Category Archives: Blackness

2014 Aug. 8: To be honest I love how I look

My name is Katiso Kgope, and I was born on September 18, in 1995. I was born in Glen Wood hospital, Benoni my parents are Mandla Kgope and the late Mpho Kgope – Monyake. I was given the name of … Continue reading

Posted in "Scratching the surface", 1995 -, 20 Years of Democracy, Acceptance, Act, Activism, Activists, Activists Act, Adoring, Alternative career choices, Another Approach Is Possible, Archiving Queer Her/Histories in SA, Art Activism, Articles, Articulation, Attention, Baring, Beautiful faces, Beauty, Beauty pageantry, Beauty queens, Before You, Being conscientized, Being Scene, Birthdate, Black, Black bodies, Black Queer & Gifted, Black Queer Born Frees, Black Queer Born Frees in SA townships, Blackness, Body, Body Politics, Cameras, Celebrating Youth Month in SA, Chains, Characters, Claiming, Claiming blackness, Claiming mainstream spaces, Collectivism, Comfort, Comments from the audience, Committed, Communication strategies, Community, Community Mobilizing, Community outreach, Daveyton, Documentation; Filming; Photography; Community, Documenting our own lives, Education, Emotional support, Empowerment, English, Evidence, Exchanging Queer thoughts, Experience, Exploration, Exposure, Expression, Eyes, Facing You, Family, Family and Friends, Fashion, Feelings, Female being, Finances, Friendships, Gender articulation, God is with us, God's will, He(ART), Honesty, Human rights, Humiliation, I was (T)here, Identity, Interpretation, Interviews, Katiso Kgope, Know Your SA Queer History, Knowledge, Language, Lessons learnt, Liberation, Life, Life Stories, Living by example, Love, Love is a human right, Loved, Lovely words, Media works, Memories, Modeling, Moments in herstory, New York, No artificiality, Opinion, Ownership of the self, Owning our bodies, Perception, Photography, Photography as a therapy, Platform, Politics of existence, Politics of representation, Portrait, Power of the Voice, Privilege, Proud to be, Queer visibility, Queer Youth, Questioning, Questions & Answers, Readers, Readings, Reason, Recognition, recognized, Respect, Respect & Recognition from our community, Response, Seeing difference, Self acceptance, Self discovery, Self love, Self-worth, Sharing knowledge, Sharing thoughts, She, South Africa, South African townships, South African Visual Activism, South African Youth, Speaking for ourselves, Special event, Studying, Style, Stylish, Support, Talented, Textualizing Our Own Lives, Together we can, Togetherness, trans bodies, Trans Youth, Transgender visibility, Transgender Voices, Transgenderism in Africa, Transwoman, Visual activism is a language, Visual Activist, Visual democracy, Visual history, Visual history is a Right not a luxury, Visual Language, Visual Power, Visual sense, Visual Voices, Visualizing public spaces, We Are You, We Care, We love photographs, We Love Photography, We Still Can with/out Resources, We were (t)here, Womanhood, Women; Voices; Writings; Education; Traditions; Struggles; Cultures, Words, Writing is a Right, Youth voices, Zanele Muholi, Zulu is a South African language | 3 Comments

2014 July 26: The luxury was on another level at the 2014 Design Indaba

  Five months later… by Yaya Mavundla How often does a black transwoman from the rural areas get to meet Victoria Beckham in person; have breakfast in the same restaurant with Carlos Santana, fly around Cape Town in a helicopter? … Continue reading

Posted in "There are few good men", 2014 Design Indaba, Acceptance, Act, Acting, Activists Act, Another Approach Is Possible, Archived memories, Art Activism, Art Activism in South Africa, Art Edutainment, Art Is A Human Right, Art is Queer, Art Solidarity, Art Therapy, Articles, Articles; South African Celebrities; Arts; 2013 Feather awards; Lerato Dumse; Song; Dance; Kelly Khumalo; Thembisile Ntaka; Brenda Mntambo; Recognition; Thami Kotlolo; Gays & Lesbians; 5th Feather, Artist Talk, Artists, Arts, As we are, Athi Patra Ruga, Attention, Audience, Awareness workshops, Before US, Before You, Being conscientized, Being Scene, Black Lesbian, Black Lesbian professionals, Black Queer & Gifted, Blackness, Body, Body Politics, Cape Town, Characters, Clear with own plan, Communication strategies, Community, Crea(c)tive senses, Creating awareness, Creative activist, Creative writer, Cultural activists, Description, Designers from around the world meet in Cape Town, Details, Different positions, Documentary, Documenting realities of the townships, Dress code, Dress sense, Elegance, Emotional support, Empowerment, Entertainment, Event, Evidence, Exchanging Queer thoughts, Experience, Expression, Facilitation, Fashion, Friendships, Gender expression, Gender naming, Interpretation, Know Your SA Queer History, Laughter, Lindeka Qampi, Luxury, Nandi Mntambo, Our lives in the picture, Participants, Participation, Poster, Power of the Arts, Power of the Voice, Recognition, recognized, Records and histories, Reflection, Relationships, Respect & Recognition from our community, Respected person, revolution, Sexuality, Sharing knowledge, Solidarity, South African Artists, South African Visual Activism, State of Art, Style, Support, Supporting each other, Transwoman, VIP area, Visual Arts, Visual democracy, Visual history, Visual history is a Right not a luxury, Visual Language, Visual narratives, We Are You, We Care, We love photographs, We were (t)here, When Love is a Human Right, Yaya Mavundla | Leave a comment

