SEVERAL South African women have been murdered for being lesbians, in most African countries you're a criminal if you're gay, and in Sudan and Mauritania you can be put to death by the state for it.

But the University of the Western Cape is taking a stand - and has just seen its first graduates of the continent's first-ever accredited course on sexual orientation and the role of educators.

On Monday 130 students received certificates for the ground-breaking course which aims to "equip educators with attitudes and skills to help them respond in respectful and supportive ways to LGBTIQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and questioning) matters that arise in the classroom".

Dr James Lees, from the faculty of education and the HIV-Aids programme at UWC, said students and staff had decided a new course was needed to make Section 9 of the SA constitution come alive in schools.

He said the university structures had "responded in record time to accredit the course" and the vice chancellor, Professor Brian O'Connell, and the dean of education, Professor Zubeida Desai, "gave their immediate and full support for the new course".

The keynote address at the ceremony was given by the US ambassador to South Africa, Patrick Gaspard, who said: "It doesn't take much to recognise the ever-increasing media reports about the increased acceptance of gay marriage in some parts of the world, juxtaposed with the draconian laws enacted in some countries - on every continent - aimed at punishing homosexuality."

Course content included footage of a filmed interview in the chambers of openly gay Justice Edwin Cameron, as well as 11 young women from the Triangle Project describing to students their experiences as LGBTIQ-identified high school learners.

One student, Kim Geduld, described this as a "course highlight" and said: "This has really opened my eyes on how to approach situations concerning sexual diversity."

Another student, Jason du Plessis, said: "This course is absolutely necessary and should be offered at all universities, especially for those pursuing a career in education as we are at the heart of making a difference where negative attitudes towards others are concerned."

Bernedette Muthien of gender rights NGO Engender, said: "UWC should be lauded for its progressive stance. This means we cannot pick which rights we prefer to protect. This can't be allocated according to preference or fashion."

According to Amnesty International, same-sex relations are illegal in 36 of 55 countries in Africa, and are punishable by death in Mauritania, Sudan and parts of Nigeria.

newsdesk@sowetan.co.za

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