IOL Queer + Digimag - June 2021

IOL

QUEER+ JUNE 2021

STOP KILLING US

Contents Legendary isn’t above criticism Vogue Nights get Mzansi walking and talking Vogue 5 elements to strutting your stuff Tribute to those who have been killed for being LGBTQIA+ Pride messages from TikTok History of Pride month and our flag Queer+ movies Queer+ books

CONTACT US PUBLISHER Vasantha Angamuthu vasantha@africannewsagency.com EDITORS Liam Karabo Joyce liam.joyce@inl.co.za Jamal Grootboom jamal.grootboom@inl.co.za DESIGN Dominique Owen dominique.owen@inl.co.za LIFESTYLE EXECUTIVE EDITOR Nelandri Narianan nelandri.narianan@inl.co.za PRODUCTION Renata Ford renata.ford@inl.co.za BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Keshni Odayan keshni.odayan@inl.co.za SALES Charl Reineke charl.reineke@inl.co.za ENQUIRIES iol.magazines@inl.co.za

Editors’ letter It’s Pride Month! A time to celebrate your authentic self and remember that there is a community of fearless people who fought battles that allow the freedoms experienced today.

It is a month of colour, education, fun and remembrance.

However, Pride Month in South Africa has been difficult. And the unfortunate part is what has been happening is not exclusive to June.

Queer peope across the

LIAM KARABO JOYCE

country are being brutally killed simply for being themselves.

In this edition, we pay tribute to those who have been killed. We have put together a guide on how to protect yourself when needed. We also look at the meaning of Pride and that beautiful flag filled with rich history.

With ballroom culture making waves within the community and outside, we look at this art form along with Voguing.

It’s a fabulous read!

JAMAL GROOTBOOM

FROM left: Law Roach, Megan Thee Stallion, Jameela Jamil, Leiomy Maldonado and Dominique Jackson from the series, Legendary. | HBO Max via AP

LEGENDARY

isn’t above criticism JAMAL GROOTBOOM jamald.grootboom@inl.co.za

WHEN it comes to queer representation in TV and film, we have come a long way with regards to having storylines, characters and cultural aspects that have made its way to our screens.

RuPaul’s Drag Race is one of the biggest reality TV shows in the world. Pose brought Black/ POC trans women to leading roles on a highly successful show and then we have Legendary that took ballroom from the streets to our screens.

And while these shows have done a lot for a community that hasn’t been able to see themselves in a medium that previously ignored them, it has also spurred a

conversation about how we critique these shows.

Legendary has come under fire for its second season, specifically for the judging.

The first season had similar criticism with many viewers confused by the addition of Megan Thee Stallion and Jameela Jamil on the panel, as they have little to no knowledge of ballroom.

While Law Roach rubbed many people up the wrong way at first, it was clear in season 2 he went back and did his homework and started giving critiques that make sense and help the houses on the show.

One of the changes from season 1 was the implementation of a point system where the judges give

Tiffany Haddish on Legendary. | HBO

each house a score between 1-10 for their group. Along with individual categories where contestants had to receive 10s across the board with a single chop cutting them from progressing in the category. And the overall winner getting 10 points for their house. These accumulated points then determine who is the superior house and which two houses can take part in a Vogue Femme battle to see who stays and who goes. Now, while this might sound like a pretty fair system, cracks showed quickly.

It became apparent to viewers and lovers of ballroom that there wasn’t a clear consensus if houses were being judged against e ach other or themselves.

Leiomy addressed the Enter House Tisci’s exit. criticism the show has received This house sprinted ahead of on Twitter and said: “Y’all the other houses by the third be storming my tweets with episode and subsequently opinions about Legendary as if gave some of the most iconic it’s a suggestion box. performances in the show “My question is what are but ended up in the bottom y’all doing for the community during the OVAH! Ball. While their performance was okay for to be seen and celebrated?

Instead of complaining just them compared to one house congratulate the show and who got 10s, it really didn’t appreciate what we have. Pose make sense. has already ended…”

Aside from the choice of And the thing is… you can guest judges, which was very support something while still random in season 1, the other giving valid criticism. issue is the amount of power And as queer people, we given to them. It made very have just as much a right to little sense to viewers why voice our opinions and want they were given the power to break a tie since many of them better.

“We are no longer at the have little to no ballroom point where we just have to knowledge. take queer representation no Many stated that it made matter the issues with the more sense that Leiomy show. We deserve to be heard Maldonado was given that and it should not be seen as us power since she was the only consistent authority on the panel. This led to a wide range of baffling choices for category wins with the judges unable to explain their choices since they have no idea what to look for.

The biggest offender of season 2 was comedian Tiffany Haddish who interrupted Leiomy during her critique of one of the houses and had to be shut down by Law, since she didn’t understand that she was a guest in this space.

And again, the sentiment from viewers has been that if the show wants to have more mainstream personalities as guest judges, have them on early in the season or on episodes when no one goes home. Have them on when their vote won’t have such a big impact on the overall show.

In turn, guest judges that come from the ballroom world such as Amiyah Scott should appear on later episodes where a chop or a 10 makes a huge difference as to who wins and who goes home.

House of Tisci. | HBO

trying to take down a show.”

Pose similarly also received criticism and praise, some for the acting ability and storylines on the show. But even with the rushed production of the final season due to the coronavirus pandemic, it was clear that the screenwriters and actors listened and showed improvement.

And the funny part about the criticism towards Legendary is that most viewers want the best for the houses that showcase an important part of queer culture to the rest of the world.

Therefore, we as queer people shouldn’t just take representation at face value and should be allowed the range to inspect, critique and explore the things we are represented in so that they can improve and be better.

Vogue Nights

get Mzansi walking and talking JAMAL GROOTBOOM jamald.grootboom@inl.co.za

Lelo Whatsgood has brought ballroom parties to Johannesburg. | Thabo Mthombeni / @downtownthabz

IN THE last few years ballroom culture and vogue has seen a global resurgence and the South African queer community is no different.

Known as one of the cornerstones of queer culture, at a ball, a house member walks in various categories for a panel of judges where they get scored out of 10. The goal is to get the grand prize along with the judges giving you 10s across the board.

Enter Vogue Nights Jozi, started by queer DJ and activist Lelo Whatsgood, real name Lelo Meslani. The event has become a highlight for many in the queer community.

Speaking about why he started Vogue Nights, Lelo said: “I saw the lack of diverse spaces for the queer community, especially in Johannesburg.

“And I took inspiration from the ballroom culture that had been

popping up at the time during 2018 and I thought it would be cute if we had a space like this and still carry the values and ideas fundamental to the culture and bring them home.

And by like the second year when Tutu (Zondo) joined as the official MC, they are the creative (director) and the sort of partner in that.”

While ballroom culture originated in New York City, it has become global and the local LGBTQIA+ community has embraced it.

“We have kick-ass DJs so you can expect good music, good vibes and we wait for people to get into it, to arrive, you know, and have them socialise, network and meet people they have not seen.

“One of the things Vogue Nights has done is rekindle the community.

“And in the middle of the event, that’s where we start the ball. I’m usually playing the music for the categories, then Tutu is the MC for the night.

We have houses, participants and the categories and we have an ‘open for all category’ where all the gurls can participate if they don’t belong to a house.

“And the (DJ) line-up continues and it’s a party.”

Walking in a ball might seem daunting, but Lelo shared some tips for those planning to make that leap to the ballroom floor.

“My advice is be comfortable as you come as you are. I think it’s a really good environment just to let go. Feel and live your inner fantasy.

“It’s a space of no discrimination and judgement.

It’s all love. And if you are comfortable, come as you are.

Keep an open heart and mind – that’s best.”

One of the biggest moments Lelo shared from previous

Tutu Zondo and Moonchild Sanelly. | Thabo Mthombeni / @downtownthabz

Vogue Nights was when they got the House of Ninja in Paris to come to South Africa. The experience was more than just them attending the event.

They were able to do a cultural exchange where Lelo got advice to help them shape their balls better, including a voguing workshop and tips to mix music for voguing.

Expanding on the other house he would like to come to Vogue Nights, Lelo said it was the House of Oricci, who

competed in the second season of Legendary. “I really like them.

I think they’re really good.”

Speaking about the future of Vogue Nights, Lelo said: “I think our future lies in expanding throughout the country ... I think we just like reaching as many parts as we can and bringing it to the townships as well.

“The queer community there is so untapped and I think there are big opportunities that lie there.”

House Tisci performing the catwalk. | HBO Max

5

elements of

Vogue

JAMAL GROOTBOOM jamald.grootboom@inl.co.za

WHEN it comes to dance as an art form, voguing has had a long history within popular culture. Originating from the New York City ballroom scene in the ’80s, it gained popularity when Madonna released her hit single Vogue in 1990. And with the aid of several members from the ballroom community, not only did the song blow up but “old way” vogue became a hot dance trend.

Based on poses from Vogue Magazine, Willi Ninja – known as the godfather of Vogue – was one of the

pioneers of the dance.

However, as time went on so did the dance style and this gave birth to Vogue Femme – the ballroom category now most associated with voguing.

While “old way” Vogue was more focused on using poses as the starting point for a vogue battle at a slower tempo, Vogue Femme is more intense with a distinct musical style that compliments it with more dramatic flair.

This is how we get to the five elements of Vogue.

These include spins and dips, catwalk, duckwalks, hand and floor performance.

it more spectacular. Legendary judge Leiomy Maldonado is also known for creating the 360 dip, where you spin at a 45-degree angle before landing the dip.

Catwalk Not to be confused with the runway category, it’s often used as a precursor to duckwalks.

The voguer will walk knees bent crossing strides while moving their hips side to side; along with arms moving from your shoulder to the front with your arms going the opposite sides of your hips. While doing a catwalk you can also improvise with hand and arm movements.

Spin and dips Spins are as the name suggests, doing a 360-degree spin either with one foot or both feet on the ground – the person voguing will spin either while standing up or during floor performance. Some voguers have also introduced ballet techniques such as pirouettes and fouettés.

There are two main ways to do a dip. One is slower, where you slightly bend on the leg with your back on the floor and the other leg up in the air.

The flashier version is where it’s a quick action with a dancer seemingly jumping into a dip and hitting the floor in one movement. This is commonly done after several spins to make

Duckwalks Probably the most difficult part of Vogue Femme is the duckwalk. While in a squatting position with both knees next to each other, on your tippytoes, you rhythmically walk like a duck with your feet kicking with a hopping motion but not a bounce. This is accompanied by your hands doing a flicking movement over the opposite shoulder of the leg kicking out.

The duckwalk is one of the most diverse voguing dance moves since it has a lot of variants including slides, directional switches, ninja walk and jumps.

Hand performance When it comes to hand and arm movements, they play an integral part in most of the other elements of voguing.

Hand performance puts the focus squarely on moving your hands rhythmically. Sharing a lot of similarities with whacking, hand performances are done standing or sitting down – when it’s a separate category – and find the voguer using a combination of sharp and quick movements creating shapes and lines while showcasing good musicality as to determine the type of movement. One of

the best-known parts of hand performance is when a voguer uses figure eights in a circular motion.

Floor performance One of the more flexible elements of vogue, floor performance involves a voguer doing a bunch of different movements on the floor. While it’s one of the few elements that allow for more individuality, the movements that are often seen are fan kicks, knee slides, the pointing of toes and arching of the back, and allow for more acrobatics. These include splits and movements that are often employed by those who are more flexible. However, like all the other elements, musicality plays an important role in whatever you decide to do while on the floor.

DaShaun Wesley’s duckwalk. | HBO Max

We will always remember you THEOLIN TEMBO theolin.tembo@inl.co.za

IN THE past month alone, the brutal deaths of numerous members of the LGBTQIA+ community have shown that while the community has a lot to celebrate, the fight is not over.

Pride Month is a celebration of the LGBTQIA+ community.

It allows us to celebrate how far the community has come but it is also a reminder of how far we still have to go.

In honouring that, it is important to remember there are many of our community members who are brutalised and killed for who they are.

It’s been a little over a year since the murder of renowned dancer and international award-winning choreographer Kirvan Fortuin, 28, of Macassar, and still, the gruesome brutality against, and killings of, LGBTQIA+ community members continue.

Fortuin was stabbed in the chest during an altercation at a house party in June last year. The 15-year-old girl who pleaded guilty to stabbing Fortuin to death was sentenced in March to staying in a juvenile centre until age 21.

Fortuin was also well-known within the ballroom scene as he was the mother of ballroom house, “House of le Cap”.

His death was mourned by many across the arts industry,

LINDOKUHLE CELE

including RuPaul’s Drag Race judge Michelle Visage.

“All you beautiful children in the House of le Cap, I am so sorry. So devastatingly sorry about the tragic loss of your beautiful house mother, Kirvan. I wish I could tell why things like this happen, and continue to happen… but I can’t. What I can tell you is that you are loved. You have always been loved.

“You are perfect, and I need you to continue moving forward in the name of peace, in the name of love for your beautiful mother, who shall now always rest in power.

“It is heartbreaking that as the anniversary of his death comes, we are still experiencing the continued killing of queer bodies in the country,” she said.

Last year Lindokuhle Cele, an LGBTQIA+ gender activist died after he was stabbed 21 times in full view of the public at an uMlazi butchery. Following the brutal homophobic attack, Mvuyisi Noguda was sentenced to 25 years’ imprisonment by the Durban High Court.

Recently, Anele Bhengu, a 22-year-old woman from KwaMakhutha in KwaZuluNatal was raped and stabbed repeatedly. Her throat and abdomen were slit. Bhengu’s body was found dumped in the Durban south township.

The body of Lulama Mvandaba was discovered after she was allegedly assaulted on June 5. Her family said they believed she was targeted because of her sexuality.

Mvandaba’s death comes after the murder of several gay and lesbian people across the Western Cape. Liyabona Mabishi, 16, from Nkanini, Khayelitsha, was murdered in March on Human Rights Day by five men for allegedly being lesbian.

In April the body of Lonwabo Jack, a 22-yearold gay man, was found in Mau Mau, Nyanga, with stab wounds to the chest after he had gone out with friends for his birthday party the previous day. He was allegedly raped before he was stabbed.

Phelokazi Ndlwana, 24, was stabbed to death in Khayelitsha

woman is only 35 – almost half last month because she lived openly as a lesbian. that of the average South In recent months, African. Something needs LGBTQIA+ deaths from to be done,” Zondo said. around the country included Zondo organised a march to that of Bonang Gaelae, 29, honour Ntuthela, and at the whose throat was slashed in march, they handed over a Sebokeng on February 12; and memorandum to parliament.

Nonhlanhla Kunene, 37, whose One of the demands body was found half naked in included in the memorandum Edendale, Pietermaritzburg, on was for Parliament to fast track March 5. the enacting of the Hate Crimes Sphamandla Khoza, 34, Bill, and also for a debate on was beaten, stabbed and had Hate Crimes – specifically those his throat slit on March 29 in directed to LGBTQIA+ rights.

KwaMashu, Durban.

Meanwhile, Nathaniel “Spokgoane” QueerLivesMatter movement Mbele was stabbed in the chest representative Kamva Gwana in Tshirela, Vanderbijlpark, said the realities faced by on April 2. black queer people The body of Andile in the country Would you “Lulu” Nthuthela, had not received know my name?

41, mutilated and any meaningful If I saw you in heaven attention from burnt, was found on April 10, in Would it be the same? the government.

KwaNobuhle, “Part of our If I saw you in heaven Kariega. demands listed in ERIC CLAPTON These are just our memorandum MUSICIAN some of the deaths to the Speaker of that have been parliament in April reported. They need to is to call out politicians, end. There are others whose the government and the deaths go unreported and/ SAPS to firstly condemn these or untold. Following a recent attacks. increase in attacks against “We are calling on sexual minorities, parliament parliament to hold an urgent has been urged to finalise the debate centring on hate crimes Prevention and Combating and the lived realities of the of Hate Crimes and Hate LGBTQIA+ community at large, Speech Bill, aimed at reducing and the SAPS and Department offensive speech and curbing of Justice to sensitise itself in hate crimes in South Africa. It dealing with crimes inflicted was introduced in 2016 but has against queer bodies. yet to be enacted.

“We find that many of our Film-maker and activist Tutu members do not come forward Zondo said the LGBTQIA+ to report crimes because they community was suffering. fear the institutionalised “We’re being gruesomely homophobia and judgement killed, raped and not treated they face at the SAPS and as equal members of society. others,” said Gwana.

South Africa is one of the Gwana said society has done leading countries when it little meaningfully to integrate comes to correctional rape members of the LGBTQIA+ against lesbian women. The community. average lifespan of a black trans Dr Nyx McLean, a researcher

ANELE BHENGU

of queer identities, explained that hate crimes are rooted in irrational fear and hatred towards queer people.

“Murders, in particular, say something about how deeply pathological this fear and hatred is – to be so entirely threatened by an LGBTQIA+ person that you take their life from them.

“This requires a serious intervention at all levels in society, beyond laws and policies.

“If men were truly comfortable in their sense of self in the world, they would not be threatened by LGBTQIA+ people – or women as we see with gender-based violence.” *Additional reporting by Mthuthuzeli Ntseku and Mwangi Githahu

My song is love Love to the lovers shone And it goes up You don’t have to be alone COLDPLAY

s e g a s s e m e d i r P TikTok m o r f LIAM KARABO JOYCE liam.joyce@inl.co.za

WHILE Pride Month is one to celebrate the queer community and its achievements through the years, this year is a little different.

With members of the LGBTQIA+ community increasingly being targeted by hate crimes over the last few months, and many being killed simply for being queer, there is not much to celebrate in Mzansi.

However, there is a light at the end of every tunnel.

Here are some messages from some of Mzansi’s biggest queer content creators on TikTok.

Chelsea Keta TikTok Handle: @slimgirlsupreme The recent escalation of hate crimes has been extremely concerning and we are calling on everyone to intervene. We also call upon everyone to help, learn and protect members of the LGBTQIA+ so everyone is afforded a future in their lives. LGBTQIA+ rights are human rights, we have the right to live our lives as free people without being objected to hate crimes.

Aaron Perry TikTok Handle: @aar0n_perry_ I am an out and proud content creator. Everyone is born to be brilliant, so I encourage everyone to be free to be themselves and not let anyone tell them differently!

Banele Ndaba TikTok Handle: @moghelingz Happy Pride Month! This is a reminder to show love to each other and to embrace one another. It is also a reminder that we need to continue with the fight for equality and inclusion.

My queer community, let us continue spreading love and remember that no challenge will ever take away our pride because we are stronger than people imagine. Please continue living your truth.

Warren Killian TikTok Handle: @warrenkillianmua Celebrating Pride means celebrating our true and authentic selves. I call on the community to celebrate our superpowers, to remain proud and unashamed as queer people, even when the world tries to deny our truth.

Luyanda Ngalonkulu TikTok Handle: @sis.stay.hot Always stay true to who you are.

Don’t allow the fear and hate in other people’s hearts and lives to dictate how you live yours. Live your life to the fullest, take pride in who you are - you owe it to nobody else but yourself. Happy Pride Month!

Charliexboi TikTok Handle: @charlixboi Although we are highlighting the LGBTQIA+ community in the month of June, for some it’s not always a celebration. For many, it is difficult to unapologetically show their true colours and live their truth. To those people, I want you to know that there is a community that will accept you for who you are and love you unconditionally, regardless of who you love. Happy #pride2021 to all!

THE Gay Pride festival marching through the streets of Rosebank, Johannesburg, in October 2010. | JOHANN HATTINGH / SAPA

History of Pride Month

REVELLERS take part in a Pride Parade in Cape Town in March 2013. The parade started with a minute’s silence for South Africans who died in anti-gay hate crimes. | Nardus Engelbrecht / SAPA

LIAM KARABO JOYCE liam.joyce@inl.co.za

LIKE most things in life, change happens when the masses take to the streets. Freedom in South Africa came after a long struggle that saw many go to the streets protesting against a repressive government. The Arab Spring saw citizens in Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Yemen, Syria and Bahrain take to the streets. Black Americans fought for freedom on the streets. And in the same way, so has the LGBTQIA+ community.

And as all life-changing moments in history are celebrated, June is a celebration of queerness in all its forms.

With it being Pride Month, it is a time where members and allies get to celebrate their true authentic self and reflect on the bravery of those before them.

LGBTQIA+ pride is the promotion of the equality, self-affirmation, dignity and increased visibility of lesbian,

gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and asexual people as a social group.

The 1950s and 1960s in the US was an extremely repressive legal and social period for queer people.

In this context American homophile organisations such as the Daughters of Bilitis and the Mattachine Society co-ordinated some of the earliest demonstrations of the modern queer rights movement. These two organisations in particular carried out pickets called “Annual Reminders” to inform and remind Americans that queer people did not receive basic civil rights protection.

They began in 1965 and took place on July 4 at Independence Hall in Philadelphia.

The anti-queer discourse of these times equated both male and female homosexuality with mental illness. Inspired by Stokely Carmichael’s Black is Beautiful, gay civil rights pioneer and participant in the Annual

PRIDE FLAG SYMBOLISES

CAPE Town Pride in February 2020. | AYANDA NDAMANE African News Agency (ANA)

Reminders, Frank Kameny, originated the slogan Gay is Good in 1968 to counter social stigma and personal feelings of guilt and shame.

Early on the morning of Saturday, June 28, 1969, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people rioted after a police raid on the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in Greenwich Village, New York. This riot and further protests were the watershed moments in the modern queer rights movement and the impetus for organising LGBTQIA+ pride marches on a much larger public scale.

On November 2, 1969, Craig Rodwell, his partner Fred Sargeant, Ellen Broidy, and Linda Rhodes proposed that the first pride march be held in New York City. The march took place in 1970, the first anniversary of the Stonewall riots.

The term "Gay Pride" was crafted by Thom Higgins, a gay rights activist in Minnesota. Ranging from solemn to carnivalesque, pride events are typically held during Pride Month or some other period that commemorates a turning point in a country’s queer history. Just last year the South African queer community celebrated the 30th anniversary of the first-ever Pride March held in October 1990 in Johannesburg.

UNITY, BRAVERY, HOPE LIAM KARABO JOYCE liam.joyce@inl.co.za

OF ALL THE flags in the world, the flag that represents the LGBTQIA+ community ranks as one of the best. It’s a symbol of unity, bravery and hope. And while this beautiful piece of art means so much, many people don’t know its history.

The rainbow flag is a symbol of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer pride and queer social movements. Also known as the gay pride flag or LGBTQIA+ pride flag, the colours reflect the diversity of the queer community. Using a rainbow flag as a symbol of gay pride began in San Francisco, but eventually became common at queer rights events worldwide.

Originally devised by artist Gilbert Baker, the design has undergone several changes since its debut in 1978, first to remove colours, then restore them based on the availability of fabrics.

Baker designed the rainbow Pride flag for the 1978 San Francisco Gay Freedom Day celebration, as a “symbol of hope” and liberation, and alternative to the symbolism of the pink triangle.

The flag does not depict an actual rainbow. Rather, the colours of the rainbow are displayed as horizontal stripes, with red at the top and violet at the bottom. It represents the diversity of gays

and lesbians around the world. In the original eight-colour version, pink stood for sexuality, red for life, orange for healing, yellow for the sun, green for nature, turquoise for art, indigo for harmony, and violet for spirit.

In 1974, Baker met Harvey Milk, the influential gay leader, who later challenged Baker to devise a symbol of pride for the gay community.

Prior to the San Francisco Gay Freedom Day Parade, the Pink triangle had been used as a symbol for the queer community, despite representing a dark chapter in the history of homosexuality. The Nazi regime had used the pink triangle to identify and stigmatise men interned as homosexuals in the concentration camps. Rather than relying on a Nazi tool of oppression, the community sought a new inspiring symbol.

A close friend of Baker's pressed him to create a new symbol at "the dawn of a new gay consciousness and freedom".

A South African gay pride flag, which is a hybrid of the rainbow flag and the national flag of South Africa, was launched in Cape Town in 2010. Flag designer Eugene Brockman said: “I truly believe we (the queer community) put the dazzle into our rainbow nation and this flag is a symbol of just that.”

KINK should be at PRIDE and here’s why PEOPLE dressed in leather take part in Gay Pride in Paris in 2014. | DOMINIQUE FAGET / AFP JAMAL GROOTBOOM jamald.grootboom@inl.co.za

WHEN it comes to the celebration of Pride Month, certain things happen like clockwork. Brands plaster a rainbow on any and everything, trying to get us to buy it. Corporations change their logos to reflect the Pride rainbow and a slew of famous people who were in a glass closet take to Instagram for their big “coming out” post.

And while we are used to rainbow capitalism being

turned to the highest volume and congratulating the newest famous members of the Alphabet Mafia, these past couple of years, an alarming discourse has been taking place online about what is deemed appropriate and inappropriate at a Pride march.

Queerness has become more and more accepted over the years in various forms, whether it be media, policy or the overall societal mood.

While we still have a long way to go, progress has been made with regards to making

room for people outside of the heteronormative space.

But with the mainstreaming of queerness and the various countercultures that exist within it, there has come a misunderstanding about the purpose of Pride.

In the modern context, Pride parades are seen as a celebration of all things queer with marchers and events for entertainment and educational purposes. However, recently a discourse regarding if kink/ kinksters should be allowed at Pride has gained momentum

online.

Looking back at the history of Pride and the queer liberation movement in the 1970s, following the Stonewall riots in the US in 1969, the kink community have been an integral part since the inception of Pride.

Marching with the larger queer community in protest of the police targeting queer people and the overall political climate at the time, at its core, Pride needs to be viewed as a demonstration for greater acceptance of all things queer, both on a societal and legislative level.

Over time, Pride became

more of a celebratory occasion, with corporations starting to get involved (because the pink dollar is lucrative). Somehow a very puritanical part of the community have also called for Pride parades to be more “family-friendly”.

Now, like with any public march, there are rules and regulations for your attire and behaviour depending on the city. And if you’ve ever been to a Pride march, you’ll know that while people at it might push the boundaries of what is acceptable in public, they still adhere to the rules and regulations.

The reasons often given online regarding why people feel kink shouldn’t be at Pride include, “we don’t wanna see you have sex in public”, “I didn’t consent to your kink scene taking place”, “kink gear should only be seen in private” and “what about the kids at Pride”.

First, no one is having sex in public at Pride and if you’ve ever been to a Pride parade you would know this. Being scantily clad doesn’t equate to having sex in public. Their next point is that kink gear should only be seen in private and when you ask them why, the only answer they have is that they don’t want to see it.

That’s a personal opinion with no valid reason backing it up. It’s very similar to how homophobic people react when two people of the same gender show PDA (public displays of affection).

YouTube content creator Pup Amp of WattstheSafeWord also weighed in on the kink at Pride discourse and raised many valid points including that being a kinkster is a part of his identity and that having kink visibility is not innately sexual.

Furthermore, while the kink community isn’t just queer

people because of the kink being othered in society, they have also found a home with the larger queer community.

Especially since there are queer members in the kink community and gay sex for a long time was viewed as a kink.

The consent statement is particularly irksome since when kinksters are out with their gear it’s not a scene they’re busy with, it’s just them wearing clothing items, so why would you need to have consent?

Then comes the “whatabout-ism” brigade trying to make a logical fallacy dragging children into their argument.

And the simple answer is if you don’t want your kids to see queer people being queer, don’t take them to Pride. Queer people shouldn’t have to adapt how they present themselves at Pride for anyone’s puritanical/ respectable views.

And if you have young kids at Pride that ask a question then be a parent and explain to them in an age-appropriate way what they are seeing. This helps destigmatise queerness and if it’s kinkster it goes the same way. Be a parent.

Kink and other forms of queer expression shouldn’t be deemed too much or be made to appeal to a heteronormative viewpoint of how people should present themselves at Pride.

Many people have fought and died for the rights and privileges we have today as queer people and having the nerve to tell a community that has and still does play an integral part of the queer liberation movement that they are not allowed to be their authentic selves is preposterous.

The Kink community isn’t just allowed at Pride, they form part of the fabric of queer culture and should be treated as such.

Queer+ Movies

Watch these documentaries for a lesson on queer history

I WILL Admit it, the first time I heard about “going to the ball” was when I watched the recent season of Rupaul’s Drag Race.

While I had seen videos on social media in the past and even seen people vogue at clubs, I did not know the history of ball culture in the queer community.

Thanks to the movies below, I am now clued up.

specific “category” or theme, must “walk”, much like a fashion model parades a runway.

Contestants are judged on criteria including their dance talent, the beauty of their clothing, and the “realness” of their drag, that is, their ability to pass as a member of the group or sex they are portraying.

The title takes its name from the Paris Is Burning ball held annually by artist Paris Dupree who appears in the film.

Paris Is Burning This is a 1990 American documentary film directed by Jennie Livingston. Filmed in the mid-to-late 1980s, it chronicles the ball culture of New York City and the African-American, Latino, gay, and transgender communities involved in it.

Critics consider the film to be an invaluable documentary of the end of the “Golden Age” of New York City drag balls, and a thoughtful exploration of race, class, gender, and sexuality in America.

The film explores the elaborately structured ball competitions in which contestants, adhering to a very

The Queen This 1968 American documentary film, directed by

LIAM KARABO JOYCE liam.joyce@inl.co.za

Frank Simon, is narrated by Flawless Sabrina. It depicts the experiences of the drag queens organising and participating in the 1967 Miss All-America Camp Beauty Contest held at New York City’s Town Hall.

Jack, a 28-year-old gay man living in New York and working as a drag queen named Flawless Sabrina, is the mistress of ceremonies for the 1967 Miss AllAmerica Camp Beauty Contest.

The competition operates on a points system: a maximum of five points each for walk, talk, bathing suit, gown, make-up and hair-do; and ten points for beauty.

The film was screened at the International Critics’ Week section of the 1968 Cannes Film Festival; however, the festival was ultimately curtailed and ended due to ongoing civil unrest in France before any awards could be given out.

The film's concluding scene, featuring Crystal LaBeija has led to The Queen become a “cult favourite”. Crystal’s speech was sampled in the track Ambience 001 in Frank Ocean's album Endless, and drag queen Aja impersonated LaBeija in season three of RuPaul's Drag Race: All Stars.

Queer+ Books

Buff up on your history with these fascinating reads

LIAM KARABO JOYCE liam.joyce@inl.co.za

HISTORY can be a difficult thing to learn. History can be triggering, leaving you with more questions than answers and, let’s face it, can also leave you asking why humans are the way they are. It can also enrich you and even make you appreciate the life you live.

“From the time I was a little boy, I found myself reading history when I had a choice. I read a lot of things, but history had a special appeal for me,” said historian Donald Kagan.

It is for this reason that two books about the history of Pride appear on this list.

We Are Everywhere: A Visual Guide to the History of Queer Liberation, So Far by Matthew Riemer and Leighton Brown Through the lenses of protest, power, and pride, We Are Everywhere is an essential and empowering introduction to the history of the fight for queer liberation. Combining exhaustively researched narrative with meticulously curated photographs, the book traces queer activism from

its roots in late 19th century Europe – long before the pivotal Stonewall Riots of 1969 – to the gender warriors leading the charge today.

Featuring more than 300 images from more than 70 photographers and 20 archival resources, it enables us to see queer history unlike anything before, with glimpses of activism in the decades preceding and following Stonewall, family life, marches, protests, celebrations, mourning, and Pride.

The Book of Pride: LGBTQ Heroes Who Changed The World by Mason Funk This book captures the true story of the gay rights movement from the 1960s to the present, through richly detailed, stunning interviews with the leaders, activists, and ordinary people who witnessed the movement and made it happen. These individuals fought battles both personal and political, often without the support of family or friends, frequently under the threat of violence and persecution. By shining a light on these remarkable stories of bravery and determination,

The Book Of Pride not only honours an important chapter in American history but also empowers young people today (both queer and straight) to to create positive change.

Just Between Us

by J H Trumble This is a charming story that can be appreciated by teens and adults. Seventeen-year-old Luke Chesser is trying to forget his spectacular failure of a love life. He practises marching band moves for hours in the hot Texas sun, deals with his disapproving father, and slyly checks out the new band field tech, Curtis Cameron.

Soon Luke is falling harder than he knew he could. And this time, he intends to play it right. Since testing positive for HIV, Curtis has careened between numbness and fear.

Too ashamed to tell anyone, he can’t possibly act on his feelings.

And Luke – impulsive, funny, and more tempting than he realises – won’t take a hint.

Even when Curtis distances himself it backfires, leaving him with no idea how to protect Luke from the truth.

Learn how to defend yourself VIWE NDONGENI-NTLEBI viwe.ndongeni@inl.co.za

THE constitution guarantees the rights of queer citizens in South African, but that does not guarantee their safety.

Over the past few weeks, queer South Africans have been brutally killed because they are simply queer.

As these killings continue, LGBTQIA+ citizens live in fear and uncertainty.

With all this, you need to learn how to protect yourself. Howcast gives us three things to keep in mind: Keep calm. It’s very easy to fall into the trap of panic and fear, especially in tense situations. But when people panic, they tend to make mistakes – something you want to avoid when defending yourself. Take deep breaths and remember to keep calm, no matter the situation.

Keep it simple. When you’re defending yourself, you don’t need to use elaborate moves or patterns.

In reality, two or three simple punches or kicks will usually be enough to keep your attacker at bay. The key is to calculate your moves in advance and make sure they count.

Get out quickly. In a truly frightening situation, it may feel important to beat up on your opponent for as long as you can. But remember that the best way to protect yourself (both

physically and legally) is to leave the scene as soon as possible. Once your opponent is down, flee to a safe area and contact authorities if needed.

Areas to target: It doesn't matter how big or heavy your attacker is – you can beat anyone if you know where the most vulnerable spots or pressure points are. Popular pressure points include the knee cap, back of the knee, the groin, the ears, the eyes, the nose, and the throat. If you have access to any of these areas, give it a good punch or kick.

Victor Lyalko, a martial arts master who wrote a book in which he described the most effective methods of self-defence, shares the simplest and most effective moves: Grabbing the wrist. Grab his little finger and his ring finger with one hand, and his middle and index finger with the other and bend the wrist forward.

Hit him with a fist or with a finger between the collarbone or into his Adam’s apple.

The most obvious area for an attack is the groin.

Hitting this area will literally paralyze the attacker and you will have just enough time to escape.

If you still feel unsafe, here are legal self-defence gadgets you can invest in and carry every day: Pepper spray: Pepper spray remains one of the

most commonly used nonlethal self-defence tools.

Flashlight: When you point a bright flashlight on your attacker’s face, he may lose vision. This may give you the chance to run away.

There are some flashlights with a stun gun feature.

Stun gun: These guns are typically loud and bright.

You can scare your attacker without using it on them.

Tactical pens: These multi-purpose writing tools can serve as self-defence tools. They are small and easy to carry around.

Healthline, a health portal, also notes essential principles of prevention which include: Awareness: Make sure you’re aware of your environment. Limit distractions when walking from place to place or in other public settings. Don’t constantly stare down at your phone. Make sure you can hear around you.

Have keys ready. Walk with purpose.

Boundaries: Make it a point to ask yourself why somebody makes you uncomfortable. Be verbal with them.

If you’re carrying selfdefence tools, make sure to get training on how to use them. You can also use more common objects as weapons, including a purse, umbrella, phone, pencil, book, or rock. Anything blunt that can be used to hit, throw, stab, or swing can be very effective.

E AR AW BE

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