Category Archives: Body

2015 Feb. 13: From Johannesburg to Oslo

Photo Album by Nontuthuzelo Mduba, Themba Vilakazi and Zanele Muholi   2015 Feb. 10:  Shaz aka “Sicka Starban” Mthunzi was lucky enough to be accompanied by her family to the airport. Her mother is standing on the far left (wearing … Continue reading

Posted in Another Approach Is Possible, Archived memories, Arguments, Art Activism, Art is Queer, Art Therapy, Articulation, As we are, Background, Beautiful faces, Beauty, Before You, Being, Being conscientized, Being heard, Being seen, Black Lesbian Love, Bodies and histories, Body, Brave, Bringing photography to the community, Brotherhood, Captioned, Captured, Caring citizens, Creating awareness, Expenses, Expression, For peace sake, Friends, Friendships, From Johannesburg to Oslo, Gender Equality, Gender expression, Gender naming, Give, Gratitude, Happiness, Happy, Hardships, He(ART), Homosexuality, Honesty, Hope, Human Beings, Human rights, I am not the only one, I am Somebody, I can't do it ALONE, I love my brothers, I love photography, I use CANON, I was (T)here, I was here, I-N-K-A-N-Y-I-S-O, Important, Incredible, Independence, Individuals, Influenced, Inkanyiso media, Inner feelings, Innocent, Interaction, Interpretation, Interviews, Intimate, Introductions, Issues, Issues of sexuality, Key issues, Knowledge, Lack of Resources, Language, Laughter, Layout, Legacies of Existence, Legacy, Lesbian Love Is Possible in South Africa, Let us give a girl child a chance, Life, Life is a production..., Like to travel, Mobility, Photographs, Photography, Photography as a therapy, Power of the Voice, Queer Power, queerity, question of history., Questioning, Sharing information, Shaz Sicka Starban Mthunzi, South Africa, Textualizing Our Own Lives, Thankful, The Chroniclers, The cost of travel, Time, Together we can, Togetherness, Touch, Touching, Understanding, Videography, Visibility, Vision, Visual activism, Visual Arts, Visual democracy, Visual diaries, We Are You, We Care, We Still Can with/out Resources, Work, Writing is a Right | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

2014 Dec. 14: The kiss that moved the church

© Photo by Charmain Carrol @ VMCI – Johannesburg Camera used:  Canon 60D with 75-300 mm lens   What: Bathini Dambuza & Portia Dludlu’s engagement ceremony Union blessed by Pastor Mazibuko       “I always prayed to get married … Continue reading

Posted in Allies, Alternative career choices, Alternative family, Announcement, Another Approach Is Possible, Apology, Archived memories, Archiving Queer Her/Histories in SA, Arguments, Art Is A Human Right, Art is Queer, Articles, Articulation, Attention, Audience, Background, Beautiful, Beautiful faces, Beautiful people, Beauty, Before US, Before You, Begging, Being conscientized, Being seen, Black Bodies of Silence, Black lesbian beauty, Black Lesbian Icons in South Africa, Blackness, Blessings, Bodies, Bodies and histories, Body, Bonding, Brave, Bringing photography to the community, Captioned, Captured, Caring citizens, Categories, Celebrating Women, Celebration, Challenges of black lesbian youth, Characters, Choice, Citizenship, Civil Union, Claiming, Collaborations, Collective, Comfort, Documentation; Filming; Photography; Community, Documenting our own lives, Documenting realities of the townships, Dress code, Dress sense, Embodies, Emotional support, Empowerment, Encounter, Endurance, English, Entertainment, Evidence, Excitement, Experience, Expertise, Exploration, Exposure, Expression, Eyes, Face, Facilitation, Facing You, Facts, Families and Friends, Family, Family and Friends, Fashion, Featuring, Feelings, Female being, Frank, Freedom, Friends, Friendships, Function, I use CANON, I was (T)here, Identity, Perception, SA Constitution, SA LGBTI experts, Self love, Self recognition, Sexual Liberation, Sexual orientation, Sexuality, Sexuality in South Africa, Sharing, Sharing knowledge, Silence, Silent voices, Social responsibility, Society, South Africa, South African Black Female Photographers, South African lesbians, South African politics, South African struggle, South African traditions, South African Visible Arts, South African visual history through the eyes of young women, Space, Speaking for ourselves, Special event, Statement, Subject of Art, Support is the system, Supporting each other, Survived, Teaching young women photography, Tears, Terrified, Textualizing Our Own Lives, Thankful, Thoughts, Time, Visual Arts, Visual democracy, Visual diaries, Visual historical initiative, Visual history, Visual history is a Right not a luxury, Visual narratives, Visual Power, Visual sense, Visual Voices, Warmth, We Are You, We Care, We love each other, We love photographs, We Love Photography | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

