Category Archives: Life Stories

2014 Aug.9: My name is Woman

  My name is woman…My name is woman who loves womenI am created in the image of humanSeek I not in hell nor heaven for I exist only in the midstof the haves and the have notsof the world… To … Continue reading

Posted in Acceptance, Act, Acting, Activism, Activists, Activists Act, Another Approach Is Possible, Archived memories, Archiving Queer Her/Histories in SA, Art Activism, Art Activism in South Africa, Art Edutainment, Art for Humanity, Art Is A Human Right, Art is Queer, Art Solidarity, Art Therapy, Articles, Artists, Arts, As we are, Beauty, Before US, Before You, Black Lesbians, Black Queer & Gifted, Black Queer Artists, Blackness, Characters, Claiming, Collaborations, Collective, Commitment, Communication strategies, Community, Community based media, Community Mobilizing, Community organizing, Community outreach, Community work, Contributors, Crea(c)tive senses, Creating awareness, Creative activist, creative artist, Creative writer, Creative Writing, Democracy, Description, Details, Discussion, Documentary, Education, Empowerment, Evidence, Experience, Expertise, Exploration, Exposure, Expression, Feelings, Freedom of being, Gender articulation, Gender expression, Gender naming, Homosexuality, Human Beings, Human Equity and Art (Heart), Human rights, Humiliation, Hurt, I am not the only one, I can't do it ALONE, I love photography, Identity, Inconsiderate, Independence, Insulted, Insults, Intellectualism, Interpretation, Intervention, Invisibility, Lebo Mashifane, Lesbian Youth, Liberation, Life, Life Stories, Lost Lives, Love, Love is a human right, Love is Queer, Loved, Lovely words, Memories, Memory, Moments in herstory, murdered, Muted, My body, Myths, Of Love and Loss, Open relationships, Opening remarks, Opinion, Organizations, Organizing, Our lives in the picture, Ownership of the self, Owning our bodies, Participation, Perception, Power of the Arts, Power of the Voice, Privilege, Proud to be, Queer Power, Queer visibility, Queer Youth, question of history., Relationships, Respect & Recognition from our community, Response, revolution, Seeing difference, Self acceptance, Self love, She, Silence, South Africa, Townships, Uncategorized, Visual Activist in the classroom, Visual democracy, Visual Language, Visual narratives, Visual Power, Visual sense, Visual Voices, We Are You, We Care | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

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 28: Memories never fade away – ‘Foot for Love’

My reflection on our 2012 Paris trip that we, Thokozani Football Club (TFC) had. It all started at the Thokozani football club that I joined voluntarily in 2008, hence I’m proud of myself for making such a good decision. Firstly … Continue reading

Posted in Acceptance, Act, Activism, Activists, Activists Act, Adoring, Africans Abroad, Another Approach Is Possible, Archived memories, Archiving Queer Her/Histories in SA, Articles, Artist Talk, Arts & Sports, ARV's, Beautiful faces, Before US, Before You, Begging, Being conscientized, Being Scene, Black Lesbian soccer players, Durban, Eiffel Tower, Equipe Les Degommeuses, Evidence, Experience, Fitness, Gratitude, In memory of Thokozani Qwabe, Inkanyiso crew, Inkanyiso media, Insulted, Intellectualism, Interviews, Know Your SA Queer History, Language, Laurence Prat, Lesbian Love Is Possible in South Africa, Lesbian Professionals, Lesbian Youth, Lesbianism, Lesbiennes of Color (LOCs), Lessons learnt, Liberation, Life, Life Stories, Living by example, Love, Love is a human right, Loved, Lovely words, Mainstream media, Media works, Memories, Memory, Moments in our history, Mourning, My body, Networking, Organizations, Ownership of the self, Owning our bodies, Paris Pride, Parisians, Participants, Participation, Performance, Photo Expressions, Photographs, Political Art, Politics, Politics of existence, Politics of geography, Politics of representation, Portrait, Power of the Arts, Power of the Voice, Privilege, Professional black lesbians in South Africa, Queer Africans speaking for themselves., Queer Education in SA, Queer visibility, Questions & Answers, Readers, Readings, ReClaim Your Activism, Recognition, Reflection, Reflections, Relationship with own body, Respect, Respect & Recognition from our community, Respected person, Response, Safety, Safety and Health, Self discovery, Self portraits, Self-worth, Sexual Liberation, Sexual orientation, Sexual Politics education in South Africa, Sexuality, Sexuality in South Africa, Sharing, Sharing knowledge, Silent voices, Soccer is a human right, Social documentary photography, Social responsibility, Socio-economic, South Africa, South African Black Lesbian Filmmakers, South African Visual Activism, Speaking for ourselves, Sport Activism, Supporting each other, Teaching young women photography, Team Spirit by Thembela Dick, textbooks, Textualizing Our Own Lives, Thokozani Football Club, Together we can, Togetherness, Video archiving, Visibility, Visual activism is a language, Visual democracy, Visual history, Visual Language, Visual Power, We Are You, We love photographs, We Love Photography, We Still Can with/out Resources, Woman, Women's power, Women's struggles, Women; Voices; Writings; Education; Traditions; Struggles; Cultures, Writing is a Right, Xhosa is a South African language, Young Black Women and Photography, Young talent, Zanele Muholi, Zulu is a language | 2 Comments