2014 July 12: Being treated like a Queen in Durban

by Sfiso ‘Candice’ Nkosi It is Thurs. 26th June 2014, my friend, Precious Maqojana and I left for Durban Pride from Johannesburg Park Station at 22:00. We stopped in Montrose for some refreshments and a bathroom break. I was starting … Continue reading

Posted in 1987 -, 2013 Miss Simply Blue, 2014 Durban Pride, Acceptance, Act, Acting, Activism, Activists, Activists Act, Adoring, African, African Queer Beauty, Alternative family, Another Approach Is Possible, Archived memories, Archiving Queer Her/Histories in SA, Art Is A Human Right, Art is Queer, Artists, Arts, Attention, Beautiful faces, Beauty, Beauty queens, Before You, Being Scene, Black bodies, Black lesbian activism, Black Lesbian Artists, Black lesbian visibility, Blackness, Body, Brave, Characters, Communication strategies, Community, Community Mobilizing, Community work, Crea(c)tive senses, Creating awareness, Creative Writing, Culture of reading and writing, Details, Disappointment, Empowerment, Experience, Exposure, Expression, Feelings, Female Photographers, Friendships, From Tsakane to Durban, Gender, Gender naming, Grateful, Gratitude, Hobbies, Human Beings, I can't do it ALONE, I was (T)here, I-N-K-A-N-Y-I-S-O, Identity, Inkanyiso media, Inner feelings, Insulted, Interpretation, Issue of toilets for transwomen, Know Your SA Queer History, Knowledge, KwaZulu Natal, Memories, Modeling, Our lives in the picture, Participants, Participation, Photographs, Power of the Voice, Queens, Sbonelo Muholi, Society, Sponsored trip, Toilets, Transwomen, UkhoziFM, We Are You, We Care, We love photographs, We Love Photography, We Still Can with/out Resources, We were (t)here, Women's power, Women; Voices; Writings; Education; Traditions; Struggles; Cultures, Words, Writing is a Right, Young Black Women and Photography, Zanele Muholi | Leave a comment

2014 July 4: Craddock Chronicles

by Christie van Zyl   It never takes long to see, feel or believe; but it always takes forever to act towards trying to heal our nation. I am in the middle of the Karoo desert, in a small town … Continue reading

Posted in "We'll Show You You're a Woman”, bewitching, Black lesbians in remote areas in South Africa, Black Queer Professionals, Blackness, Body, Body Politics, Brainwashing, Community, Corrective rape, Craddock Four, Crea(c)tive senses, Creating awareness, Creativity, Crimes, Cultural activists, Culture, Curative rapes, discourse, Facing abuse and violation, Fraud, Gay, Heroes of our struggle, HIV status, Lesbianism, Life, National Task Force, Perception, Rapist, Relationships, Ritualistic, Sexual orientation, Society, Territorialism, tom-boy lesbians, Townships, Woman | 2 Comments

2014 June 16 : Remembering Thapelo with a broken heart

by Tsepo Kgatlhane     Lebo Mathosa once said: “You cannot deny death. You cannot fear it. I am sure that God has a better place for us, if you are a good believer.” This memorial is written to celebrate … Continue reading

Posted in 2012 June 16, Archived memories, Archiving Queer Her/Histories in SA, Art Activism in South Africa, Blackness, Coffin, Commemorating the queer youth we lost along the way, Commitment, Committed, Contributors, Education, Emotional support, Empowerment, Evidence, Exchanging Queer thoughts, Female Photographers, From Cape Town to Kuruman, Hate Crimes, Hate crimes Victims names, Justin Davy, Northern Cape, Thapelo Makuthle's funeral documented by Zanele Muholi/ Inkanyiso, Videography, Zanele Muholi documented Thapelo Makutlhe's funeral in 2012 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

