If we’re to beat homophobia, we need to show the homophobes that there is nothing wrong with non-heterosexuals. By firing the lady, her life is now worse-off than it was. Bitterness and resentment will brew and she could use this as evidence that gay people as a scourge and the source of her misery. The will be communicated amongst her friends and family and the polarisation of the community will increase.

This is precisely the opposite of what is needed. I would rather see her going for a few months of councilling and community service amongst AIDS sufferers. There’s nothing better to change an armchair commentator’s point of view than to put them in the middle of things.

Since she did this in her own private capacity, I also doubt the legality of the dismissal. She should contact the labour department and the CCMA in order to get her job back.