Category Archives: Struggling

2015 Jan.15: Committed Union… 6 months later

by Vuyisile Shabalala Our journey as a committed couple planning our wedding has come into being. Being engaged to a person like Happy Mchunu makes it easy. She fulfils me and completes my entire existence. Compromises and understanding plays a huge … Continue reading

Posted in Another Approach Is Possible, Archived memories, Creating awareness, Durban, Expression, Lesbian, Power of the Voice, Queer visibility, Relationships, Relatives, revolution, South Africa, Speaking for ourselves, Strength, Struggling, Style, Supporting each other, Teachings, Texts, Textualizing Our Own Lives, Thankful, Through thick and thin, together, Together we can, Touching, Townships, Understanding, Visibility, Visual Arts, Visual democracy, Visual historical initiative, Visual history is a Right not a luxury, Visual Language, Visual narratives, Visual Power, Visual sense, Visual Voices, Visualizing our lives, Visualizing public spaces, Visuals, Voice, We Are You, We Care, We Still Can with/out Resources, Writing is a Right, Writing matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

2015 Jan. 3: I dropped out of the closet many times

“It is a story about my coming out, its more significant than any part of my life history” Being who I am should not compromise who you are. The road to coming out was not easy. I was born in … Continue reading

Posted in Another Approach Is Possible, Archived memories, Beatings, Creating awareness, Expression, Eyes, Face, Faces & Phases portraits, Faces and Phases (2006 - 2014), Gratitude, Gratitude to my lover, Inner feelings, Insulted, Interaction, Interpretation, Intervention, Irritation, Issues of sexuality, Knowledge, Language, Lesbian, Lessons learnt, Life, Life is a production..., Life lived, Life Stories, Life story, Live, Living, Living by example, Longing, Look at me, Loss to the black lesbian community, Lost Lives, Love is a human right, Love is Queer, Loved, Lovely words, Mainstream media, Mainstream spaces, Mainstreaming our queer issues, Making a mark, Memories, Moments, Moments in herstory, My body, My life in short, Nasty, Nature, Participants, Participation, Patience, Personification, Photo Expressions, Pleased, Political space, Politics of existence, Portraiture series, Power of the Voice, Powerful, Presentations, Pressure, Previous life stories, Privilege, Proud lesbian, Proud to be, Queer & Straights, Queer Africans speaking for themselves., Queer Power, Queer visibility, Queer Zimbabwe, Questions, Questions and Answers, Readers, Readings, Real, Reality, Realization, Reason, ReClaim Your Activism, Recognition, recognized, Recognizing the problem, Recording, Records and histories, Reflection, Reflections, Related links, Relationship, Relationship with own body, Relationships, relative, Relatives, Remembering, Reminiscing, Report, Representation, Representing, Resentments, Respect, Respect & Recognition from our community, Respected person, Response, Reviews, Reviving the culture of reading and writing, revolution, Rumours, safe, Scared, Scripted, Scriptures, Sexual orientation, Sexuality, Sharing, Sharing knowledge, Silence, Smile, Solidarity, Solution, South Africa, South African Black Female Photographers, South African townships, Speaking for ourselves, Statement, Straights, Struggles, Struggling, Suffered, Supporters, Supporting each other, Supportive friends and families, Survived, Teachings, Tears, Texts, Textualizing Our Own Lives, Thankful, Time, Timing, together, Together we can, Togetherness, Touching, Transformation, Transparency, Trust, Tshona is a Zimbabwean language, violation of rights, Violence, Visibility, Vision, Visual activism, Visual activism is a language, 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 our lives, Visualizing public spaces, Visuals, We Are You, We Care, We love photographs, We Love Photography, We Still Can with/out Resources, Weeping, When home is a crime scene, When Love is a Human Right, Where & Who is Justice?, Writing is a Right, Zimbabwe | 22 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; 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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 Aug. 22: Photos from Disebo Gift Makau’s Memorial Service

by Lindeka Qampi & Zanele Muholi Where: Stadium Hall, Ext. 2. VentersdorpCamera used:  Canon 6D with different lenses                                             … Continue reading

Posted in 'We live in fear', 'We live in fear' by Zanele Muholi & HRW, 20 Years of Democracy, Act, Action; Referee, Active Black Lesbian Artists in South Africa (ABASA), Activism, Activists, Activists Act, Adoring, 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, Articles, Articulation, Before US, Black bodies, Black Bodies of Silence, Black Lesbian, Black lesbian activism, Black Lesbian Love, Black lesbian visibility, Black Lesbians, Black Lesbians & Allies Against Hate Crimes, Black Queer & Gifted, Claiming mainstream spaces, Collaborations, Collective, Collectivism, Comment, Comments from the audience, Commitment, Committed, Communication strategies, Community, Community based media, Community Mobilizing, Community organizing, Community outreach, Community work, Complicated Lesbian Relationships, Confrontation, Corruption, question of history., Questioning, Questions & Answers, Readings, Reason, ReClaim Your Activism, Recognition, recognized, Records and histories, Rumours, Self recognition, Self-worth, Sexual orientation, Sexuality, Sexuality in South Africa, Silence, Social documentary photography, Social responsibility, Solidarity, South African Black Female Photographers, South African politics, South African struggle, South African townships, South African Visible Arts, South African Visual Activism, South African Youth, Speaking for ourselves, Struggling, Supporters, Supporting each other, Supportive mother, Survived by..., Textualizing Our Own Lives, Togetherness, Victim of hate crime in Ventersdorp, Visual activism, Visual activism is a language, Visual Activist, 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 Love Photography, We Still Can with/out Resources, We were (t)here, When home is a crime scene, When Love is a Human Right, Where & Who is Justice?, Women loving women, Women suffering, Women who have sex with Women, Women's power, Women's struggles, Women's Work, Women; Voices; Writings; Education; Traditions; Struggles; Cultures, Words, Writing is a Right, young women | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

