Azwihangwisi Helen Mavhandu-Mudzusi
University of South Africa, South Africa
Scientific Tracks Abstracts: Surgery Curr Res
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) individuals experiences stigmatization and discrimination in their everyday lives. These experiences are noted in South Africa, even though its constitution of 1996 is recorded as the first constitution in the world to explicitly provide for non-discrimination against people based on gender and sexual orientation. This paper highlights the findings of an interpretative phenomenological analysis study conducted in a South African rural university. The purpose of the study was to gain an in-depth understanding of the experiences of LGBTI individuals with regard to utilisation of the health care services in a South African rural university. The findings of the study focus on citizenship rights and the discrimination that LGBTI students experience in accessing health care services. The main forms of discrimination reported are the heterocentric nature of services and treatment at the campus health clinic and the heteronormative prejudice held by university health care personnel. Recommendations are made to address the problematic social exclusion that arises from heterocentric delivery of health services and highlight the equal rights of LGBTI students to health care that addresses all studentsâ?? needs, regardless of sex, gender, sexual orientation and gender identity, in a South African rural university.
Azwihangwisi Helen Mavhandu-Mudzusi works at the University of South Africa as an Associate Professor. She holds a PhD in Management, a Master’s degree in Nursing, and Honors degrees in Psychology and Nursing. She has several diplomas in Nursing, both at a basic and an advanced level. Her main passion is advocacy for marginalized groups, especially people living with HIV and AIDS, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) individuals in higher education institutions and rural communities. She has published 17 articles on gender and sexual diversity and HIV; and has represented papers at national and international conferences.
Email: mmudza@unisa.ac.za