2014 July 28: Comfort’s coming of age ceremony

  Where:  Nquthu, KwaZulu Natal. When:  12th July 2014 Umemulo unjengomshado, usuke uwumakoti ushadiswa nabakini, umhlwehlwe usuke umele i-veil. Ube futhi uyafana ne – 21st yesizulu, ngoba uma umuntu wesifazane emuliswa usuke unikwa ukhiye ukuthi usengakhululeka agane. Igama lami ngingu-Comfort BZ … Continue reading

Posted in Ancestors, Articles, Challenging the un-African homosexuality, Communication strategies, Community Mobilizing, Community outreach, Community work, Complexities of Transitioning, Confrontation, Connected souls, Connections, Contests judges;, Contributors, Crea(c)tive senses, Creating awareness, Cultural activists, Culture of reading and writing, Dance and song, Description, Details, Emotional support, Empowerment, Engagement, Event, Evidence, Experience, Exploration, Exposure, Expression, Family, Family and Friends, Family support, Feelings, friend, Friendships, Function, Gender, Gender articulation, Gender expression, Human Beings, Human rights, Humiliation, Hurt, Inkanyiso crew, Inkanyiso media, Isimemo, Izinkomo, Know Your SA Queer History, Knowledge, KwaZulu Natal, Language, Learning, Lesbian Youth, Lessons learnt, LGBTI community, Liberation, Life, Life Stories, Lindeka Qampi, Living by example, Love, Love is a human right, Love is Queer, Mainstreaming our queer issues, Matters of the He(Art), Media works, Memories, Memory, Mixed audiences, Moments in our history, Neighbours, Participants, Participation, Recognition, Respect, Sexual orientation, Sexuality, Sexuality in South Africa, Sharing, Sharing knowledge, Social documentary photography, Socio-economic, South African rural areas, Speaking for ourselves, Struggling, Support, Supporters, Supporting each other, Teaching, Textualizing Our Own Lives, Together we can, Togetherness, Veil, virgin, Visual activism, Visual democracy, Visual history, 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, Zanele Muholi, Zulu is a language, Zulu is a South African language, Zulu tradition | 3 Comments

2014 July 16: Through the eyes of young women photographers

  2014 June, 3rd Lindeka Qampi sharing her PhotoXP experience to Valerie Thomas “I am proud of the Aurora visual project. It is a very powerful and strong project, if I were to compare it with previous projects I have … Continue reading

