Quantin Montello

At the End of the Rainbow: an Ethnographic Study of Gay Migrant men in Johannesburg Quantin Montello

Homophobia circulates transnationally and has become an everyday reality for gay people, especially in Africa. This book explores how a group of gay migrant men whom are drawn by the appeal of the city and the abstract sense of freedom associated therewith, reorganizes their lives and locate a space to live. They find an unlikely space- a Catholic church, where this unfolds. This group do not actively draw upon asylum legislation to integrate however legal and constitutional legislation features to create an identity of freedom. This is not without obstacles and through social surveillance, moral regulation and possible outing due the presence of fellow nationals, this group of men have to employ alternative resources and forms of refuge to create a space within this city. The emphasis on sexuality, gender and class in determining citizenship and legislative protection for minorities- propels this book to investigate questions around, citizenship, belonging and the role of religion when the nation-state is based on heteronormative relations and assumptions.