Zethu Matebeni


Zethu Matebeni is a sociologist, activist, writer, documentary film maker, Professor and South Africa Research Chair in Sexualities, Genders and Queer Studies at the University of Fort Hare. She has held positions at the University of the Western Cape and has been senior researcher at the Institute for Humanities in Africa at UCT. She has been a visiting Professor Yale University and has received a number of research fellowships including those from African Humanities Program, Ford Foundation, the Fogarty International Centre and the National Research Foundation.

Early life and education

Matebeni was born on May 1, 1978, in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. She studied Sociology at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University and completed her Master of Arts in Sociology at the University of Pretoria and an interdisciplinary Phd completed at the Witwatersrand Institute for Social and Economic Research at University of the Witwatersrand. Her published doctoral project is entitled Black Lesbian Sexualities and Identity in South Africa.

Activist work

Zethu has been involved in LGBTQ activism since the early 1990s. Having been part of Uthingo Womyn's Group and later part of Free Gender, a black lesbian organisation in Khayelitsha, Cape Town. Within the academic space she has been involved with the #RhodesMustFall movement at the University of Cape Town as well as one of the founding members of the Black Academic Caucus at the same institution. Her films and curated works including Jo'burg TRACKS: Sexuality in the City, and a book project Reclaiming Afrikan: queer perspectives on sexual and gender identities similarly engage with LGBT activism. Her first co-production Breaking Out of the Box: Stories of black lesbians has been shown both within South Africa and abroad. Her work with documentary films also includes writing the short film Rise.

Academic work and publications

She has published on queer issues, sexuality, gender, race, HIV and AIDS, African film, cinema and photography. She is an active member of the Black Academic Caucus through which she published a few thought pieces, some of which are listed below.

Books

  • Co-edited with Surya Monro and Vasu Reddy, Queer in Africa: LGBTQI Identities, Citizenship, and Activism
  • Curated . Cape Town: Modjaji books.
  • . Germany: LAP LAMBERT Academic Publishing

    Book chapters

  • Zethu Matebeni. 2015. Sexual Minorities in South Africa. In: James D. Wright, International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences, 2nd edition, Vol 21. Oxford: Elsevier, pp 744–749.
  • Zethu Matebeni. 2015. Well-Suited. In Raél Jero Salley. . Cape Town: ACTSA Publishing, 14-19.
  • Zethu Matebeni. 2014. My best participants' informed consent. In Deborah Posel and Fiona Ross, . Pretoria: HSRC Press, 111-124.
  • Zethu Matebeni. 2014. Death and the modern black lesbian. In Devan Pillay, Gilbert M Khadiagala, Prishani Naidoo, Roger Southall ''. Wits University Press.pp 183–193.
  • Zethu Matebeni. 2014. How not to write about queer South Africa. In Zethu Matebeni, .'' Cape Town: Modjaji books, 61-63.
  • Zethu Matebeni. 2013. Deconstructing violence towards black lesbians in South Africa. In Sokari Ekine and Hakima Abbas, . Fahamu Books, 343-354.
  • Zethu Matebeni. 2012. Feminizing Lesbians, Degendering Transgender Men: A Model for Building Lesbian Feminist Thinkers and Leaders in Africa? In Shaka McGlotten and Dana-Ain Davis. . Palgrave Macmillan, pp 187–193.
  • Matebeni, Zethu. 2011. TRACKS: Researching Sexualities Walking AbOUT the city of Johannesburg. In Tamale, Sylvia. . Oxford: Fahamu Books, 50-56.
  • Zethu Matebeni. 2009. "Sexing women: young black lesbians' reflections on sex and responses to safe sex. In Vasu Reddy, Theo Sandfort and Laetitia Rispel. . Cape Town: HSRC Press, pp 100-116.
  • Zethu Matebeni. 2008. "Blissful Complexities: black lesbians reflect on same-sex marriage and the Civil Union Act" In Fanele: Johannesburg, pp. 249–257.

    Journal articles

  • Henriette Gunkel, Zethu Matebeni, and Catherine Raissiguier. 2015. JENdA: A Journal of Culture and African Women Studies, 26: 1-18.
  • Zethu Matebeni and Thabo Msibi. 2015. ". Agenda, 29: 3-9.
  • Henriette Gunkel and Zethu Matebeni. 2015. : A Journal of Culture and African Women Studies, 26: 128-134.
  • Theo Sandfort, M Somien Frazer, Zethu Matebeni, Vasu Reddy, Ian Southey-Swartz and the Southern African Lesbian and Bisexual Women Research Team. 2015. 15: 22
  • Zethu Matebeni. 2013. . Cultural Studies, 27:3: 404-417
  • Zethu Matebeni, Vasu Reddy, Theo Sandfort and Ian Southey-Swartz. 2013. Culture, Health & Sexuality
  • Sandfort TGM, Baumann LRM, Matebeni Z, Reddy V, Southey-Swartz I. 2013. . PLoS ONE 8: e53552.doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0053552
  • Zethu Matebeni. 2012. , Agenda: Empowering women for gender equity, 26: 61-69
  • Bagnol Brigitte, Matebeni Zethu, Simon Anne, Blaser Thomas M., Manuel, Sandra, and Moutinho Laura. 2010. . Sexuality Research and Social Policy, 7: 283-297.
  • Blaser Thomas M, Bagnol Brigitte, Matebeni Zethu, Simon Anne, and Manuel, Sandra. 2010. . Cadernos Pagu '', 35: 111-137.
  • Zethu Matebeni; Thais Medina Coeli Rochel de Camargo ; Kenneth Rochel de Camargo Jr ; Laércio Fidelis Dias. 2009. , África do Sul. PHYSIS: Revista de Saúde Coletiva, Rio de Janeiro, 19:333-348
  • Zethu Matebeni. 2009. SOULS: A Critical Journal of Black Politics, Culture, and Society, 11: 347-354
  • Zethu Matebeni. 2008. '' . Feminist Africa, 11:89-96
  • Kari A Hartwig, Debbie Humphries, Zethu Matebeni. 2008. . Health Promotion International, Apr 10; 18407925
  • Naidoo, Kamila, Matebeni, Zethu and Pietersen-Snyman, Marian. 2004. ''Commonwealth youth and Development''

    Other writing

  • Zethu Matebeni. 2016. "Why Fees Must Fall". . January, Vol 28.
  • Zethu Matebeni. 2015. " ". Thoughtleader.
  • Zethu Matebeni. 2013. . Mail&Guardian, 6 September.
  • Zethu Matebeni. 2012. Gone @ 20 – the lucky ones are not yet born, a review of Zanele Muholi's exhibition Morning. Black looks, 28 September.
  • Zethu Matebeni. 2010. . South African Labour Bulletin, 34: 33-34.
  • Zethu Matebeni. 2009. Review of "Black Bull, Ancestors and Me: my life as a lesbian sangoma" by Nkunzi Zandile Nkabinde. Mail&Guardian, 22 June.