Umthelela womdonsiswano wemibono ngobulili obuhlukene kubabhali besizulu abasebasha (contemporary gender discourse and its implications for Zulu emerging writers)

Abstract

Imiphakathi ephila ngokwamasiko isaphika ukuthi ubudlelwano babantu bezothando obuhlukile kulobu obujwayelekile ngokobulili buyimvelo. Ukubulawa okulokhu kuqhubekile kwamalunga omphakathi we-Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual and others (LGBTQIA+) emalokishini asezweni lethu iMzansi Afrika kuyinkomba yokungamukeleki kwalezi zinhlobo zobudlelwano bezothando nenkinga ekhona emphakathini edinga ukuhlolisiswa. Lolu cwaningo lucubungula imithelela yomdonsiswano ngobulili obuhlukahlukene ngokwesimanje kubabhali besiZulu abasebasha nokuthi bayiveza kanjani le mithelela emibhalweni yabo.

Imiphakathi ephila ngamasiko neyasemakhaya iphakathi kwenani elikhulu labantu okungavumi bamukele abantu abangamalunga omphakathi we-LGBTQIA+. Ukuhlukunyezwa kwamanye amalunga omphakathi we-LGBTQIA+ kwenzeka ezindaweni zasemakhaya kanye nasemalokishini ahlala amaZulu ngenxa yolwazi olufishane, nokumangazayo ukuthi luselufishane namanje nakuba sesiside isikhathi sadlula onyakeni we-1994 wona owawumaka ukuqala kwenkululeko yabantu bonke bezwe laseMzansi Afrika. Imibhalo yesiZulu yobuciko bekumele ngabe idlala indima enkulu nebalulekile ekusizeni le miphakathi ngolwazi olumayelana namalungelo abantu athinta impilo yezocansi, nokuyingakho ngikhethe le mibhalo ukucubungula le nkinga.

Inhloso yokuqala yalolu cwaningo ukuthola umongo womdonsiswano ngobulili obuhlukahlukene ngokwesimanje. Inhloso yesibili ukuhlaziya imithelela lo mdonsiswano onayo endimeni edlalwa ngababhali besiZulu abasebasha. Inhloso yesithathu neyokugcina yalolu cwaningo, ukuqhathanisa umyalezo odluliswa ngababhali besiZulu besifazane kanye nabesilisa uma bebhala ngale ndikimba ukuze kutholakale ukuthi inkinga ngalo mdonsiswano iqhamuka ezinkolelweni zabantu besifazane noma besilisa.

Lolu cwaningo luqhutshwe ngokusebenzisa indlela yocwaningo ekhwalithethivu, lwase luklanywa ngesu lokuklama ucwaningo olubizwa ngohlaziyomqondo. Belugxile emanovelini esiZulu amabili. Imiphumela yalolu cwaningo ikhomba ukuthi iseksizimu, ihetharoseksizimu, ne-aloseksizimu yizindlela zokucwasa ezenzeka uma abantu bekhula baphile impilo ehlukile kuneyabantu bobulili obufana nobabo kanye neyabantu abalingana nabo ngeminyaka kulokhu okusuke kulindelwe ngumphakathi ngokobulili babo.

Traditional communities are still denying that non-heterosexual relationships are natural. The continuous killings of members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual and others (LGBTQIA+) community in South African townships indicate that there is a societal problem that needs to be investigated. This study examines the implications of contemporary gender discourse to emerging Zulu writers and how they address this in their writings. Zulu traditional communities are among a huge number of communities that are struggling to accept people who are members of the LGBTQIA+ community. The abuse of some of the LGBTQIA+ community members has taken place in rural areas occupied by the Zulu people because of the limited knowledge especially post-1994. Zulu literature is supposed to play a critical role in conscientizing these communities about people’s rights to their sexualities; hence the role of Zulu works to address this concern. The aim of this study was to first determine the source of contemporary gender discourse. Secondly, it was to identify the implications of this discourse on the role played by Zulu emerging writers when they write novels with contemporary gender discourse theme. Thirdly and lastly, it is to compare the manner of approach used by female and male Zulu writers when writing about this theme. This study was carried out using a qualitative research approach through a conceptual analysis research design strategy. It focused on two Zulu novels. The research results indicate that sexism, heterosexism and allosexism occur when people grow up to live differently from the expectations of their society.