Cracked binary symbol with diverse figures emerging, symbolizing workplace inclusivity.

Beyond the Binary: How Deadly Workplace Assumptions Stifle LGBTQ+ Inclusion

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Lena Kashyap in Culture & Society August 2025 • 5 min read.

"Unpacking heteronormative structures in South African organizations and how they perpetuate inequality."


In today's increasingly diverse world, many organizations are striving to create inclusive workplaces. However, despite well-intentioned efforts, subtle yet pervasive biases can undermine these initiatives. One such bias is heteronormativity – the assumption that everyone is heterosexual and that gender exists solely within a binary (male or female). This article delves into how these assumptions manifest in corporate gender empowerment programs, particularly within the South African context, and how they can inadvertently exclude and marginalize LGBTQ+ individuals.

Democratic South Africa's Constitution Act No 108 of 1996 is internationally acclaimed for being the first in the world to explicitly outlaw discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation. Following the passage of the Civil Union Act No 17 of 2006, post-apartheid South Africa also became the fifth country in the world and the first on the African continent to legally recognise same-sex marriage. The Chapter 9 institutions, including the Gender Equality Commission and the Commission for Human Rights, have also been enacted to safeguard the constitutionally guaranteed human rights and to promote gender equality and justice. In the labour market, the newly elected democratic government promulgated the Employment Equity Act No 55 of 1998 and the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act No 4 of 2000 (known as the PEPUDA or Equality Act) to prohibit unfair discrimination on grounds of gender, sex and sexual orientation amongst other dimensions.

Based on a research article examining gender empowerment discourses in South African corporations, this analysis reveals how deeply ingrained heteronormative assumptions can limit the scope and effectiveness of diversity efforts. By understanding these hidden biases, organizations can take concrete steps to create truly inclusive environments where all employees feel valued and respected.

The Deadly Elasticity of Assumptions: How Heteronormativity Works

Cracked binary symbol with diverse figures emerging, symbolizing workplace inclusivity.

The research highlights a critical issue: gender, sex and sexuality are conflated and persistently assumed to fit meticulously into the confines of the socio-political ideology that all things normal and natural are either male or female and straight. These restrictive heteronormative assumptions, as Rich (1980) argued, are deadly and elastic. They relentlessly stretch in time and space through discourse, weaving into the fiber of social and organisational systems, structures, policies and practices. Their elastic design enables these heteronormative assumptions to interpenetrate communities, culture and traditions, economic systems, “work” organizations and social relations where they function overtly and covertly to shut down the possibilities of human existence outside the axiomatic heterosexual gender binary. In doing so, these assumptions perform a political function of safeguarding the privileged positionality of cisgendered, straight people while perpetuating the reproduction of an agonizing post-colonial amnesia.

Post-colonial amnesia can be seen in the omnipresent non-recognition of queer identity as a legitimate axis of human difference. It manifests through a constant (re)construction of queer identity as a “foreign" western import, a lifestyle choice, biologically unnatural, religiously demonic, culturally un-African, and a medical or psychopathological phenomenon. These constructions produce a social reality in which queer existence triggers anxiety, discomfort, anger and violence and give impetus to eugenic convictions that queer bodies deserve prevention, cure and or extermination . Young posits that these oppressive discourses are not always imposed by cruel autocrats, but by a well-intentioned liberal society and organizations that may be acclaimed as diversity competent, through the ongoing formation of system-wide constraints, unquestioned norms, habits, symbols and daily language that restrains and diminishes the potential of (queer) others to be fully human.

  • Limited Gender Definitions: Gender is narrowly defined within the male-female binary, overlooking the diversity of gender identities.
  • Heteronormative Focus: Empowerment strategies primarily focus on heterosexual women, reinforcing heteropatriarchy in organizational culture.
  • Invisibility of Alternative Genders: The possibility of genders outside the binary is often ignored or actively suppressed.
Transformation managers, who are change agents, fell short of acknowledging, challenging and changing these entrenched ideologies of patriotic heterosexuality.The implications of these findings are significant. By failing to recognize and address heteronormative assumptions, organizations may inadvertently perpetuate violence against queer bodies and subjectivities. This violence can take various forms, from microaggressions and discrimination to systemic exclusion and erasure.

Moving Forward: Creating Truly Inclusive Workplaces

To create truly inclusive workplaces, organizations must move beyond superficial diversity initiatives and actively challenge heteronormative assumptions. This requires a multi-pronged approach, including: Broadening gender definitions, implementing inclusive policies, providing education and training, amplifying LGBTQ+ voices. By taking these steps, organizations can foster environments where all employees feel safe, valued, and empowered to bring their whole selves to work.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1108/ijse-11-2017-0552, Alternate LINK

Title: The Deadly Elasticity Of Heteronormative Assumptions In South African Organisations

Subject: General Social Sciences

Journal: International Journal of Social Economics

Publisher: Emerald

Authors: Nceba Ndzwayiba, Melissa Steyn

Published: 2019-03-04

Everything You Need To Know

1

How do heteronormative assumptions impact organizational structures and policies in South African workplaces?

Heteronormativity, as highlighted by Rich (1980), operates through discourse, embedding itself within social and organizational systems, policies, and practices. Its elastic nature allows it to permeate communities, cultures, economic systems, and social relations, functioning both overtly and covertly. This restricts human existence outside the heterosexual gender binary, safeguarding the privileged position of cisgendered, straight individuals while perpetuating a post-colonial amnesia.

2

What does post-colonial amnesia mean in the context of queer identity in South Africa?

Post-colonial amnesia, in this context, refers to the non-recognition of queer identity as a legitimate form of human difference. This manifests as the continuous reconstruction of queer identity as something foreign, unnatural, or culturally inappropriate. Such constructions lead to a social environment where queer existence triggers anxiety, discomfort, and even violence, fostering eugenic beliefs that queer individuals need to be prevented, cured, or eliminated.

3

What role do transformation managers play in addressing heteronormativity, and where did the research find they fell short?

The research indicated that transformation managers, despite being change agents, often failed to acknowledge, challenge, or change the deeply entrenched ideologies of patriotic heterosexuality. This lack of action perpetuates the restrictive environment, hindering true diversity and inclusion within South African corporations.

4

What concrete steps can organizations take to challenge heteronormative assumptions and create more inclusive workplaces for LGBTQ+ individuals?

Organizations can actively challenge heteronormative assumptions by broadening gender definitions beyond the traditional binary, implementing inclusive policies that protect LGBTQ+ individuals, providing education and training to raise awareness, and amplifying LGBTQ+ voices within the workplace. These actions create a safer, more valued, and empowered environment for all employees.

5

What are the potential consequences of failing to address heteronormative assumptions within organizations, and how can these oversights affect employees?

Failing to address heteronormative assumptions can perpetuate violence against queer individuals, ranging from microaggressions and discrimination to systemic exclusion. This violence undermines diversity efforts, creates hostile work environments, and prevents organizations from fully benefiting from the talents and perspectives of all employees. Acknowledging intersectionality, specifically race and class, with heteronormativity, would enhance understanding and create better solutions.

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