2014 Aug. 24: Queers Against hate crimes Mo(u)rning the loss of Disebo Gift Makau

photo by Zanele Muholi featuring Odidi Mfenyana       … work in progress!!!   Related articles 2014 Aug. 19: Makau family mourns the brutal murder of their beloved                  

Posted in 'We live in fear', Allies, Another Approach Is Possible, Archived memories, Archiving Queer Her/Histories in SA, Art Activism, Art Activism in South Africa, Art Edutainment, Art Is A Human Right, Art is Queer, Art Solidarity, Art Therapy, Articulation, Artists, Arts, Before US, Before You, Black bodies, Black Lesbian, Collective, Collectivism, Comfort, Comment, Comments from the audience, Commitment, Committed, Community, Community Mobilizing, Community organizing, Community outreach, Complicated Lesbian Relationships, Connected souls, Corrective rape, Crea(c)tive senses, Creating awareness, Creative activist, creative artist, Crime rate, Crimes, Crying, Curative rapes, Death, Different positions, Disappointment, Discomfort, Disebo Gift Makau (1990 - 2014), Documentation; Filming; Photography; Community, Documenting our own lives, Documenting realities of the townships, Education, Emotional support, Evidence, Experience, Exploration, Exposure, Expression, Facing abuse and violation, Facing You, Family, Family and Friends, Family support, Feelings, Female masculinity, Female Photographers, Gender distinction, Gender expression, Gender naming, God is with us, Homosexuality, Human Beings, Human body, Human rights, South Africa, South African townships, Stripped, Struggle Songs, Struggling, Tswana is a South African language, Victim of hate crime in Ventersdorp, We Care, We love photographs, We Love Photography, We Still Can with/out Resources, We were (t)here, When home is a crime scene, When Love is a Human Right, Where & Who is Justice?, Woman, Women loving women, Women suffering, Women who have sex with Women, Youth voices | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

2014 Aug. 9: “I am not a lesbian by choice”

‪ My name is Sphiwe Sesana Mbatha. I am a very funny person, I love people and I love happy endings. I am a very dedicated when it comes to work, and I’m a fast learner too. I am ambitious … Continue reading

Posted in (IT) Information Technology, 1992 November 14, Daveyton, English and Xhosa, Gender Based Violence (GBV)., Kuzimisela Primary School, Mr Lesbian Daveyton, Silence, South Africa, Speaking for ourselves, Sphiwe Sesana Mbatha, Struggling, Style, Stylish, Support, Supporting each other, Survivor, Teaching, Textualizing Our Own Lives, Together we can, Visual activism, Visual activism is a language, Visual Activist, 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 Photography, We Still Can with/out Resources, We were (t)here, What black lesbian youth wants, When Love is a Human Right, Woman, Women's power, Women's Work, Women; Voices; Writings; Education; Traditions; Struggles; Cultures, Womenonwomen, Words, Writing is a Right, Xhosa is a South African language, Young black female photographers, Young Black Women and Photography, Young talent, Young Women and Visual Activism, Youth voices, Zulu is a language | 5 Comments

2014 Aug. 11: PFLAG Workshop hosted by GALA and US Embassy

  A two-day workshop aimed at developing LGBTI-ally support, and advocacy network, is hosted by the US Embassy and GALA at the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg. The event started on August 11 and is facilitated by Jody Huckaby who … Continue reading

Posted in 20 Years of Democracy, Academics, Activism, Activists, Activists Act, Adoring, Allies, Alternative family, Chad Wesen, Health, heterosexuals, Homosexuality, Jody Huckaby, LGBTI community, lgbti issues in South Africa, Parenting, PFLAG in South AFrica, Political Officer for Human Rights, South Africa, South African Black Female Photographers, South African Visual Activism, Speaking for ourselves, Struggling, Subject of Art, Support, Teaching, Terms and conditions, textbooks, The Chroniclers, Together we can, Togetherness, US Embassy delegates, Visibility, Vision, Visual activism, Visual Activist, Visual Arts, Visual democracy, Visual history, 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, Women loving women, Young Women and Visual Activism | 1 Comment

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 13: A sincere thank you to all my ex lovers

by Sade Langa   It has taken me a marriage to even think of writing such! When my exes broke up with me, I was heartbroken. I even had stalking tendencies. I checked them out from a distance, asked people … Continue reading

Posted in Arguments, Attention, Begging, Black Lesbian mother, Break ups, Civil Union, Crying, Doubts, ex lovers, Flaws, Gratitude, Heartbreak, Infatuation, Inner feelings, Life, Love, Loved, Marriage, Money, Precious, Reason, Relationships, Sade Langa, Struggling, Surity, We Still Can with/out Resources, We were (t)here, When Love is a Human Right, Woman, Womanhood, Women loving women, Women's power, Women's struggles, Women; Voices; Writings; Education; Traditions; Struggles; Cultures, Words, Writing is a Right | 7 Comments