Why are these crimes happening? When did we become such an intolerant society? The message we need to get out is that LGBTI persons are not infringing anybody’s rights by being themselves. We have to change societal attitudes. A study by OUT showed that only half of their respondents questioned had felt that the Constitution had indeed led to a positive change in the attitudes to homosexuality held by many citizens. About 80% continued to see themselves faced with the same societal prejudice of being ‘abnormal’. A national analysis by the Human Sciences Research Council found that 78% of respondents considered homosexuality as “absolutely unacceptable”. These figures therefore stand to confirm that our communities are still largely influenced by so-called “hetero-normative” views and attitudes, and this is where the need for public education and awareness cannot be overemphasised.

Read the full address on the polity.org website.