What does it mean to be a man, woman, or transgender in South Africa?
The Centre for Analytics and Behavioural Change (CABC) reports that social media conversations about masculine, feminine, and LGBTQIA+ norms are mainly based on varying perceptions of ‘acceptable’ and ‘unacceptable’ behaviour. The report, An Exploration into Gendered Norms on South African Social Media sheds light on the scope and nature of gender-based violence and femicide among social media users on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Data was collected from social media platform X from 1 January to 31 October 2024. A total of 17 million mentions were found in the dataset (posts, reposts, replies), of which 71% were retweets. There were more than 300,000 unique authors participating in the conversation – each contributing 51 mentions.
According to the CABC, understanding gender norms within the South African context can enable interventions that address harmful norms and practices. The goal is not to identify men as the primary perpetrators of Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) but rather to understand the societal and cultural stereotypes that result in the perpetuation of violence against women and children. The Centre believes that when social and gender norms are in place, interventions aimed at educating people about the problem or changing individual attitudes may not be enough to change behaviour.
The researchers found that high-engagement posts in the masculine norms conversation emphasized societal expectations that men should “lead”, “provide” and be “strong”.
There was a wide range of opinions about women’s dress codes and behavior among those highly engaged in the conversation about feminine norms. These included the notion that women should be humble and show respect to men, reports CABC.
Queer Conversations
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The LGBTQIA+, or ‘queer norms’, conversation suggested that while the community is formally protected, it remains stigmatized in society and that legislative protection has not yet had a normative impact.
Some people argue that their existence is an imposition of Western values, reports CABC.
“Others questioned the constant attacks on the queer community as “mind boggling” instead of focusing on issues such as poverty and hunger,” read the report.
According to the report, it is important to approach the analysis of broad groups with caution, such as the queer community. The report cautioned against placing the entire group under a one-size-fits-all approach. It was also suggested by some that if traditional norms are opened up for questioning, it may result in the degradation of society and established norms, such as underage relationships.
Furthermore, posts concerning the intersection of masculine, feminine, and queer norms were found to question the very existence of the queer community.
According to the report, “jokes, allegories, and the posting of controversy can normalize negative stereotypes and perceptions, which are informed by and maintain gendered norms”.
Authenticity Questioned
Researchers also found that the online conversation around gender was fuelled by “engagement farming” – intentionally sharing controversial posts about women, men, and the LGBTQIA+ community to increase engagement. This strategy allows accounts, especially those verified by X, to monetize engagement by generating huge interest and interaction.