2014 Dec. 5: When black is so strong

… work in progress. Zanele Muholi working with Valerie Thomas. Where:  Belleville, Paris. When:  Dec. 2014 What:  Having conversations with inner self allowing to be seen without shame Why:  Because ‘races matters’ sometimes and gender is really ‘complex’ Period:  365 … Continue reading

Posted in Being seen, Between the neck, Body, Born by African parents, Coming of Age, Culture, Facial features, Gestures, Hair, Ihlombe, Naked, Portraits of the Self, Reflections, Relationship, Relationship with own body, relative, Remembering, revolution, Ritualistic, Robing, Self discovery, Self mutilation, Self recognition, Self-worth, Style, Subject of Art, Topless, Zulu, Zulu tradition | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

2014 Nov. 17: “I love how my two portraits contradict each other”

by Sicka Star-ban My Faces and Phases journey started in the year 2013 when I met author and visual activist, Zanele Muholi. I, Nonkululeko Sharon Mthunzi known as Sicka Star-ban, remember her reaction when she first saw my cousin Nontuthuzelo … Continue reading

Posted in Blessings, Body, Captioned, Captured, Caring citizens, Contests, Contributors, Conversation, Evidence, Excitement, Hearts, Participants, Participation, Protection, Proud lesbian, Queer poetics, Queer Power, Reflections, Related links, Relationship, South Africa, South African art, South African Artists, South African Black Female Photographers, Talented, Teaching, Winners, Wishing you well, Witnesses, Woman, Womanhood, Zulu is a language, Zulu tradition | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

2014 Oct. 15: Dignified funeral for LGBTI and HIV activist

by Lerato Dumse Kind, compassionate, diligent and loving are some of the words used by speakers, to describe Musa Williams (47). How he performed his duties at work, and his activism fighting for the rights of LGBTI and HIV positive … Continue reading

Posted in 1967 - 2014, 20 Years of Democracy, Acceptance, Acceptance speeches, Act, Activism, Activists, Advocacy, Allies, Alternative family, Article by Lerato Dumse, Before US, Before You, Black, Body, Bonding, Bringing photography to the community, Career, Caring citizens, Celebration, Challenging the un-African homosexuality, Characters, Chief mourner, Claiming, Claiming blackness, Claiming mainstream spaces, Coffin, Collaborations, Collectivism, Commemoration, Confession, Connected souls, Connections, Consideration, Contributors, Conversation, Counseling sessions, Crea(c)tive senses, Creating awareness, Cultural activists, Death, Delegation, Democracy, Description, Dignity, Discomfort, Discussion, Education, Ekurhuleni East Counsellors, Elegance, Emotional support, Empowerment, English, EPOC lgbti, EPOC on Inkanyiso, Evidence, Exchanging Queer thoughts, Experience, Expertise, Exploration, Exposure, Expression, Facilitators, Families and Friends, Family, Family loss, Family support, Farewell, Fashion, Female Photographers, Friendships, Funeral costs, Future, Gay, Gender distinction, Gender expression, Generations, Gratitude, He(ART), Healing, Health, Health bodies, Health matters, Heartbreak, HIV activist, Human rights, Hurt, I am not the only one, I am Somebody, I can't do it ALONE, I love photography, I use CANON, I was (T)here, I was here, I-N-K-A-N-Y-I-S-O, Ignorance, Inkanyiso media, KwaThema, LGBTI losing another informed activist, Life lived, Members of NAPWA, Musa Williams funeral, Not a hate crime death, Pain, Pastor Tebogo Moema, Photos by Lindeka Qampi and Zanele Muholi, Questioning, Questions & Answers, Real, Reason, Recognition, recognized, Records and histories, Supporters, Supporting each other, Supportive friends and families, Warmth, We Are You, We Care, We love photographs, We Love Photography, We were (t)here, Well organized funeral, Women's power, Words, Writing is a Right, Years | Leave a comment

