Category Archives: Opinion

2015 June 7: My Yithi Laba experience

by Shaz ‘Sicka Star-ban’ Mthunzi On Friday, 5th of June 2015  we had our first conference called Yithi Laba, it was one of many more to come in the future which will involve Faces and Phases participants from different fields hosted by … Continue reading

Posted in Abantu, Activism, Allies, Archived memories, Archiving Queer Her/Histories in SA, Art Activism in South Africa, Art Edutainment, Art Is A Human Right, Black Queer & Gifted, Butch Mbokodo, Collectivism, Community Mobilizing, Filmmaking, Life, Love, Memory, Motivation, Opinion, Participation, Realities, Relationships, Shaz 'Sicka' Mthunzi, Short report, Visual activism, We are beautiful, We Are You, We love photographs, We Still Can with/out Resources | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

2014 Oct. 13: See you @ Upcoming Mbokodo Awards 2014

      2013 winners in the different categories are as follows: 1. Women in Indigenous Art: Peki Emmelinah “Nothembi” Mkhwebane 2. Promotion of Language and Story Telling: Nthabiseng Sibanda 3. Creative Writing: Devarakshanam Betty Govinden 4. Poetry: Myesha Jenkins … Continue reading

Posted in 11 South African official languages, 20 Years of Democracy, 20 Years of Democracy in SA, 2013 Mbokodo awards winners, 2014 Mbokodo awards, Acceptance, Acceptance speeches, Act, Acting, Activism, Activists, Activists Act, Affair, African Queer Beauty, Allies, Alternative career choices, Announcement, Another Approach Is Possible, Archived memories, Art Activism, Art Activism in South Africa, Art Edutainment, Art for Humanity, Art Is A Human Right, Articles, Articulation, Artist Talk, Arts & Culture, As we are, Audience, Background, Beautiful, Beautiful faces, Beautiful people, Beauty, Before US, Before You, Body Politics, Captioned, Captured, Caring citizens, Categories, Celebrating Women, Celebration, Characters, Choice, Collaborations, Collective, Collectivism, Comfort, Comments from the audience, Commitment, Committed, Communication strategies, Community, Community based media, Community education, Community Mobilizing, Community organizing, Community outreach, Connected souls, Connections, Consideration, Contests, Conversation, Creating awareness, creative artist, Description, Discussion, Dress code, Elegance, Emotional support, Empowerment, Evidence, Excitement, Exhibition, Exhibitions, Experience, Expertise, Exposure, Expression, Facing You, Families and Friends, Family support, Fashion, Feelings, Friends, Function, Future, Gender articulation, Gender expression, Generations, Gift, Gifts, Gratitude, Health bodies, Human Beings, Hurt, I can't do it ALONE, I love photography, Independence, Influenced, Interpretation, Intervention, Interviews, Invitation, Kyalami Business Park, Lessons learnt, Liberation, Life, Living, Love, Loved, Lovely words, Loving, Media works, Memories, Memory, Messages of support, Midrand, My body, Networking, Opinion, Our lives in the picture, Out, Participant, Participation, Perception, photographers, Photographs, Photography, Politics of existence, Politics of representation, Portrait, Poster, Power of the Voice, Presentation, Privilege, Proud to be, Publication, Readings, Real, Realization, Reason, Recognition, recognized, Reflection, Reflections, Relationship, Remembering, Reports, Respect, Respect & Recognition from our community, Respected person, Response, South African Women in the field of Arts & Culture, Visuals, Woman, Women in South African Arts, Women's power, Women; Voices; Writings; Education; Traditions; Struggles; Cultures, Words, Zanele Muholi, Zanele Muholi is the winner, Zulu is a South African language | Leave a comment

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 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 March 12: Loving Us With The Fierceness We Deserve:

Reflections on Zanele Muholi’s talk @ Impact Hub Oakland by Yvonne Fly Onakeme Etaghene  “I’m a visual activist.  I prefer, or want, to think that what I’m doing is activism using visuals as means to articulate my many issues…Activism, activism—to … Continue reading

Posted in Africans Abroad, Black Queer Artists, Commitment, Dyke, Evidence, Exhibitions, Experience, Exposure, Freedom of being, Friendships, Interpretation, Life, Life Stories, Love, Love is a human right, Mainstream media, Opinion, Our lives in the picture, Participants, Queer Africans speaking for themselves., South Africa, South African art, South African struggle, Speaking for ourselves, Women's power, Women's struggles, Women's Work, Writing is a Right | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

2013 Sept. 6: Your cheating ways is your business not mine

by Kopano Sibeko Sneaking in and out, private calls, unnecessary lies and scents of foreign colognes and fragrances all seem to be an impeccable way to assume that your partner is having an affair.  So a friend of mine has … Continue reading

Posted in Characters, Cheating, Conflicts, Evidence, Exposure, Friendships, Homosexuality, Human rights, Hurt, Inconsiderate, Lesbian Love Is Possible in South Africa, Open relationships, Opinion, Power of the Voice, We Are You | Tagged | 1 Comment

2013 Aug. 28: Stabbed lesbian survivor – The Saga continues …

by Thekwane Bongi Mpisholo Its been two weeks since the stabbing of a 26 year old lesbian from Vosloorus township, yet service providers keep failing the survivor over and over, like one more trauma after another. It begs the question, … Continue reading

Posted in Allies, Collen Mfazwe, Conference, Emotional support, Lack of Resources, Opinion, Organizations, Saga, Statistics SA, Youth voices | Tagged | 7 Comments

2013 Aug. 24: Queer Africa Book launch…here comes the pessimist!!!

by Jeremiah Sepotokele 2013 Aug. 17:  Gay and Lesbian Memory in Action (GALA) and MaThoko’s Books launched Queer Africa at the University of the Witwatersrand, Braamfontein. Queer Africa is a collection of short fiction written by talented writers on queer … Continue reading

Posted in As we are, Before You, Homosexuality, Human rights, Institution, Jeremiah Sepotokele, Johannesburg, Know Your SA Queer History, Lawyers, Legal, Opinion, Power of the Voice, Privilege, Queer texts, Records and histories, Speaking for ourselves, Visualizing public spaces, We Are You, We Care, Writing is a Right, Xhosa, Youth voices | Tagged | 3 Comments

2013 Aug. 15: The documentation of black LGBTI in South Africa

Uncomfortable political representations and the public imagination by Jeremiah Sepotokele. The documentation of lives of the black Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Intersex (LGBTI) community remains one of the most socially and politically contested space in South Africa. Documentation is a powerful instrument … Continue reading

Posted in Academics, Africanised, Another Approach Is Possible, Archived memories, Archiving Queer Her/Histories in SA, Artists, Arts, Books, Crea(c)tive senses, Culture, Evidence, Hear Us Out, Homosexuality, Human rights, Institution, Know Your SA Queer History, Knowledge, Lack of Resources, Life Stories, Opinion, Organizations, Our lives in the picture, Politics of existence, Questioning, Race, Race card, Readings, ReClaim Your Activism, Records and histories, Reflection, Visual history is a Right not a luxury, Visualizing public spaces, We Are You, We Care, We Still Can with/out Resources, Writing is a Right, Youth voices, Zanele Muholi | Tagged | 4 Comments