Category Archives: Being Scene

2014 May 26: I found myself at 22

  My name is Abongile Matyila. Abongile is a Xhosa name which means to be grateful. My uncle gave me that name. I’m a 22 year old Bachelor of Arts (BA) student studying at the University of Fort Hare, East London … Continue reading

Posted in Academic, Acceptance, Activists Act, Adoring, African Queer Beauty, Androgyny, Another Approach Is Possible, Archived memories, Archiving Queer Her/Histories in SA, Art Activism in South Africa, Art Is A Human Right, As we are, Before You, Being Scene, Black Queer Born Frees in SA townships, Black Queer Professionals, Blackness, Body, Creating awareness, Creative writer, Creative Writing, Dress code, Eastern Cape, Empowerment, Exposure, Expression, Friendships, Gender naming, Homosexual, Homosexuality, Human Beings, Human rights, Independence, Know Your SA Queer History, LGBTI community, Life, Life Stories, Living by example, Our lives in the picture, Penetrating mainstream spaces, Photography, Portrait, Power of the Voice, Queer Youth, Recognition, Sexual orientation, Sexuality, Sharing knowledge, Translation, Visual history, Visual history is a Right not a luxury, Visual Language, Visual Power, Visual Voices, We Are You, We Care, We Love Photography, We Still Can with/out Resources, We were (t)here, Writing is a Right, Young talent, Youth voices | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

2014 March 21: The critical work of a critic

The task of a writer engaging with the work of artists and activists is an important one. The critic does not only draw attention to the work of particular people but provides a way for readers and viewers to translate … Continue reading

Posted in Activists Act, African, African Queer Beauty, Allies, Another Approach Is Possible, Archived memories, Art Is A Human Right, Art Solidarity, As we are, Beauty, Being Scene, Experience, Exposure, Expression, Feelings, Female Photographers, Freedom of being, Friendships, Homophobia, Human rights, I was (T)here, Identity, Inconsiderate, Independence, LGBTI community, Life, Relationships, Sexual Liberation, Sexual minorities, Sexual orientation, Sharing knowledge, Short bio, Society, South Africa, Speaking for ourselves, Survivor, Textualizing Our Own Lives, Visual Activist, Visual history is a Right not a luxury, Visual Language, Visual Power, Visual Voices, We Are You, We Love Photography, We Still Can with/out Resources, When Love is a Human Right, Women's Arts In South Africa (WAISA), Women's power, Women's struggles, Writing is a Right, Youth voices | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

2014 Feb.15: “ Of Love & Loss” review

by Nomfundo Mgabadeli   The Wits Arts Museum and the Stevenson Gallery in Johannesburg played host to one of the most talented, hard-working, passionate visual artist activist of today, Zanele Muholi. Muholi unveiled her latest offering, titled “Of Love and … Continue reading

Posted in 2013 Prince Claus award, Academic, African, African Queer Beauty, Anger, Another Approach Is Possible, Archived memories, Archiving Queer Her/Histories in SA, Art Activism in South Africa, Art Edutainment, Art for Humanity, Art Is A Human Right, Art is Queer, Art Solidarity, Art Therapy, Articles, Ayanda & Nhlanhla Moremi, Bachelor’s Degree graduate in Journalism, Beauty, Before You, Being Scene, Black Female Body, Black Gay Wedding, Black lesbian weddings, Black Lesbians, Black Lesbians & Allies Against Hate Crimes, Body, Body Politics, Brave, Characters, Collectivism, Community, Community Mobilizing, Crea(c)tive senses, Creating awareness, Evidence, Exhibitions, Experience, Exposure, Expression, Of Love and Loss, Promise & Gift Meyer, South Africa, South African art, South African Artists, South African Black Female Photographers, Speaking for ourselves, Violence, Visual Arts, Visual democracy, Visual history, Visual history is a Right not a luxury, Visual Language, Visual Power, Visual Voices, Visualizing public spaces, We Are You, We Love Photography, We Still Can with/out Resources, We were (t)here, Zanele Muholi, Ziningi & Delisile Ndlela | Leave a comment

2013 Dec. 23: Jingle bells for Trans-Bi-Gay-Les this Christmas…

by Yaya Mavundla I remember two decades ago when I was 5 years old; I didn’t know what Christmas meant. All I knew was that my granny will buy me nice clothes. On Christmas day we would go to church, … Continue reading

Posted in Activists Act, Another Approach Is Possible, Art Activism in South Africa, Art Edutainment, Art Is A Human Right, Art is Queer, Beauty, Before You, Being Scene, History, Life, Love, Love is a human right, Power of the Arts, Power of the Voice, Readings, Reflection, Sharing knowledge, Textualizing Our Own Lives, We Love Photography, We Still Can with/out Resources, Writing is a Right | Tagged | 2 Comments

2013 Dec. 22: Promise(d) Gift

by Yaya Mavundla Two days before the wedding (19/12/13) everyone at Inkanyiso is confused about when the wedding is. Is it Saturday or Sunday, we contact a few people in Daveyton and NO one knows about the wedding. Then we … Continue reading

Posted in Beauty, Before You, Being Scene, Black, Commitment, Committed, Community Mobilizing, Crea(c)tive senses, Creating awareness, Culture, Daveyton, Documentation; Filming; Photography; Community, Education, Entertainment, Evidence, Experience, Expression, Faith, Family support, Fashion, Feelings, Female Photographers, Finances, Food, Friendships, History, Homosexuality, Hope, Kilt, Networking, Portrait, Power of the Voice, Queer visibility, South Africa, Textualizing Our Own Lives, Together we can, Visual history, Visual history is a Right not a luxury, Visual Power, We Are You, We Care, We Love Photography, We Still Can with/out Resources, Writing is a Right, Youth voices | Tagged | 8 Comments

2013 Dec. 8: Well organised beauty pageant with less audience

2013 Miss Gay Lesbian Soweto pageant   by Lerato Dumse   The Miss Gay and Lesbian Soweto pageant is an idea born in the year 2000 and was turned into an annual event, until 2006. Then the strain of using … Continue reading

Posted in Another Approach Is Possible, Arts, As we are, Before You, Being Scene, Black Queer & Gifted, Blackness, Body, Body Politics, Characters, Crea(c)tive senses, Creating awareness, Cultural activists, Democracy, Documentation; Filming; Photography; Community, Emotional support, Empowerment, Entertainment, Friendships, Gender expression, Gender performance, Homosexuality, Lack of Resources, Lack of sponsorship, Lessons learnt, Life, Life Stories, Love, Love is a human right, Media works, Our lives in the picture, Participants, Photo album, Photography, Queer Education in SA, Queer Edutainment, Queer visibility, Queer Youth, Queercide, Questions & Answers, ReClaim Your Activism, Recognition, Records and histories, Relationships, Sharing knowledge, Society, South Africa, South African Black Female Photographers, South African townships, Soweto, Soweto Theatre, Speaking for ourselves, Textualizing Our Own Lives, Together we can, Townships, Visual history, Visual history is a Right not a luxury, Visual Language, Visual Power, Visualizing public spaces, We Are You, We Care, We Love Photography, We Still Can with/out Resources, We were (t)here, Women's power, Writing is a Right, Youth voices | Tagged | 1 Comment

2013 Nov. 8: Miss Gay & Lesbian Soweto 2013 Semis video

    Only 8 days more to go before D-day which is the 7th Dec. 2013 Please come support this initiative and check more details on Facebook should you wish to come on board with your skills and moolahs. Twitter … Continue reading

Posted in Beauty, Beauty pageantry, Before You, Being Scene, Brave, Crea(c)tive senses, Creating awareness, Evidence, Experience, Exposure, Expression, Fashion, Inkanyiso media, Know Your SA Queer History, Politics of existence, Queer Education in SA, Queer visibility, Queer Youth, Recognition, Sponsorships, We Are You, We Care, We Love Photography, We Still Can with/out Resources, We were (t)here | Tagged | 5 Comments

2013 Nov. 7: Meet the Mabe’s, the loving couple

by Zandile Makhubu They are no strangers to the media world. Kally and Sam Mabe are a legally married lesbian couple, who shot to fame when they got married and publicised their union on various magazines including DRUM and Real … Continue reading

Posted in Activists Act, Another Approach Is Possible, Archived memories, Art Is A Human Right, Art is Queer, As we are, Before You, Being Scene, Black Lesbian Artists, Black Queer & Gifted, Emotional support, Empowerment, Evidence, Experience, Expression, Homosexuality, Hope, Know Your SA Queer History, Knowledge, Lesbian Love Is Possible in South Africa, Lesbian Professionals, Lesbian Youth, Life partners, Our lives in the picture, Parents, Power of the Voice, South Africa, Speaking for ourselves, Textualizing Our Own Lives, We Are You, We Care, We were (t)here, Women's power | Tagged | 2 Comments

2013 Nov. 4: My Father’s Son

by S’bu Kheswa Pointing at me “UBusi ka S’gara – this is Busi, S’gara’s daughter” said Sis Fiki, one of the aunties in my neighbourhood. This is some thirty years ago, I don’t even know what they were talking about … Continue reading

Posted in Another Approach Is Possible, As we are, Before You, Being Scene, Contributors, Crea(c)tive senses, Experience, Exposure, Expression, Father and Son, Police, Power of the Voice, Relationships, Shebeen, Son, South Africa, Transgender Voices, Visualizing public spaces, We Are You, We Care | Tagged | 3 Comments

2013 Oct. 26: Sandton Pride photos

Photos by Akhona Hailele (26.10.203)   About the photographer Akhona Hailele was born on the 6th of November 1989 in Queenstown, Eastern Cape and later moved to King Williams Town. Hailele then moved to Johannesburg in 2011 to further her … Continue reading

Posted in Another Approach Is Possible, Being Scene, Documentation; Filming; Photography; Community, Evidence, Experience, Exposure, Expression, Inkanyiso media, Know Your SA Queer History, Photo album, Power of the Arts, Queer community, Queer visibility, Questions & Answers, Race, Rainbow flag, Records and histories, Together we can, Visual Arts, Visual history, Visual history is a Right not a luxury, Visual Power, Visualizing public spaces, We Are You, We Care, We were (t)here | Tagged | 3 Comments