2014 Oct. 10: “I tried to commit suicide…”

  I didn’t write this because I had nothing better to do. I didn’t write this because I want recognition. I wrote this because I’m embarking on a self-discovery journey. I want to share my experience with the hope that … Continue reading

Posted in "I tried to commit suicide...", Addiction, Addictive gene, Affair, Anger, Announcement, Another Approach Is Possible, Anti-depressants, Archived memories, Archiving Queer Her/Histories in SA, Arguments, Art Therapy, Articles, Articulation, As we are, Attempted rape, Background, Beautiful, Beautiful faces, Beautiful people, Bleeding, Blink of an eye, Body, Challenges of black lesbian youth, Cheating, Comfort, Comforter, Confession, Counseling sessions, Daddy issues, Daily, Depressed, Devil’s advocate, Dizzy, Drunk, ekasi, Experience, Face, Family, Flirting, Friends, Friends as perpetrators, Friendships, Growing, Guilt, Healing, Health, Heart, History, Hooked, Hurt, Innocent, Legacies of Violence, Lesbian couple, Lesbian Love Is Possible in South Africa, Lesbian Youth, Life is a production..., Life story, Living, Living by example, Love, Love is a human right, Love is Queer, Loved, Lovely words, Loving, Mainstream media, Male friends, Memories, Memory, Mental fitness, Moments in herstory, Moments in our history, Money, Mother, My life in short, My partner, Networking, Neurological, Pain, Partner, Peace, periods, Pressure, Production company, Psychologists, Rape, Realization, Recognizing the problem, recovering alcohol addict, Relapse, Relationships, Respected person, Response, revolution, Safety and security, Same sex gender based violence, Scar, Scary, Sibahle Nkumbi, Space, Speaking for ourselves, Speed recovery, Stealing, Stupor, Substance, Supporters, Supporting each other, Supportive friends and families, Supportive mother, Survived, Tears, Time, Together we can, University, Visual Language, Visual narratives, Warmth, We Are You, We Care, We Still Can with/out Resources, We were (t)here, When Love is a Human Right, Woman, Womanhood, Women loving women, Women's power, Words, Writing is a Right | 12 Comments

