HONOURED FOR CAPTURING TRUTHS ABOUT SOCIETY

Simangele Mzizi (BTM Intern)

AFRICA ABROAD – 22 October 2009: Well known gay rights activist, Zanele Muholi, has been awarded a Fanny Ann Eddy accolade, by the International Resource Network in Africa (IRN-Africa), for her outstanding contributions in the study of sexuality in Africa, at the recent Genders & Sexualities in Africa Conference held in Syracuse, New York.

“Zanele’s work is multidimensional and captures so many complex social issues that it could rightly be argued that she penetrates society with non-conventional gazes and truths”, said Sybille Ngo Nyeck of IRN-Africa.

The awards were established, two years ago by Nyeck to give recognition to young African scholars who produce knowledge on sexualities and genders.

“Part of our mission is to support African scholars by facilitating networking opportunities and by recognising outstanding work where it exists”, she said adding, “the fact that we recognise Zanele’s work speaks of the spirit of IRN-Africa, which is really about a holistic approach to social issues. Her work transcends the activist and scholar divide in many ways.”

According to Nyeck the criteria for the awards includes a review committee which selects nominees and must reach consensus unanimously about the final award recipient.

Commenting on the significance of winning the IRN-Africa Fanny Ann Eddy Award, Muholi said, “It’s not even about me but about the person attached to the award who meant a lot to different lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) communities all over the world, five years later after her passing away, I win something this big for a lot of us who are representing LGBTI rights.”

Muholi’s ongoing series of black and white portraits, Faces and Phases that, according to her, are a commemoration of black lesbians, have proven to be an act of visual activism in response to the abuse, rape and murder of homosexuals due to their sexuality and ethnicity.

“We have learnt a lot from people who have fought for the benefit of many people, in my case I take pictures that speak to a lot of people from South Africa and beyond, for people to know that we exist”, said Muholi.

She pointed out that LGBTI activists can and should learn a lot about the life of Fanny Ann Eddy.

“The struggle goes on we are not erasable as people, just because you live in a space in which violence is rife doesn’t mean you have to stop fighting”, she said.

She also emphasised that it is important to recognise people while they are still alive so that, “we can celebrate among them and encourage them to work some more.”
Fanny Ann Eddy was brutally murdered in 2004 while working alone in the Sierra Leone Lesbian and Gay Association’s offices.

Considered as Sierra Leone’s most outstanding activist for the rights of sexual minorities, she was described as someone who boldly presented the personal embodiment of the existence of lesbians in Africa, something that many African leaders still seek to deny.

“It is my wish that people know who Fanny Ann was and to recognise her existence and for people to know that there are other activists who work across Africa to defend human rights putting their lives at risk for the benefit of many people”, said Muholi.

Born in Umlazi, Durban in 1972, Zanele Muholi has become a renowned photographer and activist with her documentation of the lives and experiences of black lesbian women in a way that challenges the history of the portrayal of black women’s bodies in documentary photography.

“We just wanted to give tribute to Zanele’s work and courage, what is important is what she brings out of herself, the ability to speak to a wider audience, we are just happy to play a small role in her life”, Nyeck concluded.