Posted in 20 Years of Democracy, Act, Activism, Activists, Activists Act, Adoring, albino, Alternative career choices, Another Approach Is Possible, Aurora Girls High School, Beauty, Before You, Begging, Being conscientized, Black lesbian visibility, Bringing photography to schools, Cameras, Career, Collaborations, Collective, Collectivism, colored, Comfort, Commemorating the queer youth we lost along the way, Comments from the audience, Committed, Communication strategies, Community, Community based media, Community Mobilizing, Connected souls, Connections, Contests, Contributors, Corruption, Crea(c)tive senses, Creating awareness, Creative activist, Death, Documenting realities of the townships, Experience, Housing, Humiliation, Independence, Inkanyiso media, Intellectualism, Interpretation, Intervention, Interview, Interviews, Invisibility, Know Your SA Queer History, Knowledge, Lack of Resources, Life, Life Stories, Lindeka Qampi sharing her PhotoXP experience to Valerie Thomas, Living by example, Love, Love is a human right, Matters of the He(Art), May her soul rest in peace, Media works, Memories, Modeling, Moments in herstory, Motherhood, My collaborators: Linda Mankazana, My name is Zanele Muholi, normal black, Open relationships, Opinion, Orange Farm, Organizations, Our lives in the picture, Poverty, Power in our hair, Power of the Arts, Power of the Voice, RDP, Readings, Real, Reason, ReClaim Your Activism, Recognition, recognized, Records and histories, Reflection, Related links, Relationships, Reports, Respect & Recognition from our community, Respected person, Response, Reviews, revolution, Sadness, School portraits, Seeing difference, Seeking help, Self discovery, Self recognition, Self-worth, Sexual Politics education in South Africa, Sexuality, Sharing knowledge, sickness, Social responsibility, Society, Solidarity, South African Artists, South African politics, South African Youth, Soweto, Struggling, Support, Supporters, Supporting each other, Supportive mother, Teaching, Teaching young women photography, Textualizing Our Own Lives, The Fair Ladies, the writers, Together we can, Togetherness, Tomboy, Touch, Townships, Visual activism, Visual activism is a language, Visual Activist, Visual Activist in the classroom, Visual history, Visual history is a Right not a luxury, Visual Language, Visual narratives, Visual Power, 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, When Love is a Human Right, Woman, Womanhood, Women loving women, Women who have sex with Women, Women's power, Women's struggles, Women; Voices; Writings; Education; Traditions; Struggles; Cultures, Words, Writing is a Right, Young black female photographers, Young black lesbian traditional healer, Young Black Women and Photography, Young talent, young women, Young Women and Visual Activism, Youth voices, Zulu is a South African language | 18 Comments

2014 July 12: From Soweto to Paris for the love of photography

  Teaching photography to young women at Aurora Girls High school with my 3 collaborators/ facilitators: Lindeka Qampi (SA photographer and activist), Linda Mankazana (SA educator and activist) and Valerie Thomas (French physician and activist). We started the visual project … Continue reading

Posted in About PhotoXP, Aurora Girls High School, Commitment, Committed, Communication strategies, Community Mobilizing, Community outreach, Community work, Conference, Connected souls, Connections, Cultural activists, Emotional support, Empowerment, Exhibition, Freedom of being, French is a language, Guest speakers, I-N-K-A-N-Y-I-S-O, Invisibility, Know Your SA Queer History, Knowledge, Lack of Resources, Lack of sponsorship, Language, Lessons learnt, Life Stories, Lindeka Qampi, Love, Love is a human right, Mainstream media, Media works, Memory, Open relationships, Participants, Penetrating mainstream spaces, Photo Expressions, photographers, Photographs, Photography as a therapy, Political Art, Politics of existence, Politics of representation, Power of the Arts, Power of the Voice, Presentations, Professional black lesbians in South Africa, Professionals, Proud lesbian, Publication, Queer & Straights, Queer Power, Questioning, Questions & Answers, Readers, Readings, ReClaim Your Activism, Recognition, Records and histories, Response, Social responsibility, South African struggle, South African townships, South African Visual Activism, Soweto, Speaking for ourselves, Students, Subject of Art, Support, Supported by French Institut - Johannesburg/ Paris, Supporting each other, Uncategorized, Valerie Thomas on 2014 Photo XP, Visual Language, Visual narratives, Visual Power, Visual Voices, Visualizing public spaces, We Are You, We Care, We Love Photography, Writing is a Right, Young Black Women and Photography, young women, Young Women and Visual Activism, Youth voices, Zulu is a South African language | 18 Comments

2014 June 26: When photography is our religion

  All Photos by Lerato Maduna © 27/11/2012 What:  Faces and Phases exhibition opening When:  2 Years ago (27th November 2012) Where:  Goethe-Institut Südafrika, 119 Jan Smuts Ave, Parkwood. Johannesburg.    Where are they now?   Ayanda Moremi got married to … Continue reading

