Professor Zethu Matebeni
NRF Chair in Sexualities, Genders and Queer Studies
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 (HUMA) 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.
The sociology and Anthropology department is pleased to be hosting Zintombizethu Matebeni, a Professor who is the South Africa Research Chair in Sexualities, Genders and Queer Studies at the University of Fort Hare. The Sociology and Anthropology department is pleased to have hosted Zintombizethu Matebeni.
She has taught in the first term honours Sociology classes, while holding talks at the Nelson Mandela University. Zethu’s published research focuses on gender and sexuality, with specific attention on black lesbian lives, HIV/AIDS, LGBTQ rights and queer issues generally. She is the co-editor of “Beyond the Mountain: queer life in ‘Africa’s gay capital’” (UNISA Press, 2019), and Queer in Africa: LGBTQI identities, citizenship and activism (Routledge 2018).
She is actively involved in queer activism in South Africa and Zethu’s films, poetry and essays have been published in numerous journals, books and blogs including blacklooks.org and AWID.org. 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.