses. Additionally, the findings suggest that queer activists maintain that they have support from Western organizations and the media, specifically social media. The findings from both the CDA and open-ended surveys are then integrated together. This research suggests that queer activists reflect on their subalternity in three categories: Dual Subalternity, Contextual Subalternity, and Stereotypical Subalternity. My autoethnographic reflection is significant as it provides a personal perspective on the power dynamics and assumptions embedded in the research inquiry. Specifically, I accentuate the oversaturation of Western scholars in postcolonial studies and the opposition of queer NGOs towards engaging with Western inquiries. This research concludes with caution to Western postcolonial scholars who aim to apply Western concepts to non-Western groups.