ABSTRACT
This chapter argues that Western categories are not only confusing in these contexts but are also highly difficult to use because their meanings do not match the lived experiences of the men interviewed. It explores the men's adult narratives of same-sex sexual liaisons. Early adult and adult experiences of same-sex desire among the participants also highlight fluidity as a key feature in men's sexual expressions. The chapter explores the male participants' childhood experiences of same-sex sexuality so as to highlight an existence denied by much of society in South African rural and township contexts. It demonstrates the confusion and workability of Western forms of categorization as they relate to the notion of fluid sexualities in the South African, Zulu context. The chapter highlights the failure of the relatively recent Western forms of sexual categorization such as gay, lesbian and bisexual in explaining the same-sex engagements of the local context.
