Current conceptualisations of citizenship in South Africa are embedded in the egalitarian discourse of the Constitution, lauded for its recognition of historically marginalised groups, including sexually and gender diverse people. Within the paradox of progressive legal advancements and the legacy of colonialism and apartheid, we use a decolonial feminist lens to critically engage with the notion of citizenship for black lesbian women in contemporary South Africa. We adopt a social-psychological perspective of citizenship as an active practice, embedded within the dynamic intersections of historical, structural and discursive patterns of power-knowledge relations in everyday life. We draw from five focus group discussions that were part of a study that explored the intersections of identity, power and violence in the lives of black lesbian women in South Africa. Focusing on the enactments of citizenship in public spaces, we contend that black lesbian women’s lived experiences of citizenship point to the enduring manifestations of the coloniality of power, in which the centrality of race underpins the intersections of class, gender and sexuality. We conclude by arguing that current conceptualisations of full citizenship in contemporary South Africa require a reframing that recognises the coloniality of power and the heterogeneity of marginalised and invisibilised subjectivities.

中文翻译：

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南非的黑人女同性恋：公民身份和权力的殖民性

南非当前的公民身份概念嵌入宪法的平等主义话语中，因其承认历史上被边缘化的群体，包括性和性别多样化的人而受到称赞。在进步的法律进步和殖民主义和种族隔离的遗产的悖论中，我们使用非殖民主义的女权主义视角批判性地探讨当代南非黑人女同性恋妇女的公民身份概念。我们将公民的社会心理学观点视为一种积极的实践，嵌入在日常生活中权力-知识关系的历史、结构和话语模式的动态交叉点中。我们从五个焦点小组讨论中提取，这些讨论是探索身份交叉点的研究的一部分，南非黑人女同性恋者生活中的权力和暴力。关注公共空间中公民身份的制定，我们认为黑人女同性恋者的公民身份生活经历指向权力殖民性的持久表现，其中种族的中心地位巩固了阶级、性别和性的交叉点。我们得出结论认为，当代南非对完全公民身份的当前概念化需要重新构建，以承认权力的殖民性以及边缘化和隐形主体的异质性。其中种族的中心地位巩固了阶级、性别和性的交叉点。我们得出结论认为，当代南非对完全公民身份的当前概念化需要重新构建，以承认权力的殖民性以及边缘化和隐形主体的异质性。其中种族的中心地位巩固了阶级、性别和性的交叉点。我们得出结论认为，当代南非对完全公民身份的当前概念化需要重新构建，以承认权力的殖民性以及边缘化和隐形主体的异质性。