ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book discusses the various ways in which Black South African male teachers from rural and township contexts, who engage in same-sex relations, construct their sexual and professional identities. It focuses particularly and intentionally on Black men given the history of race and empire in South Africa. The book argues that any discussion pertaining to the study of male African same-sex sexuality, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal, requires a genealogical exploration of same-sex practices within the context. It shows that both religion and Zulu culture play critical roles in informing the type of decisions that the male participants make about their sexual and professional identities. The book explores the various ways in which internalized homophobia informs the ways in which the male teachers perform their identities. It also explores the possibilities offered by the passing act in the male teacher's personal lives.