2014 June 21: Vanessa and Nana’s engagement party

Photos and text by Charmain Carrol. Four months ago… Where:  Midrand, Johannesburg When:  23rd March 2014 Bathini Dambuza and I were honoured to attend yet another engagement lunch of two of our fellow lesbian sisters held in Midrand, Johannesburg. The … Continue reading

Posted in Black Butches and Femmes, Black Lesbian, Black Lesbian Artists, Black Lesbian Dancers in South Africa, Black Lesbian professionals, Black Queer Born Frees in South Africa, Black Queer Professionals, Blackness, Butch identifying lesbian, Crea(c)tive senses, Creating awareness, Emotional support, Gender distinction, Midrand, Photo album, Speaking for ourselves, Special event, Visual Arts, Visual Language, Visual Power, Visual Voices, Visualizing public spaces, We Care, We Love Photography, We Still Can with/out Resources, We were (t)here, When Love is a Human Right, Women who have sex with Women, Women's Arts In South Africa (WAISA), Women's power, Women; Voices; Writings; Education; Traditions; Struggles; Cultures, Words, Writing is a Right, Young talent | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

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 May 17: Our Miss Gay Jozi 2014

Miss Tee Menu wins Miss Gay Jozi 2014. She is from Daveyton… More photos and articles to be included sooner. Photo by Smanga Shange/ Inkanyiso.

Posted in Beauty pageantry, Beauty queens, Before You, Blackness, Body, Crowned, Flowers, Miss Gay Jozi 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

2014 April 29: Muholi to speak at UC San Diego

  Previous articles   2014 Feb.4: Black Queer Born Frees in South Africa   and   2014 March 18: Sharing South African Queer Knowledge with students in America   and   Photo of the Day from Human Rights and LGBTI in Sub-Saharan … Continue reading

Posted in Another Approach Is Possible, Archiving Queer Her/Histories in SA, Art Activism in South Africa, Art Edutainment, Black Queer Born Frees in South Africa, Blackness, Creativity, Cultural activists, Knowledge, Life, Queer Africans speaking for themselves., Queer Power, We Are You, We Love Photography, We Still Can with/out Resources | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

2014 April 5: ‘Sifela i Ayikho’ photos

  L-R: Jelena Kuljic and Maureen Velile Majola at backstage before their performance at Studio 44, Constanza Macras in Berlin last night.      Jelena Kuljic about to sing “Senzeni na?”  Maureen Majola lit the candles and prayed hard… God … Continue reading

Posted in "We'll Show You You're a Woman”, 'We live in fear' by Zanele Muholi & HRW, Activists Act, Africans Abroad, Allies, Amnesty International on Inkanyiso, Another Approach Is Possible, Archived memories, Archiving Queer Her/Histories in SA, Art Activism in South Africa, Art Edutainment, Art Is A Human Right, Art is Queer, Art Solidarity, Articles, As we are, Black Lesbians, Black Lesbians & Allies Against Hate Crimes, Black Queer & Gifted, Black Queer Artists, Blackness, Body, Body Politics, Crea(c)tive senses, Creating awareness, Creative Writing, Curative rapes, Disappointment, Discomfort, Documentation; Filming; Photography; Community, Emotional support, Empowerment, Erik Dettwiler, Experience, Exposure, Expression, Feelings, Female Photographers, Feminist Art, Films, Gender activist, Gender expression, Hate crimes Victims names, Human Beings, Human body, Human rights, Human Rights Watch, I can't do it ALONE, I was (T)here, Inconsiderate, Interpretation, Intervention, Jelena Kuljic, Knowledge, Lesbian Love Is Possible in South Africa, Life, Life Stories, Music, Penetrating mainstream spaces, Performance, Photo album, Political Art, Power of the Arts, Power of the Voice, Queer Amnesty, Queer community, Queer poetics, Queer Power, Queer visibility, Recognition, Records and histories, Reflection, Relationships, Sexual orientation, Sharing knowledge, South African Artists, South African Black Female Photographers, South African Black Lesbian Filmmakers, Textualizing Our Own Lives, Visual Activist, Visual Power, We Are You, We Care, We Love Photography, We were (t)here, When Love is a Human Right, Women's Arts In South Africa (WAISA), Youth voices, Zanele Muholi | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments