ALUTA CONTINUA! ON YOUTH MONTH

ALUTA CONTINUA! ON YOUTH MONTH

It is Youth Month! On 16 June South Africa will commemorate the role played by its youth in the struggle against apartheid in the 70s. For the gay community this struggle continues. Here is how SA’s LGBTI youth is advancing the struggle for recognition of their rights! 

What are the little things that you do on a daily basis to advance the strugle for recognition of LGBTI rights?

JOYCE MACHEPHA


I am very open about my sexuality and try to educate people about sexuality matters on a daily basis and mostly I talk to young women about living with HIV as I am an activist, a mother, grandmother and a lesbian woman. I work at a hospital and work with HIV infected patients and my job at the hospital is to counsel and motivate HIV positive women to be positive about life and try ad show them that there’s life after being diagnosed.

KEDIBONE GARE: CO-OWNER OF OPEN CLOSET



I empower young aspiring musicians especially gay and lesbians by inviting them to come and play live at our club, in that way they get exposure and experience in the entertainment industry.






BIBI NKOSI: CO-OWNER OF OPEN CLOSET / FUD FUNDI CATERER


I help young lesbians with advice on how to live freely and comfortable in their own skin by talking to them. On the other hand I educate the community by trying to remove the stereotypical thoughts that lesbians are supposed to be butch only and nothing else, am atleast trying to make them look at lesbians with an open eye and know that a lesbian women can be anyone, butch, feminine, black, white or Indian.





PHINDI MALAZA: FORUM FOR THE EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN (FEW)



I try and assist people be comfortable with themselves in order to face problems they are going to face on a daily basis. Basically just to meet people and educate them and in return learn from them.







PUSELETSO MOSHODI:  HOPE AND UNITY METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY CHURCH


When I come across heterosexual people or find myself in the company of straight people, I make sure that I make them familiar with homosexual issues. People are homophobic because they don’t know anything about homosexuality. Educating them will help them understand us better and maybe eradicate homophobia. Another thing is to educate people that one can be a lesbian and a Christian as well and that there’s nothing wrong with being homosexual and a Christian at the same time.





DONNA SMITH

Me, for now, I just live my lesbian life with dignity, passion and no apologies.

SIBU MASEKO



I am involved in the projects by Forum for the Empowerment of Women (FEW) an organization that empowers young lesbian women like me. Every now and then I try to get together with peers of my age so we can talk about life and issues affecting us as lesbian women.






EMILY CRAVEN: JOINT WORKING GROUP



I am an out lesbian and I work for a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersexual (LGBTI) NGO. I helped facilitate the youth Lekgotla which was held in Cape Town in April.







SEKOETLANE JACOB PHAMODI: SRC-RHODES UNIVERSITY


By being who I am, and connecting with others through what I've lived. By identifying the common struggles I share with people, this goes a long way in moving the struggle forward in that, the connections I manage to make with people facilitates their understanding of and sensitivity to this one aspect of my identity. Recognising and utilising the multiplicity of our individual identity allows us to connect with others through our shared experiences which, in turn, transform people’s perceptions of who we are."





TUMELO NYAMANE



I give back to those who need my assistance especially young ones....take part in every charity event hosted in Mzasi

KYLE CARSON: RAINBOW UCT UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN



I found a wonderful quote that states, “Any gay person who’s true to themselves and out is in some form or another, an activist.” I try to live my life according to that principle. I’m in no way, shape or form proclaiming that I'm an activist - but I do feel that being out and open about who I am and proud about it does make a difference, however small.

MALEBO RAMOTSEMANG

I have recently helped someone who was about to make the biggest mistake of her life by marrying the opposite sex just because family expected her to, forgetting that she is the only one who will be tortured all her life by living a lie.