Exploring community and enacted stigma among South African bisexual women of colour

Bisexual women of colour face unique and multi-layered forms of marginalisation owing to their intersectionality, both from queer and heterosexual spaces. This study explored the perceptions of Black South African bisexual women of community-held bisexual stigma and their experiences navigating enacted stigma. A qualitative, phenomenological design was adopted to uncover meaningful, subjective accounts from eight participants recruited through purposive sampling. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect data. Data were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Analysis revealed three group experiential themes: (1) denied autonomy in romantic and sociocultural contexts; (2) strategic identity management in self-preservation; and (3) resilience through community, language, and self-affirmation. Participants reported bisexual invalidation, hypersexualisation, and conditional acceptance from both heterosexual men and lesbian women. Cultural and religious expectations contributed to the bisexual erasure and emotional distress of participants. In response, many cultivated resilience through affirming bi-specific queer communities, boundary-setting and self-affirming language. These strategies were rooted in self-preservation and aimed at resisting the psychological toll of persistent bisexual stigma. Findings highlight the need for bi-inclusive sex education, queer-affirming clinical practices, and intersectional frameworks to improve understanding of the compounded marginalisation experienced by bisexual women. The study also draws attention to bisexual erasure in academic literature and public policy. While limited by its sample size and lack of racial diversity beyond Black participants, the study provides insights into the resilience and identity negotiation of Black bisexual women in a heteronormative and queerphobic South African context.

Grantor dc:publisher

University of Pretoria

Year dc:date.issued

2025

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Matamela, Nyambeni

• UCTD
• Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
• Bisexuality
• Enacted stigma
• Intersectionality
• Perceived Community Stigma

Statement dc:rights

• © 2024 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria.

Language dc:language.iso

en

DOI

https://doi.org?10.25403/UPresearchdata.31266802

Dc Identifier Other

May 2026

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/107921