#FeesMustFall Queer Oral History Project

In 2015 student and worker protests erupted at universities across the country. The protests came as result of proposed fee increases, and for the first time in years, saw thousands of students engage in the shutdown of universities. As the protests grew in numbers, the ideological stances of many student groups came to the fore as these were seen as integral to the collective reasoning for protest. Black Radical Feminism, Pan­Africanism and Intersectionality were the core ideologies used to explain the shutdowns.
Gala has commissioned an oral history project which will capture the narratives of Queer and LGBTIQ students, many of whom felt they were increasingly excluded during the 2015/16 #FeesMustFall protests as a result of hetero­patriarchy. The research is concerned with documenting the experiences of the protestors while demonstrating their presence and impact during the protests. It will also detail the kinds of involvement of the participants, and the subsequent outcomes of their involvement, in order to ensure that their narratives are not erased. Making use of interviews and focus groups to capture their narratives, this project will culminate in an academic paper.
Gala has conducted interviews with activists from various universities around South Africa, Such as the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, The University of the Witwatersrand, University of Fort Hare, University of Cape Town and others.
If you have any stories that you would like to tell of your queer experience in the movement, or any paraphernalia (Such a placards, pamphlets, photographs, etc) please contact our archivist, Linda Chernis or contribute below.

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