Introduction.

“Munna ndi munna, u fanela u sumbedza vhunna” said my grandfather whenever i cried for something. Growing up in the village of Tshiendeulu in Limpopo, and being someone who is not farmilia with social media platforms and never used to watch TV. That kind of life system did not give me much of exposure to different opinions except for the teachings i grew up being taught either be from home, from church, school, and by friends and also the community. Grew up knowing that in the world we just men and women. Which also shaped my mind in a certain way and affected how i see world.

In 2014, i still remember it was in the middle of the February and was also excited that i got addimitted at the University of Venda. Which is located five minutes away from the Thohoyandou CBD. I did not know that this opportunity will also question or bring exposure to different opinions. Second week of February in 2014, i had orientation day, where started to be more exposed to many things have never seen including the difference in gender and how people think. Remember, coming from one orientaited community and now the way know things is being questioned or interogated within two months of my life out of my home. In my mind was like What? By that time was seeing what know as a men behaving different from how was taught. That was my first time coming across Queer person in my life, just used to hear about queer. By that time did not know about queerness. To me, all that knew is men and women. From that day had so many questions about that different behavior i have seen, which now know as queer people. But because of lack in information could not know much and did not understand. But as time goes on and also changing environment gave me chance to get some of the answers like what do people of this kind called.

Queer, in simple terms describe the sexuality that rejects normative definition of appropriate feminine and masculine sexual behavior, Kristen B, (2016). According to GLSEN findings, queer or LGBTQ dates back to second century. Which gave me an idea of the period from which the universe has been telling us that we are differnet, but yet people refuse to accept that, GLSEN (1990). I say that people are refusing, because there is so many cases in which opression is exprienced by queer people. This text aims to explore the kind of enviroment we are living in and how it feels to live in it when you are different. Will also look into some possible ways to acknowledge the difference in sexuality or the diversity of sexuality.

Queer Suffering.

Exclusion.

“Exclusion is never the way foward on our shared paths to freedom and justice”

Desmond Tutu.

Growing up looking at my mother’s precious Room divider, and the way things were packed in that artefact. Taught me that there are things that do not belong somewhere or we have authority to decide what and which belongs to where. Just like some of the traditional metal footed pots used to cook when using fire wood were not fit to be packed in the precious rood divider of hers. That segregation is what queer people still expriencing in most of spaces such as churches, public buildings and many more places, including the most used space which are shopping malls. According to D Bell and J Binnie (2004), cities are main places or sites where difference is encoutered and at these sites,struggle over belonging mostly happen. This just confirms that the exclusion of queer people in most of the designed spcaes is clearly seen. To give an example of the building which i use almost everyday of week. The bathroom are mainly focusing on binary identity, but that is not happening only in this building, almost every designed space. It can be public or residential buildings. We tend to ignore this everyday of our life, how that makes queer people feel in every moment they use those spaces. This exclusion is everywhere, in the community we live in which chooses not to include or accept the difference. Hugo C, (2017) found that one of the interviewed black lesbian women declared that she feels more happier than ever before because she changed the community and came to Johannesburg where now she is able to express herself, not like back home. Which confirms that communities has not yet opens up to acceptance. According to interview between Nadia D and Zethu M (2017), in 80s Simon one of the gay people was charged with treason, because he participated in a gay organizasion. Which tells me that the community obvioulsy reported him because they did not want him to stand for the differnce.

Queer Harmony.

Inclusion.

“We all should know that divesity makes for a rich tapestry, and we must understand that all the threads of the tapestry are equal in value no matter what their color.” Maya Angelou.

“Inclusion international, it is about identifying and removing barriers so that everyone can participate to the best of their ability.” The Inclusive Class.com.

Reverting back to how my mother’s precious room divider looked like, and after being exposed to differnet opinions. I had a thought one of the good days that, what if those excluded pots were to be given a space or maybe were also considered to be fit and as important as many other things inside? How would it feels and looks like? Which are two questions that have and still trying o give myslef answers to those. That if queer people are treated also as how men and women gender, what would our wolrd looks and feels like? even the spaces designed.

