Gender diversity

The gender debate has polarised our society. On one side, we have well-meaning gender diversity
advocates who would have LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. On the other side, we have
those who feel it is a degradation of the traditional norms in society and rally against its acceptance.
Studies are showing broader acceptance of LGBT rights in developed liberal societies (Kosciw & Gay,
2014; Meyer, 2010b; Twocock, 2019). However, this sexual liberalisation is not happening in South Africa
(Butler et al., 2003; DeBarros, 2018; Mitchell & Nel, 2017; Müller, 2017; Reygan, 2016). The resistance to
sexual and gender diversity is well known in South Africa and exists at all levels, from minors to national
political leaders (Mitchell & Nel, 2017). Studies in South Africa suggestthat acceptance of radical Western
gender diversity ideologies is unlikely. There is open defiance of the liberal laws in our constitution which
has allowed same-sex marriage since 2006 (Anderson, 2018). Legally, the rights of LGBT protect
individuals in South African law, but practically they are victimised, raped and even murdered daily.
Aggravating this conflict of goals are the new ideas coming from the West, which enter higher education
first. As described by Reygan (2019), in South Africa ‘poverty, inequality and exclusion are often rightly
understood in terms of race, class and gender’ (p. 90); this is well-meaning but highbrow theory while we
have LGBT adults abused because of their HIV status in hospitals (Müller, 2017). I cannot help being
sceptical; we have critical leadership, cultural and economic challenges before we can start turning
children into gender diversity advocates at school. Their parents are struggling to survive in absolute,
generational poverty. We may be increasing their risk. As formidably discussed in From psychology in Africa
to African psychology: Going nowhere slowly, Makhubela (2016), I too worry we will be participating as
‘accessory to domination’ (p.1) by adopting lofty Western, or colonial ideals while ignoring emic, locally
respected solutions. This respectful approach would have the added benefits of increasing the cognitive
and structural social capital for South Africans, thereby disarming the blanket rejection of science by the
‘decolonise’ radicals, which aims to remove Western influence. An increase in social capital appears to be
the key to arresting corruption and allowing people living in poverty to lay claim to their heritage which is
being squandered by politicians (for more detail see Hope & Chikulo, 2000). We, as South Africans, should
be adopting science-based developments free of Western cultural and ideological influences on progress
in a society as fragile and diverse as South Africa.
There are new brave voices in this debate. Research is improving our knowledge of gender detransitioning and the effects of social media on social contagion as described in Irreversible Damage (Shrier,
2020). This book details how young girls are lured by the trans trend on social media to transition
permanently to boys, often undergoing detrimental chemical and surgical intervention to their
development (Shrier, 2020). Another controversial book The End of Gender (Soh, 2020) by sexologist and
neuroscientist Debra Soh, clarifies the science behind gender and warns of the pressures to comply with
the narrative of gender being socially constructed. We should consider that ‘research continues to
accumulate, showing that gendered power flows in different directions, mediated by other factors, like
ethnicity’ (Ridge, 2019, p. 210).
Further, although I accept that gender-roles are locked in problematic traditional practices, thereby
keeping communities locked in poverty, the community development literature does not support
irresponsible disruption to traditional cultural norms (Ake, 1996). As described in a short paper discussing
the difficulties a Namibian male faced when trying to study psychology, Plattner (1999) reminds us that
intellectuals living in developed areas tend to romanticise rural customs and traditions. ‘Individualism is
often declared to be selfish and egocentric, while the restrictions of collective norms are overlooked’
(Plattner, 1999, p.475). Collective norms are called Ubuntu in South Africa, which denotes unique, almost
mythical traits to African society. However, Makhubela (2016) alerts us to the contradiction; Africans
cannot exclusively claim this worldview. After all, this can only prove that African experiences are Psychreg Journal of Psychology • Volume 4 • Issue 3 • 2020
Angelo Vincenzo De Boni
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universal experiences, shared by other human beings and not as unique as some in the current African
psychology discourse would want us to believe (p. 9).
A re-evaluation of ideology would mean we would review attempts to use Western theories to sexual and
gender diversity in education and instead develop emic approaches. These methods can be based on
science, which can still be sensitive and respectful of the culture and circumstances and allow them to find
their path.

Angelo Vincenzo De Boni (psychreg.org) for more.