DIVERSE CULTURES CELEBRATE CAPE TOWN PRIDE

SOUTH AFRICA – 09 March 2010: Thousands of SA’s gay people, the media, families and friends of, flocked Cape Town’s Greenpoint, to witness the 2010 Annual Pride Parade which, according to the organizers, aimed to unite all cultures in the mother city.

Themed "Uniting Cultures of Cape Town", the event attracted an estimated eight thousand people from throughout South Africa, Africa and abroad.

"Today was a great success, the best pride so far. Great turnout, and I have seen an improvement from the past pride parades which is indeed a best step forward", said Sharon Jackson,Co-Chairperson of Cape Town Pride.

Over the years Cape Town Pride has been criticized for allegedly being predominantly white and that entrance fees to the event were too expensive, which prompted the Cape Town Pride team to do things differently this year.

Patrons commended this year’s pride and pointed out issues that still need to be addressed.

"It was a good space for people to come together and enjoy themselves, and the entertainment was great. But I still feel that they could have been more accessible, especially to the people who are from the townships. Mostly in events like these we find that the problem is always accessibility and affordability for people from the townships", Latheem Nair-Gabriels of The Inner Circle said

"It’s been great, people came in droves, and for the first time ever, so many black people and some from the townships were present, really embodying today’s theme. This year’s pride event has really shown to be inclusive and diverse", said Theresa Raizenberg of Out In Africa Film Festival.

"Judging from the previous pride marches there has been a huge difference and it is visible in the crowd present today and it is indeed a step in the right direction for Cape Town Pride which has always been viewed as exclusively being aimed at the white community", Richard Choga, one of the attendants said.

As usual anti-gay church leaders holding placards with messages such as "Jesus can save you from homosexuality" were there as the crowds marched from Prestwitch Street in Green point and back to Prestwitch Primary school.

According to Cape Town Pride, the festival began in 2001, merged with another gay event the following year, but after that they changed it back to the original identity and since then the festival has been taking place annually.

Various fringe events took place for the 2010 Pride, with the Mr and Miss Cape Town Pride kick starting the events and the Pride Celebration service by the Good Hope Metropolitan Church wrapping the 2010 Cape Town Pride