Navigating life in Stellenbosch University Men’s Residences: The Experiences of Self-identifying Black Queer Students

In this installment of the Gender Dialogues, Unopachido Mubaiwa shares her research that explores the experiences of black Queer students living at Stellenbosch University residences. Through an intersectional lens, this research seeks to understand the experiences of black Queer students and investigate strategies employed by these students to navigate Stellenbosch men’s residences and the broader Stellenbosch university culture. The research unpacks the importance of intersectionality when exploring the dual experiences of being both black and Queer in a historically white and heteronormative Afrikaans university. The research seeks to enable universities to investigate how to continue to strive to create a transformative student experience that values inclusivity, diversity, and multiculturalism.

Unopachido Mubaiwa

Unopachido is final year AVReQ fellow working towards an MA in Psychology through Stellenbosch University (SU). Her research journey has been inspired by her commitment to fostering personal development and education, as well as creating inclusive spaces where individuals from diverse backgrounds can truly thrive. Her unique perspective as a former student resident of Stellenbosch Residences and involvement in student leadership roles have deeply influenced an understanding of and connection to the transformative power of university and educational culture. Unopachido is also the recipient of the Turning the Tide scholarship for the thematic area Identity, Gender and/or Queer Studies. The Mellon Foundation “Turning the Tide” scholarships form part of a larger programme at Stellenbosch University’s Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences to nurture and encourage collaboration and generosity in academic scholarship while encouraging fearless and original academic inquiry in specific thematic fields that cut across a variety of disciplines.

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