Features
The Sexual Offences Awareness Week
The Sexual Offences Awareness Week (held on the 9-13 August 2004) is an initiative of a consortium of eleven organisations working in the human rights and gender-based sectors. The main aim of the Sexual Offences Awareness Week was to raise public awareness on the current Sexual Offences Bill that is soon to be passed into law in South Africa. The Lesbian and Gay Equality Project partnered with another 11 organizations as part of this campaign. More »
Critical links: Understanding the Massachusetts same sex marriage campaign within the broader civil rights movement
In 1954 the U.S. Supreme Court in the unanimous decision of Brown v. Board of Education, determined that separate, was seldom, if ever equal, when it decided that the state of Kansas could no longer justify segregated schools for white and black children.This last May, the state of Massachusetts became the first State in the United States to begin issuing legally recognized marriage licenses to same sex couples following the Massachusetts Supreme Court decision in Goodridge v. Dept of Public Health, which was subsequently affirmed in Opinions of the Justices to the Senate. This historic event, which took place on the 17 May 2004, coincided with the 50th anniversary of the decision of Brown v. Board of Education. Whether it was coincidence or calculated, the Supreme Court of Massachusetts throughout its decisions undoubtedly recognized that the right to marry the person of one choice irrespective of their sex was both fundamental to achieving equality for homosexual persons and intrinsic to the greater civil rights struggle of achieving equality for everyone. More »
Equality is imperative for same-sex couples
As the country currently awaits the findings of the Supreme Court of Appeal on the constitutionality of the common-law definition of marriage, the right of same-sex couples to marry has been in the public spotlight. More »
A Religious Opinion on Same Sex Marriage
Rev. Pieter Oberholzer, director of Inclusive and Affirming Ministries (IAM), offers a religious perspective on same sex marriage. More »
For Same-sex Marriage
A decade into our hard won democracy lesbian and gay people in South Africa are often thought of as one of the groups within society that have achieved the most in asserting their rights.
We have, however, not yet achieved the equality we seek. Individuals who wish to marry a person of the same sex, close blood relatives and the mentally disabled remain as the only adult groups that the law will not allow to marry a person of their choice. More »
Integration of the Human Rights of Women and the Gender Perspective Violence Against Women
Intervention at the United Nations Human Rights Commission (60 th Session, Geneva , Switzerland), presented by Wendy Isaack of the Lesbian and Gay Equality Project (Johannesburg , South Africa) representing MADRE. More »
Unmasking our struggle
The aim of this article is to provide us with and opportunity to reflect on some of the issues we have since discarded and believed to have been dealt with and hence no longer a priority. Simply, to promote a healthy discussion of homophobia and racism. More »
Queer Bits: Conversations on Life
About 3 years ago, Adele Hamblin (former press maharishi and current conceptual photographer extraordinaire) "imported" her partner Leigh Hager – a budding novelist – from the USA with the legal aid of the Equality Project. Now, in the year of our campaign for the legal recognition of same sex marriages, our paths cross again as they join the ranks of support.
Willie Knoetze boiled the virtual kettle and sat down with them for some cyber-‘koek & tee’. Read more.
Expressions of Johannesburg pride
One can almost write a report on Pride before it takes place. South African Gay and Lesbian Pride (formerly Lesbian and Gay Pride - a more inclusive and less marginalizing title) is now firmly following the model set by Prides worldwide - have fun, fun, fun, look glamorous, drink, dance and forget all your woes. There is a stage and some tents - the beer and dance tent at the gathering point are most important - lots of rainbows and pink, drag artists, some boring speeches to ignore and then the parade and after party - which strangely always has more people in attendance than the march - so what are they partying after, you may ask? Read more.
I do, he does – yet we can’t?
Spring has sprung (again) and wedding bells are a rung – only problem is, spring is here, and the bells are ringing in Canada! What am I on about? Same sex marriage, that’s what. Read more.
Charity begins at… uhm…
Home. The word you’re looking for is “home”. Easy enough a concept – or is it? Trends in the South African LGBTI (lesbian, gay, transgender and intersex) community indicate that, in fact, charity beginning at home is an immensely difficult concept to grasp. Read more.
Meds, Drugs and HIV
Questions and answers on the dangers of mixing HIV medications and recreational drugs, by Wendy Zizzo, Pharm.D., Haight Ashbury Free Clinics, Drug Detoxification, Rehabilitation and Aftercare program. Read more.
Homophobia and the Rights of Lesbians and Gays
In South Africa the rights and freedoms of religion or belief are recognised for "every person", "every individual", "everyone". This is a positive version of this broad formulation, which is also found in negative form by stating that "no one" or "no person" shall be deprived of these rights and freedoms. Generally speaking, the same is true of our legal system of equality before the law and other related rights and freedoms. Read more.
Recognise Same Sex Marriages
The full realization of all human rights and fundamental freedoms of all Lesbians and Gays is essential for their recognition. While the significance of national and regional particularities and various historical, cultural and religious backgrounds must be borne in mind, it is the duty of the government, regardless of their cultural, political system to promote and protect all human rights and fundamental freedoms. Read more.
Queer State funeral in Sebokeng
In December 1998 South Africa said goodbye to a man called our "queer Mandela", Simon Nkoli. Steven Cohen was there.
"... in no small way, Simon liberated, unified and legitimised the gay movement in South Africa. It is in part thanks to him that South Africa is not as fucked up as Zimbabwe."