However. Metchell D and Scot DT (n.d) , states that designing space in which people witness and appreciate diverse cultural (sexuality) expression that they do not share nor understand, and that is called queering the city. Safety can be produced as a function of class and deliberately created in safe zone... said one of nterviewed black lesbian women in Hugo C (2017). Inclusion of queerness would mean that even the planning of the ciies and design of the buildings would consider the fact that we have diverse of sexuality. Which we result to the equality that is being seeked by our democracy.

When first encoutered the queerness, it was a shock to me, because little did i knwo or knew nothing at all about queer people. Which tells me that if maybe knew, maybe would have reacted better or understood. So this means that maybe most of people or community are rude towards queer people because they are less informed. I sugget that if our government hold more seminar and intorduce programmes in schools to educate people more of the queerness, maybe the mindset would also change. The seminars also need to be accommodating because some of these seminars end up not doing what they are meant to do. “Oh and do not go to Joburg Pride now, i go to People’s Pride” said one of the lady interviewed in Hugo C (2017). Secondly, mybe if the setence to the culprits assualting queer people, because of expressing themselves, increased or become more considered. The rate of cases would also reduce. Accordind to Hugo C (2017), lady stated that Goverment is not doing much to the matter, “I die and get raped and still see my repisteveryday... had evidence but no one arrests him...” said the lady imterviewed.

Conclusion.

I have highlighted two important arguments in order to explore how it feels to be a queer person in the context of Johannesburg , but not ignoring the country as a whole. It can been seen that queer people are not really enjoying being different or expressing themselves. Because they end up being discriminated just because they are not what community and people wanted them to be. Secondly i looked into how it might be if queer people would also be considered in everthing that is done as much as male and female gender are. What can be done so that queer people can feel safe? Because, findings shows that they feel unsafe everywhere they are.

Reference

Kristen, B. (2016), queer sexual politics, Britanica, viewed 25 July 2022, https://www.britannica.com/topic/queer-sexual-politics.

Mitchell, D., Scott, D.T., n.d. Towards a Queer Urban Design Methodology 8, viewed 20 July 2022.

Bell, D. & Binnie, J. (2004) ‘Authenticating Queer Space: Citizenship, Urbanism and Governance’, Urban Studies, 41(9), pp. 1807–1820. doi: 10.1080/0042098042000243165, 22 July 2022.

Canham, H. (2017) ‘Mapping the black queer geography of Johannesburg’s lesbian women through narrative’, Psychology in Society, (55). doi: 10.17159/2309-8708/2017/n55a6, 23 July 2022.

GLSEN, (1990), LGBTQ history timeline reference, GLSEN, viewed 23 July 2022, https://www.glsen.org/sites/default/files/ LGBTQ-History-Timeline-References.pdf

Nadia, D & Zethu M, (2017) Queer politics and intersectionality in South Africa, Safundi, 18:2, 161-167, DOI: 10.1080/17533171.2016.1270015, viewed 24 July 2022, ttps://www.tandfonline.com/ loi/rsaf20

List of figures

Figure 1 by Mudau T, Tshiendeulu village, 2022 (Source:Mudau T, 2022)

Figure 2 by Tshegofatso M, University of Venda, 2018 (Source:Tshegofatso M, 2022: Online) https://ewn.co.za/2018/08/14/univensrc-to-meet-with-management-over-ongoing-protests

Figure 3 by Mudau F, Roon divider, 2022 (Source:Mudau F, 2022: Online )

Figure 4 by Megamaster, Traditional metal pot, 2022 (Source:Megamaster, 2022: Online ) https://megamaster.co.za/products/3leg-pots

Figure 5 by Mudau T, Uj Fada Building, 2022 (Source:Mudau T, 2022:)

Figure

“ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN IN NOT SIMPLY A MATTER OF SOLVING PROBLEMS. IT IS A QUESTION, FIRST OF ALL, OF FINDING WHAT THE PROBLEMS ACTUALLY ARE… UNLIKE OTHER KINDS OF STUDENTS, ARCHITECTURAL STUDENTS MUST THEREFORE TAKE THE PLUNGE INTO DOING BEFORE THEY KNOW WHAT TO DO” G. BROADBENT, 1995, 23

AVAILABLE AT: HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=58UROGQQ1LS

BROADBENT, G. 1995. ARCHITECTURAL EDUCATION. IN” MARTIN PEARCE AND MAGGIE TOY ED. EDUCATING ARCHITECTS. LONDON: ACADEMY EDITIONS, PP. 10-23