2014 Oct. 8: Beautiful faces and kisses from Soweto Pride 2014

                                                                                … Continue reading

Posted in 10th Soweto Pride, 20 Years of Democracy, Acceptance, Acceptance speeches, Act, Acting, Activism, Activists, Activists Act, Adoring, After party, Allies, Alternative career choices, Alternative family, an LGBTI organisation, Anger, Announcement, Another Approach Is Possible, Archived memories, Archiving Queer Her/Histories in SA, Arguments, Art Activism, Art Activism in South Africa, Art for Humanity, Art Is A Human Right, Art is Queer, Art Solidarity, Art Therapy, Article, Articles, Articulation, Artist Talk, Artists, Arts, As we are, Attention, Awareness workshops, Background, Baring, Before US, Before You, Begging, Being conscientized, Black Lesbian Love, Black lesbian mothers, Black lesbian visibility, Black lesbians in remote areas in South Africa, black LGBTIQA, Black Queer & Gifted, Black Queer Artists, Black Queer Born Frees, Black Queer Born Frees in SA townships, Body, Cameras, Captioned, Captured, Caring citizens, Celebrating Women, Celebration, Challenging the un-African homosexuality, Characters, Charismatic, Citizenship, Claiming, Claiming blackness, Claiming mainstream spaces, Collaborations, Collective, Collectivism, Comfort, Comment, Comments from the audience, Commitment, Committed, Communication strategies, Community, Community based media, Community education, Community Mobilizing, Community organizing, Community outreach, Community work, Complicated Lesbian Relationships, Confrontation, Connected souls, Connections, Consideration, Contestants, Contests, Contributors, Conversation, Crea(c)tive senses, Creating awareness, Creative Writing, Creativity, Cultural activists, cultural worker, Culture, Culture of reading and writing, Delegation, Democracy, Demonstration, Details, Different positions, Dignity, disappearance, discourse, Discussion, Documentary, Documentation; Filming; Photography; Community, Documenting our own lives, Documenting realities of the townships, Dress sense, Dyke, Edited, Education, Emotional support, Empowerment, Evidence, Exchanging Queer thoughts, Excitement, Experience, Expertise, Exploration, Expression, Facilitators, Facing You, Feelings, Female Photographers, Food, Forum for the Empowerment of Women (FEW), Freedom of being, Friendships, Future, Gender articulation, Gender Equality, Gender expression, Gender naming, Gender performance, Generations, Give children cameras not candies, Give credits where it is due, God Fearing people, Gratitude, Gratitude to my lover, Hate crimes Victims names, History, Human Beings, Human rights, I can't do it ALONE, I love photography, I use CANON, I was (T)here, I was here, I-N-K-A-N-Y-I-S-O, Identity, Independence, Influenced, Inkanyiso crew, Interpretation, Intervention, Interviews, Invisibility, Issues, Kiss, Know Your SA Queer History, Knowledge, Lack of Resources, Language, Legacies of Violence, Lesbian Professionals, Lesbian Youth, Lesbianism, Lessons learnt, Let us give a girl child a chance, LGBT community, LGBT rights activist, LGBTI community, lgbti issues in South Africa, LGBTIs in Africa, Life, Living, Lost Lives, Love, Love is a human right, Love is Queer, Loved, Lovely words, lover, Loving, Luxury, Mainstream media, Mainstreaming our queer issues, Matters of the He(Art), Media works, Memories, Moments in herstory, Moments in our history, Motivation, My body, Networking, Open relationships, Opening remarks, Our lives in the picture, Our Zulu Pride, Queer poetics, Queer Power, Queer South Africa, Queer texts, Queer visibility, Queer Youth, queerity, question of history., Questioning, Questions & Answers, Reflection, Reflections, Related links, Relationship, Relationship with own body, Relationships, relative, Remembering, Respect, Respect & Recognition from our community, Respected person, Response, Reviving the culture of reading and writing, revolution, Sadness, Safety, South African Visual Activism, Speaking for ourselves, Stage, Statement, Struggle Songs, Struggling, Struggling activist, Style, Subject of Art, Support, Supporters, Supporting each other, Supportive friends and families, Teaching young women photography, Tears, together, Together we can, Togetherness, Touch, Townships, Translation, Trust, Visual Arts, Visual democracy, Visual diaries, Visual historical initiative, Visual history, Visual history is a Right not a luxury, Visual Language, Visual narratives, Visual Power, Visual sense, Visual Voices, Visualizing public spaces, Warmth, We Are You, We Care, We love photographs, We Love Photography, We Still Can with/out Resources, We were (t)here, Well organized event, What black lesbian youth wants, When Love is a Human Right, Wishing you well, Women loving women, Women who have sex with Women, Women's power, Women's Pride, Women's struggles, Women's Work, Women; Voices; Writings; Education; Traditions; Struggles; Cultures, Womenonwomen, Womyn, Words, Writing is a Right, Years, Young black female photographers, Young Black Women and Photography, Young female photographers from Aurora, Young talent, young women, Young Women and Visual Activism, Youth, Youth voices | 10 Comments