Posted in Acceptance, Adoring, African Queer Beauty, AlJazeera, Allies, Another Approach Is Possible, Archived memories, Archiving Queer Her/Histories in SA, Art Activism in South Africa, As we are, Beauty queens, Before You, Black & White, Black Butches and Femmes, Black lesbian activism, Black Lesbian Artists, Black Lesbian Congregants, Black Lesbian Dancers in South Africa, Black Lesbian Men, Black Queer & Gifted, Black Queer Born Frees in SA townships, Body, Butch identifying lesbian, Celebrating Youth Month in SA, Characters, Church is not the closet, Commemorating the queer youth we lost along the way, Communication strategies, Community, Community Mobilizing, Community outreach, Crea(c)tive senses, Creating awareness, Creativity, Details, Different positions, Documentation; Filming; Photography; Community, Dyke, Education, Empowerment, Evidence, Exchanging Queer thoughts, Exhibition opening, Experience, Exposure, Faces & Phases portraits, Freedom of being, Gender activist, Gender distinction, Gender expression, Gender naming, Gratitude, Joy, katharina.von-ruckteschell-katte, Laughter, Lien Heidenreich-Seleme, Life Stories, Living by example, Love, Love is a human right, Matters of the He(Art), Moments in herstory, Networking, Open relationships, Opening remarks, Photo album, Photo Expressions, Photography, Politics of existence, Politics of representation, Power of the Arts, Power of the Voice, Presentations, Privilege, Professional black lesbians in South Africa, Proud lesbian, Queer Africans speaking for themselves., Queer community, Queer Education in SA, Queer Edutainment, Queer texts, Queer visibility, Questions & Answers, Sharing knowledge, Speaking for ourselves, Special event, Writing is a Right, Young talent, Youth voices, Zanele Muholi is the winner, Zulu is a South African language | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

2014 June 23: The lovely couple on vacation in Cape Town

© Photos by Charmain Carrol 2014/06/07 – 09   Previous article 2014 June 10: The Ndlela’s are still committed to love          Their s2013 Wedding photos are on the link below 2013 June 15: The Durban Lesbian Wedding … Continue reading

Posted in Black Lesbian professionals, Black lesbian visibility, From Durban to Cape Town, Holiday photos, Laughter, Lesbian couple, Life Stories, Love is a human right, Memory, Our lives in the picture, Penetrating mainstream spaces, Politics of existence, Politics of geography, Politics of representation, Portrait, Support, Table Mountain, The Ndlela s, Togetherness, Visual history, Visual Language, Visual Power, Visual Voices, Visualizing public spaces, VMCI members, We Love Photography, When Love is a Human Right, Women who have sex with Women, Women's power, Women's Work, Words, Writing is a Right, Ziningi & Delisile Ndlela, Zulu is a South African language | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

2014 June 20: Spana my child

by Pam Dlungwana How do you describe Inkanyiso to a foreign audience? What is it? Is it an artist’s itch to get back into the activist pool because that is how they have framed their practice in the global sphere? … Continue reading

Posted in Black Queer Professionals, Christine Eyene’s ‘Where We’re At!, Connections, Contributors, Creating awareness, Creative activist, Cultural activists, Curatorship, Education, Empowerment, Evidence, Exchanging Queer thoughts, Exhibition opening, Exhibitions, Exposure, Expression, Faces & Phases portraits, Faces and Phases, Feelings, Female Photographers, Freedom of being, God is with us, Homosexuality, Life Stories, Panelists, Solidarity, Spana is a slang which means to work, Supporting each other, Travel-logue, Visual Activist, Visual democracy, Visual history, Visual history is a Right not a luxury, Visual Power, Visual Voices, Visualizing public spaces, We Are You, We Care, We Love Photography, We Still Can with/out Resources, We were (t)here, When Love is a Human Right, Women's power, Words, Writing is a Right, Youth voices, Zanele Muholi | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

2014 June 16: Ze ungandibizi

by Mandisa ‘Thozie’ Mathe Uze ungandenzakalisi ngamazwi akho arhabaxa! Uze ungandibizi ngendoda wakuvukelwa bubu khwenkwe nenzondo Uze ungandibizi ngendoda wakuvukelwa bubu ndlobongela bakho Uze ungandibizi ngendoda kub ufuna ukuva ukuba impendulo yam izawuthini na ukuze wena ufumane ukundiphatha-phatha de uyofikelela … Continue reading

Posted in God is with us, LGBTIs in Africa, Life Stories, Readings, Tears, Textualizing Our Own Lives | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments