FROM THE EDITOR Welcome all With the World in the grip of the pandemic, it is good news for many of us that the country has moved to Level 2, enabling restaurants, bars and that gay-man’s temple, gyms to open, albeit with limited numbers, social distancing, masking-up and disinfecting. But there is light at the end of the tunnel it seems. The online Global Pride event took place on the 27th June and was a huge success with tens of millions of people around the world tuning in and live streaming Prides from around the globe. The African continent is holding their own Uniting Prides of Africa on the 26th September and will feature live performances, shout-outs and stories from a number of countries, but importantly from many places where LGBTQI+ rights are nonexistent and where gay people are subjected to harsh penalties and even death in some countries. So save the date - 26 September - get together with a few friends and livestream this historic African Pride day. Our cover and main feature in this issue is the artist and activist Zanele Muholi who has made a name for herself both locally and internationally with her iconic photography that inspires debate and highlights the struggle that black lesbians and transgender people especially suffer in this country where LGBTQI+ rights are protected under the constitution. We also feature Miloh Ramai, a local performing artist who is making a name for himself on the South African music scene. We have a number of articles which will be of interest to readers, including a look at the experiences of straight people who discover their husband or wife is gay and how they have had to deal with the breakdown of their marriage. There’s a study by Human Rights Watch of how AfroQueer people are dealing with the pandemic. Well-known activist, Peter Tatchell looks at the view point of some that equal rights to the cis community is not far enough. With most theatres and cinemas being closed and few new releases coming on the market, we take a look at some of the best LGBTI+ movies over the past 90 or so years. Most can be streamed or downloaded. Some will be familiar to many readers but there are a whole lot that you possibly have never heard of, so on these quiet, stay-at-home nights why not have a friend over, and enjoy a movie-night with a “gay” classic. stay safe, mask up, don’t touch anyone up... now that we are in Lockdown 2 there is hope that we will come out of the pandemic in the not too distant future - till better days ...
Cover Photo: © Zanele Muholi. Courtesy of Stevenson, Cape Town/Johannesburg and Yancey Richardson, New York Mag 2
MANAGING EDITOR: Tommy Patterson 082 562 3358 ISSN 2304-859X Published by: PATTERSON PUBLICATIONS P.O. Box 397, Sea Point 8060 Cell: 082 562 3358 E-mail: outmagafrica@telkomsa.net outmagazine@mweb.co.za outlet@telkomsa.net
CONTRIBUTORS: Daniel Dercksen, Mark S. King PHOTOGRAPHY: Henning Marko Swanepoel
ADVERTISING SALES: Tommy Patterson 082 562 3358 Copyright: All articles, stories, interviews and other materials in OUT Africa Magazine are the copyright of the publication or are reproduced with permission from other copyright owners. All rights are reserved. No materials may be copied, modified, published or otherwise distributed without the prior written permission of OUT Africa Magazine. The views, opinions, positions or strategies expressed by those providing comments in this publication are theirs alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of OUT Africa Magazine or any employee thereof. OUT Africa Magazine and Patterson Publications cc., will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in any information contained in the publication.