2014 Oct. 5: “The best day of their lives”

by Mlungisi Msomi The day I married my best friend changed my life forever! Everyone always says their wedding day is “the best day of their lives” and I believe it was for me as well… but it seems like … Continue reading

Posted in Allies, Alternative family, Another Approach Is Possible, Archived memories, Archiving Queer Her/Histories in SA, Articles, Black Queer & Gifted, Body, Bonding, Brave, Civil Union in South Africa, Connected souls, Connections, Consideration, Crea(c)tive senses, Creating awareness, Creative Writing, Cultural activists, Description, Lesotho, Lindeka Qampi, Love, Memories, Memory, Mlungisi Msomi & Sekara Mafisa, Power of the Voice, Prayer, Praying, Reflection, Relationship, Reviving the culture of reading and writing, revolution, Same sex marriage, Sotho, South African Visual Activism, Style, Stylish, Support, Traditional clothing, Zimbabwe and Swaziland, Zulu is a language, Zulu is a South African language, Zulu tradition | 2 Comments

2014 Sept. 30: Nature pains

(Isilumo the phasing) by Christie van Zyl   This month I let my period pain again But my periods are annoying me Just a note to you Godperson that created us My periods come with nausea, headaches & hectic emotional … Continue reading

Posted in Article, Body, Diet, Eggs, Food, painful periods, Period pains, Poverty, Power of the Voice, Readings, Reason, Recognition, Records and histories, Sexuality, Sharing, She, Textualizing Our Own Lives, Togetherness, Touch, Trust, unused eggs, Visibility, Visual history, Visual narratives, 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, Woman, Womanhood, Women loving women, Women suffering, Women's power, Women's Work, Womenonwomen, Womyn, Words, Writing is a Right, Young talent, young women, Youth, Youth voices | 2 Comments

2014 Aug. 23: Relatives and friends shed tears at Gift’s funeral and some fainted

Text by Lerato Dumse Photos by Lindeka Qampi When the casket carrying the body of Disebo Gift Makau (23), was lowered six feet underground at a Ventersdorp cemetery, in the North West, on August 23.     Family and friends … Continue reading

Posted in 'We live in fear', Act, Activism, Activists, Activists Act, Allies, Alternative career choices, Anger, Another Approach Is Possible, Art Is A Human Right, Art is Queer, Articles, Articulation, As we are, Attention, Audience, Awareness workshops, Before US, Before You, Being Scene, Black, Black bodies, Black Bodies of Silence, Black Lesbian, Black lesbian activism, Black Lesbian Love, Black lesbian mothers, Black Lesbian professionals, Black lesbian visibility, Black Lesbians, Black Lesbians & Allies Against Hate Crimes, Black lesbians in remote areas in South Africa, Black Queer Born Frees, Black Queer Born Frees in SA townships, Black Queer Born Frees in South Africa, Body, Body Politics, Commemorating the queer youth we lost along the way, Comments from the audience, Commitment, Committed, Community, Community Mobilizing, Community outreach, Community work, Crea(c)tive senses, Creating awareness, Crying, Feelings, Female being, Female masculinity, Female Photographers, friend, Friendships, Gender articulation, Gender Based Violence (GBV)., Gender distinction, Gender expression, Gender naming, Heroes of our struggle, Homosexuality, Human Beings, Human body, I can't do it ALONE, I love photography, I was (T)here, I was here, Identity, Inkanyiso media, Insulted, Interpretation, Intervention, Interviews, Invisibility, Politics of existence, Queer community, Queer Power, Queer texts, Queer visibility, Readings, Reason, ReClaim Your Activism, Records and histories, Relationships, Religion, Respect, Sexual Liberation, Sexual minorities, Sexual orientation, Sexuality, Sexuality in South Africa, Sharing, Sharing knowledge, Sharing thoughts, South Africa, South African rural areas, the writers, Townships, Victims, Violence, Vision, Visual activism, Visual activism is a language, Visual Activist, Visual democracy, Visual history is a Right not a luxury, Visual Language, Visual narratives, 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, What black lesbian youth wants, When home is a crime scene, When Love is a Human Right | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments