OUT AFRICA MAGAZINE Issue 43 by Keith Coventry

Issue 43, WINTER 2020

AFRICA

MAGAZ I N E

ALL THE PICS OF CAPE TOWN PRIDE 2020

UGLY ...

FREE

YAHTO KRAFT

WE ARE OPEN The country might still be on lockdown but our clinic isn’t. Keep your health in check during this time by visiting the Ivan Toms clinic. From HIV testing, screening for PrEP and STI’s, collecting your ARV’s and PrEP medication, the Ivan Toms clinic is open for all your health needs. In addition to this, you can consult your healthcare worker if you have any other sexual health concerns, like your prostate, testicular and anal health. All you need to do is call our Cape Town Call4Care number. Make an appointment and don’t forget to come with your appointment card, which will be provided by the clinic.

060 633 2512

Monday - Friday | 09h00 - 16h00 | Call | WhatsApp | SMS

Please note that all COVID-19 safety precautions are in place at the clinic. We look forward to seeing you.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE FEATURES

2 Editor’s Comment 3 Digital Pride - Save the Date ... 4 Breaking the Silence 8 FEATURE: Tyron Zoutman - For the Love of Dance 10 Stop comparing Covid-19 to HIV 11 Important Numbers 16 The Buzz - Snippets of interesting gos 26 FEATURE: Yahto Kraft - Ugly 28 Hairy of Smooth - What’s your catnip! 30 Cape Town Comes Out Tops! 32 OUTREACH AFRICA - Food Drive 34 Global Pride - June 27th 35 Out of the Closet 36 ICONS: The Lemming Sisters 38 Helping Survivors of Abuse 40 LGBTI’s Facing Extreme Abuse 41 The New Mr Gay World 46 Sex in the Time of Covid-19 48 FITNESS: Keeping fit under Lockdown 54 OUT Takes

Photo: Henning Marko Swanepoel

FASHION 12 - 15 Check Out what’s Trending on the Cat-Walk

SCENE OUT

17 Cape Town Pride Week 20 The March 22 Festival Mardi Gras

REVIEWS

50 OUT ON FILM: With Daniel Dercksen 53 OUT ON DVD: With Daniel Dercksen

“Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one’s definition of your life; define yourself.”--Harvey Fierstein

46 Mag 1

FROM THE EDITOR Welcome all readers The coronavirus a.k.a Covid-19 has taken the world by storm with nearly every country (over) reacting by shutting down their economies and keeping their populations isolated in their homes or in quarantine centres around the world. However, it is the reality of our lives in South Africa and we have to make the best of what is a very bad situation. In this issue we look at a number of issues relating to life under lockdown: there’s Breaking The Silence (page 4) which features a number of posts from LGBTI people around the world and their stories of surviving in these unprecedented times. Sex is a basic need, go to page 46 where we look at sex (or the lack of it), in the time of Covid-19. With so many businesses failing as a result of the governments extreme measures we take a look at how to dress for that all important interview when applying for a new job in the fashion feature on pages 12 - 15 It’s not all doom and gloom though, and we feature Yahto Kraft who has just dropped his fabulous new single Ugly, which is set to top the charts, on page 26. We also have an article on Tyron Zoutman, (page 8) - a very talented dancer/ choreographer who hails from Cape Town. Cape Town Pride 2020 was the biggest and most successful Pride event to date on the African continent, and happened just before the shutdown - visit pages 17 to 24 to see all the pics ... The lockdown has left many people, especially the most vulnerable in our community, in dire straights - See pages 30 & 31 to help with a food drive to assist these less fortunate people. Gay owned business, Schmidhauser Electrical is also helping with the survivors of rape and abuse - See page 38 All over the world Pride celebrations have been cancelled as a result of corona - Interpride are planning an global Pride online, and South Africa will be participating - the date for this huge event is 27 June, so save the date and get streaming to join in the global party! Everyone is afraid, but remember you can’t let fear take the joy out of life, so keep positive thoughts and stay safe... mask up, keep your hands clean, don’t touch anyone up... till better days ...

IM NO POR PR TE TH TANT I CR DE SH E NEW ISI S N ELTE UM R N 072 ICOLE BER 287 631 0 Cover Photo: Yahto Kraft Photo: Henning Marko Swanepoel Mag 2

MANAGING EDITOR: Tommy Patterson 082 562 3358 ISSN 2304-859X Published by: PATTERSON PUBLICATIONS P.O. Box 397, Sea Point 8060 Cell: 082 562 3358 E-mail: outmagafrica@telkomsa.net outmagazine@mweb.co.za outlet@telkomsa.net

CONTRIBUTORS: Daniel Dercksen, Mark S. King PHOTOGRAPHY: Henning Marko Swanepoel

ADVERTISING SALES: Tommy Patterson 082 562 3358 Copyright: All articles, stories, interviews and other materials in OUT Africa Magazine are the copyright of the publication or are reproduced with permission from other copyright owners. All rights are reserved. No materials may be copied, modified, published or otherwise distributed without the prior written permission of OUT Africa Magazine. The views, opinions, positions or strategies expressed by those providing comments in this publication are theirs alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of OUT Africa Magazine or any employee thereof. OUT Africa Magazine and Patterson Publications cc., will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in any information contained in the publication.

LGBTQ COMMUNITIES The Coronavirus / COVID-19 pandemic is having a major impact on LGBTI Pride events across the globe. There won’t be rainbow floats in the streets, but Pride will still happen — online. As the old adage says “There’s Always a Rainbow After the Rain.”

ore than 300 pride events around the world have been cancelled or postponed as a result of the lockdowns and consequent ban on gatherings. Homophobic religious people are screaming antigay rhetoric from their pulpits. A pastor in Chicago is shouting about God reclaiming his rainbow as we see rainbow flags fluttering in support of health workers. A rabbi in Israel is blaming the virus on homosexuality. Yeah... they are still doing this even in 2020 ... and yes, some Islamic states still have the death penalty. But, the coronavirus pandemic has had unexpected knock-on effects for LGBTQ people around the world: forcing LGBTQ youth back into living with their families in lockdown where they may not be accepted, placing vulnerable people at risk of homelessness and employment insecurity, and stalling progress on potential legal changes that could grant LGBTQ people greater rights. In an ordinary year, Pride celebrations would offer a chance to gather together, celebrate the achievements of the community and reflect on the future for social change. For many, Pride is much more than a one-off party or day-long festival. It’s an opportunity for people who may not be “out” publicly to feel comfortable, surrounded by others in their community. For others, Pride is an opportunity to push for further social change. For some its a time to celebrate the achievements their community has made in their countries and a time to stand in solidarity with those in countries where they do not enjoy our freedoms and in some cases have the death penalty - just for being gay!

“LGBT people around the world are insanely resilient, but they face isolation every day in their life,” says J. Andrew Baker, coPresident of Interpride, the international association of Pride organisers, speaking to Time . “One of the challenges we find today is that LGBT people are even more isolated.” To overcome that isolation, the world’s biggest international Pride networks, Interpride and the European Pride Organisers Association, are organising a “Global Pride” to be celebrated online on June 27. Global Pride organisers are planning a 24-hour live streamed event, including remote contributions from international Prides, speeches from human rights activists, workshops with activists and high-profile performers yet to be confirmed. Activists say that in countries like Uganda and Nigeria, where gay people face significant persecution, Global Pride offers a tool for marginalised LGBTQ people to realise they are part of a bigger family worldwide. “It’s become the cornerstone of LGBTQ communities,” says Jed Dowling, the festival director of Dublin LGBTQ Pride. “It’s our Patrick’s Day, it’s our 4th of July, it’s a symbol of everything that was achieved through the year.” South Africa’s InterPride representative, and Cape Town Pride festival director, Matthew Van As said, “Global Pride presents a chance to overcome the challenges of isolation caused by the coronavirus.” He is currently busy signing up local and international African artists to perform at this iconic first-time global event. So make a point of saving the date and join in celebrating Global Pride... 27th JUNE 2020 Source; Time.com Mag 3

BREAKING THE SILENCE “I’m a lesbian girl. I live with my family. The truth is that things are going well around here, although I have to admit that having to study a lot is very overwhelming and sometimes I don’t do it (I haven’t done it in 3 weeks). There are days when I fight with my family, especially my father, about my way of thinking and, of course, about my sexuality. He does make some very misogynistic and homophobic comments. I’m out of the closet, so yes, he does make those comments intentionally, but I don’t let him ruin my days. I hope you all feel good and are staying at home. Your friend sends you good vibes.” Anonymous, Mexico City, Mexico

“Because of the pandemic, I’ve been separated from my girlfriend for two months. We contact each other regularly, but I miss having her next to me. Yet I don’t despair. I know I will see her when the lockdown is lifted. Plus, she’s planning to come out to her parents after the lockdown. It’s a moment that scares her, but it’s a moment she really needs. And I’m proud of her because she’s taking the courage to be herself with her family. I also plan to invite her to see my parents after the lockdown. My parents know I’m a lesbian and they accept me the way I am. No one can imagine how reassuring it is for a child to have their parents by their side when they realize they are gay. I’m happy, I’m free to be myself, and I know that one day my girlfriend will be too.

“Hi, I’m Sebastián, I’m 32 years old, I’m gay and I live in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The quarantine caught me without a job. In January, I stopped working where I was working before, what seemed like an opportunity because I was going to move to Europe. It became a problem when all the borders were closed. I am living on my unemployment insurance and my savings, but at the same time I am super grateful and aware that I am a privileged person who has a roof over their head and can cover all their basic needs to live. I miss my family a lot. Even though they are in the same city where I live I haven’t seen them since the beginning of March. I miss my friends. I miss real contact.” Sebastián, Buenos Aires, Argentina

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I want to send a message of hope and positivity to the young LGBT people who read my message, and who, perhaps, have just discovered themselves. Know that being yourself is the most beautiful thing that life can offer you. It is hard to love in this world for people like us. But, I assure you, it’s worth it! And even if you’re scared, even if you’re lonely, I promise you, someday you’ll be happy.” Justine, France

“The greatest anxiety is not having to stay at home, but staying in a house that I don’t love, in a town that I don’t love, and the ambulance sirens blaring right outside my house. The greatest burden is having to share this house with my parents, not so much for my mother, but certainly it is very hard having to put up with my father. A father who has no respect for me and shows it as soon as he gets the chance.” Mara, Bergamo, Italy

The consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic for LGBT+ people reach across the planet and touch so many lives, often in the most unexpected ways. The theme of this year’s International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOBIT) which was on May 17 was ... Breaking The Silence. To commemorate this day, All Out asked their members around the world to share how the global health crisis has affected them and their loved ones. Their “voices from the silence” provide insight into LGBT+ lives under lockdown: stories of hope, fear, loss and courage. “Hi people, my name is Isaac Mugisha from Uganda. I just wanted to shed a bit of light on what’s been happening in my life for the last 35 days. I’ve had to use a bicycle to move around to protect people and protect myself. But still I’ve had to work the most I’ve ever worked in my activism days. I’ve had to support people who are in need. I’ve had to provide shelter to people who are in need. I’ve had to rescue people who are in need. I’ve had to provide relief to people who are in need. And this is a message I’d like to pass on to you as well. Please support someone today. Please look out for each other. We are in this together and the whole world is under attack at the moment. But we’ll get over it. And I’d like to encourage you to look out for each other. Stay safe and stay well. Isaac Mugisha, Uganda

“My name is Alejandro Daniel, I’m a 15-year-old trans boy. Since this COVID-19 thing started, and we were quarantined, I have had to learn to deal with and endure insults, beatings and criticism from my parents. They don’t accept the fact that I’m trans. Every day and night it’s the same: crying, anxiety attacks, asking for this martyrdom to end. Several times I have tried to kill myself, to end all this pain and suffering, but then I start thinking that I must be strong, I want to fulfil my dreams and be happy at last. Honestly, it’s a hard thing to go through, but it does teach me a lesson after all: I am strong and I can fight, I can resist and keep going in spite of everything, it is only a “test” that I will manage to pass and then this will be no more than a bad memory.”

“How has my life changed in social isolation? Not a lot really. I’ve been socially isolated for at least ten years, and I learned to adapt and that’s OK. I’m 56. I was very social up to my early forties - travel, partying, boyfriends and friends... But then health problems left me house bound for a while and my career ended. I started a small business from home, got a dog, and my social life is hanging out with friends at the dog park. I’ve spoken with gay friends more in the last few weeks than I have for years. That’s nice. It’s mostly because their lives have been turned upside down by lockdown, and they have more time to chat. But one final thought... The last ten years made me realise, the LGBT ‘community’ doesn’t exist for me. Once I didn’t have the looks, the money to go out, or the desire to hook up there was no community. I see gay friends maybe every few months.” David, England, UK

Alejandro Daniel, Zacatecas, Mexico Photo by Inzmam Khan from Pexels Mag 5

“Our community depends solely on seeking donations for survival. Because of the current lockdown, we cannot go anywhere to make an income. We were always oppressed and faced hardships even with that income, but we were at least able to somehow manage our lives. A few of our community members who had migrated for work are now being forced to return to their families to avoid being stranded because of the pandemic situation. Many of them haven’t revealed their trans identities to their families and will be forced to go through the tough and painful experience of presenting their gender differently than they’ve always done. We face this, in addition to the forced isolation at home and mockery and discrimination in their neighbourhoods. We hear that the lockdown may be further extended - it’s unpredictable. If this keeps going on we don’t know how we’ll survive, the community has a lot of people who are old, many even with health issues like diabetes and HIV. Not all transgender communities are even being reached out to with help during this crisis - many are simply just not getting enough support. We first got ration support from Solidarity Foundation and later on even from our District officials - 60 community members were given ration kits. We request continued support in the days to come, we don’t know who else to reach out to for help because everyone is facing the same situation.” Deepu, transgender community leader, Chamarajanagar district, Karnataka, India

“I’m transgender and my wife is a lesbian. We live in an improvised way, on the terrace of my mom’s house. I study administration, and work in financial education. My wife prepares to take university entrance exams and works as a tattoo and piercing artist. Because of my financial knowledge, we have (thank God) a financial reserve for emergencies, both in our personal lives and in her business. So I’ve put together a contingency plan to make sure the business still makes some profit while I work remotely, giving online classes and keeping my income. So, financially we’re ok, but emotionally we’re shaken. Our relations with our families have long been troubled by dysfunctionality, prejudice and distress. And on top of all that, my hormones are running out – drugstores have been out of it for more than 2 years. And I’ll have to risk my life leaving the house to buy it secretly, praying that it’s available and thanking God I have the money for it. We have a lot of problems that hetero normative couples don’t even dream about, but we consider ourselves blessed and privileged compared to so many others in the LGBTQ+ community. Even with everything that’s going on, I consider it great to have found a partner that’s so dedicated and present, to have a solid, supporting relationship with so much friendship. We’re already survivors. We know what it’s like to fight to exist. Even if it’s not comfortable and it leaves a lot of scars, we’re not living through a situation that’s completely unknown to us. I’ve developed resistance to exhaustion and constant exertion. I can only hope we make it out of this alive.

“My story is one about starting a relationship during social isolation. Last November I met a person who has been teaching me the best I can give in a relationship by forgetting the mistakes and my past insecurities. I didn’t think I could ever meet someone like that. The trips to the cinema, the conversations in restaurants, and, little by little, the exciting intimacy of the beginning of a relationship were abruptly cut off on March 13 when we started social isolation that was initially voluntary and became mandatory after a few days. At first the initial optimism that this would go on only for a couple of weeks led to several moments of frustration as the days passed and the situation did not change. The days have been going by between “good and bad” where we have continued creating our own ways to stay together and in touch, handling the frustration and the feeling of missing each other as best we can. If the quarantine continues in our city, the amount of time we spent together in “real” life will equal the time we’ve spent together in the “virtual world” at a distance. However, in some ways I think this is a real challenge that will allow us to continue building a relationship. The crisis allows us to have the time to focus on ourselves in order to build a stronger relationship later – I guess we’ll see! R2ro, Quito, Ecuador

Danillo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

“I can’t hide the fact that my mental health is deteriorating every day, every hour more. For me, being locked in the house against my will is proving to be more difficult than I imagined: in every moment of silence and deadlock, my mind is constantly whispering all I should do and should be. All my doubts and fears reappear and freeze me. If there was no Internet or at least the telephone, I would never have a break from my head and the negative thoughts I keep hammering myself with. Just before the quarantine, I had found a temporary release valve that made me happy: performing at LGBTQ+ nights. I felt at home in those moments, I felt like some of my quirks were being accepted, but this virus took that away too.” Altea, Coccaglio, Italy

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Photo by Durong Nhân from Pexels

“My husband William of 21 years, we were officially married for 8 of those years. He was very concerned about this virus and catching it. One day he wasn’t feeling well and called his doctor who told him he needed to get tested for COVID-19. William went to the local Urgent Care got tested and waited, after 4 days they still didn’t have the results, after 8 days still no results. Tuesday, April 7th started like any other day but a little after 1 pm William had a heart attack and died. It took the medical examiner a day and a half to get the results and it turned out William had the virus. COVID-19, his diabetes, high blood pressure, and stress turned out to be a deadly combination. Now I’m alone and self-isolating, between family on both sides and friends I don’t know how I would get through this.” David, New York City, USA

“My name is Melusi Simelane and I’m the Executive Director of Eswatini Sexual & Gender Minorities. While we’re fighting the global COVID-19 pandemic, we’re fighting a battle of having something to eat. While we’re under very strict measures to stop the spread of the virus, we are fighting for survival.

“I’m Chris, a trans boy that hasn’t come out to his family yet. Going to school was my ticket to freedom, the real me could come out. I was able to smile and stop pretending, outside the safety of my mind I was still being physically attacked [but] I was me, so it didn’t matter. After they announced the quarantine, my life turned back to keeping up appearances, having to listen about how I should look, behave, and be, falling back into the loneliness that I was in before I went to school. A person helped me to free myself, when I found her I found myself, and now I am far away from them. I just want the quarantine to end and to feel that freedom again. Also, for school, every week they gave me a small amount of money for lunch. I was saving it for a chest binder since bandages are not healthy. I don’t think they’ll give me that money now. I believe I’ll have to wait for the binder longer than expected.” Chris, Mexico City, Mexico

Poverty is something that has hit the LGBT+ community for so long because we’re stigmatized and discriminated against. We’re not offered the same privileges and opportunities for employment. And therefore the very minimum we can do is get a job e.g. in retail. These are the economies that had to suffer most in this global pandemic. And we welcome the measures by our government to curb the spread of the virus. However, we’re suffering the most. The economy is not going to survive, that’s what economists are saying. And we as the LGBT+ community are not going to survive, because we don’t have food to eat. At the moment we’re trying to raise funds, so we can have food parcels delivered to the LGBT+ community. We’re trying to do the best we can to make sure that there’s support for those who have increased levels of anxiety. And to those who are facing harassment and emotional violence in their homes. There’s increased domestic violence experienced by those who have to stay in their homes because there’s nowhere they can go. This global pandemic has taught us a lesson: We need to reignite and reinvent our approach to LGBT+ advocacy. We were speaking the other day about human rights where everyone was complaining that they had to give up some freedoms and human rights. But we as the LGBT+ community had to give up more than that. For so long we have not enjoyed human rights, but now – we’ve had to give up survival. This COVID-19 pandemic has hit us so much. And we rely so much on any help we can get from the global community. But first and foremost we must centre on equality for all. We are all suffering and trying to do what we can so the spread of the virus doesn’t go too high. But we must also remember that there are those of us who are most at risk, who are highly marginalised. Melusi Simelane, Mbabane, eSwatini

To read more stories from All OUT members around the world ... please visit : www.breakingthesilence.weareallout.org Mag 7

FEATURE

TYRON ZOUTMAN

FOR THE LOVE OF DANCE Swartland youngster’s striking dance talent – and sheer grit and determination – leads to highly successful career in the arts Mag 8

s young as he is, Tyron Zoutman has already won a string of local and international awards for dance, choreography, scriptwriting and direction. And the 27-year-old dancer, singer and choreographer, who grew up in impoverished circumstances in the tiny Swartland town of Piketberg, will once again play a leading role in this year’s Cape Town Carnival, taking place on 21 March in Green Point, Cape Town. Performing alongside several other highly talented dancers in the “Honouring our African Cultural Roots” pod of this year’s festival, Zoutman will help to bring to life the Carnival’s theme, “Incredible Journey: Sounds of South Africa”. The routine will combine traditional and contemporary African dance, and draw inspiration in movement, dress and adornment from isiZulu, isiXhosa, seSotho and Ndebele cultures. Zoutman, who is skilled in local hiphop, kwaito, gumboot, African jazz and African fusion dance – among several other genres – attributes his success to his mother, his church and “some incredible teachers and mentors”. “They shaped who and what I am today,” he says. “I came from a family that was very spiritual and artistic, and my childhood was sort of like a ‘God journey’ with teachers like Miss Hefca and the late Roderick Beukes seeing in me talent then pushing me in the right direction.” The only child to his mother, and one of four to his father, and later a breadwinner for the family, Zoutman used dance from the tender age of 5 to prove his worth, but also to help him forget for a while the relentless challenges that came with growing up in a poor community. “Whenever stress got to me, I would dance my heart out,” he recalls. “It was like therapy. Pretty much at every opportunity, I was dancing.”

Being bold, brave and passionate...

Zoutman, who studied Performing Arts at Northlink College in Cape Town (where he is now a drama lecturer) began his journey in the arts after being plucked from a school choir. His first acting/musical role was as Rapelsteeltjie, followed by dancing roles in various Piketberg Eisteddfods for the Western Cape Movement Education Association (WCMEA). He undertook a singing tour to Germany in 2008, and received several golden accolades during his school years both in a solo and group performance capacities. He graduated from Northlink in 2013, winning Pearson’s BTech International Student of the Year title, and being invited to London to receive the award from one of the world’s largest education institutions. As an adult, Zoutman has appeared in leading – and award-winning – roles in Artscape shows like The Boyfriend and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, and as a lead or part of the ensemble in many other major musicals and theatre productions including Evita (2013), Perfectly You (2013), Our Winds That Heal (2015/16), Ugubani Wena (2016/17/18), Uhambo, The Fire Within Us! (2017/18), Shadows in Red Light (2017), Annie Get Your Gun (2018) and Worstel In Die Geheim (2018). He was a master class presenter at Suidoosterfees from 2016 to 2019. “But it was Cape Town Carnival and all its incredible people, especially those at the community dance workshops, that made

me fall in love with the spirit of ubuntu/togetherness and allowed me not only to perform what I did best, but also to mentor others and share in their development,” he says. Introduced to the annual spectacular by a friend, Zoutman signed on as a lead performer, soon involving his peers and students from Northlink College in the event, and mentoring at the regular Carnival dance workshops. “I always had a gift for teaching others, because I had to use this to look after my own family, so naturally I’m drawn to working with people and developing young artists. Cape Town Carnival has allowed me to do just that and more.” Zoutman, who has established two companies, Zoutman Dance Company and Lekker Jy? Produksies, believes that “being bold, brave and passionate” has enabled him to achieve so much in such a short space of time. “I would love to build my businesses, to be able to employ more people and provide for their families, and to be involved with youth, with homeless people and with schools,” he says. Zoutman and over 2 000 other costumed performers, giantsized floats and incredible live performance groups took part in this year’s Cape Town Carnival, Visit www.capetowncarnival.com or follow @thecapetowncarnival (Facebook), @CTCarnival (Twitter) or #capetowncarnival (Instagram). Mag 9

Ken Meeks, AIDS patient, San Francisco, 1986. Photo: Alon Reininger/Contact Press Images

STOP COMPARING THE RESPONSE TO CORONAVIRUS TO THE EARLY RESPONSE TO AIDS. IT’S INSULTING. There is no comparison to a new viral outbreak that might kill people society actually values, like your grandmother and her friends in the nursing home. By Mark S. King

eople ask me if our lives today feel like the early years of HIV/AIDS, and I want to scream. There is no comparison. Just stop.

No one cared about people dying of AIDS in the early years of the pandemic. The stock market didn’t budge. The president didn’t hold news conferences. Billions of dollars were not spent. In the early 1980’s, AIDS was killing all the right people. Homosexuals and drug addicts and Black men and women. There is no comparison to a new viral outbreak that might kill people Mag 10

society actually values, like your grandmother and her friends in the nursing home. To have any conversation during the early HIV pandemic meant talking about anal sex and sharing needles and condoms and religion and who God was punishing. We had to climb over mountains of social bias in order to educate people on the basic facts of risk and transmission. Social distancing was easier then because the bodies of your friends were so consumed by dark purple skin lesions they were

barely recognisable as human. There were no Congressional bills promising them paid sick leave or help with their medical bills. They were kicked out of their apartments and then died in the guest room of whoever had the space and the guts to care for them. Tens of thousands of people died of AIDS-related complications before our government began to address it. Many, many, many of those people spent their last breaths in the centre of protests in the streets, begging for justice and relief. Their ashes were dumped on the White House lawn. That activism has reverberations today, in the work between public health and community health advocates. That’s a difference, not a similarity.

THE ‘GAY PLAGUE’ It took a year before US President Reagan publicly uttered the word “AIDS”, when over 12,000 Americans had died and the virus had begun to spread swiftly through haemophiliac populations and injection drug users. A government report from August 2016 found that since the start of the AIDS epidemic, nearly 700,000 people have died of AIDS in the US alone. South Africa has the biggest HIV epidemic in the world, with 7.7 million people living with HIV.

To attempt to draw blithe comparisons – Oh! This feels so scary and there are lines at the grocery store and people have to stay away from each other. Hey, does this feel like when HIV happened…? – is an insult to the bravery and sacrifice of the living and the dead.

HIV prevalence among the general population is high at 20.4%. Prevalence is even higher among men who have sex with men, transgender women, sex workers and people who inject drugs.

There is no comparison. Fuck that. Just stop.

In South Africa, 90% of people living with HIV aware of their status in 2018.

Mark S. King is the award-winning writer of My Fabulous Disease. He has been nominated for multiple awards for his coverage of HIV/AIDS issues. This piece originally appeared on My Fabulous Disease and is reposted with permission.

South Africa was the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to fully approve PrEP, which is now being made available to people at high risk of infection.

IMPORTANT NUMBERS

Mag 11

FASHION

DRESSING

With so many of us out of work it is importa life-changing interview that you are looking - sartorial elega

Photo by Jacob Blankenship on Unsplash

Photo by Spencer Davis on Unsplash Mag 12

Photo by Ivan Zhukevich on Unsplash

THE PART

ant that when you go for that all important, professional - as first impressions are crucial ance is the key ...

Photo by David Lezcano on Unsplash

Photo by Taylor Grote on Unsplash

Photo by Dami Adebayo on Unsplash Mag 13

FASHION

DRESSING

A good quality suit, shirt, good shoes, belt & ti great eye wear, neck wear, watches etc all co able first impression - so get out there and

Photo by AndriyKo Podilnyk on Unsplash

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Photo by Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash Mag 14

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THE PART

ie and if you need them top accessories such as ombine to create an unforgettable and favourd show the world you have what it takes!!!

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Photo by Waldemar Brandt on Unsplash Mag 15

THE BUZZ CELEBRATING NEW LIFE

BLACK GAY WRITERS ARE WINNERS

ut CNN anchor Anderson Cooper, who in his earlier journalism days worked in South Africa for a short while, celebrated the birth of his son, Wyatt, on April 27. He tweeted: “I want to share with you some joyful news. On Monday, I became a father. This is Wyatt Cooper. He is three days old. He is named after my father, who died when I was ten. I hope I can be as good a dad as he was. ... As a gay kid, I never thought it would be possible to have a child, and I’m grateful for all those who have paved the way, and for the doctors and nurses and everyone involved in my son’s birth.” But, surprising to many viewers, along with the ‘proud dad’ announcement, Cooper has publicly shared that his exboyfriend, Benjamin Maisani, (pictured above) will co-parent Wyatt. “I don’t really have a family, so my friends become my family,” said the 52-year-old journalist. “And this is somebody that I was involved with for 10 years. He’s a great guy.” Cooper’s mother was acclaimed artist, fashion designer and socialite Gloria Vanderbilt, who passed away last summer at the age of 95. His father, Wyatt Emory Cooper, died in 1978 when Anderson was just 10-years-old. “And so I thought, if something happens to me – or even if something doesn’t happen to me – if more people love my son and are in his life, I’m all for that,” he said. “My ex is a great guy and it’s good to have two parents if you can.” Congratulations and welcome to the world baby Wyatt Morgan Cooper ... Mag 16

lack gay writers have walked away with the most prestigious honours at this year’s Pulitzer Prize awards.

The Pulitzer Prize for Poetry has been won by Jericho Brown for his recent collection The Tradition, while the Pulitzer Prize for Drama was awarded to Michael R. Jackson for his acclaimed 2019 play A Strange Loop. The Pulitzer Prize awards - which honour US writers and journalists and were first held over a century ago, in 1917 - took place digitally on Monday (4 May) after initially being postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Jericho Brown’s winning poetry collection offers personal and political dissections of modern terrors including mass shootings and the murder of unarmed citizens by police. The 44-year-old poet’s previous collection, 2014’s The New Testament, addressed what it mean to be a black gay man living in the United States. In an interview, Brown, who lives with HIV, explained how his identity was a conduit for expression rather than something that constrained him. “I’m not after a rejection of being a Black gay poet. I’m after understanding what being a Black gay poet might allow me”, he said.

BLACK GAY WRITERS ARE WINNERS

eanwhile, Michael R. Jackson helped make it a historic night for queer black writers after taking home the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The Detroit-born writer’s winning play is a semi-autobiographical work which follows a young artist battling his inner demons. It debuted Off-Broadway in May last year. The protagonist - named ‘Usher’ after his day job as an usher for The Lion King on Broadway - is an overweight, gay, black writer attempting to make it in a heteronormative white world. Jackson, who like his protagonist has been carving out his own success despite being the namesake of a world-famous musician, was previously named one of the ‘Black Male Writers for our Time’ by The New York Times in 2018. Taking to Twitter after his Pulitzer Prize win was announced, Jackson wrote: “Never in my wildest dreams. NEVER. IN MY. WILDEST. DREAMS. Thank you to everyone who has supported me on my journey to such an incredible honour. I’m sure I’ll have more to say once I’ve caught my breath and looked at all these text messages and emails but for now, THANK YOU. “ I am sure we will hear more from both these talented, remarkable gay men as they face the challenges that black people face but also the issues facing gay people today. We honour trailblazers in the LGBTI community

SCENE OUT

CAPE TOWN PRIDE WEEK 2020

All the excitement of the biggest Pride the continent of Africa has ever seen, made successful with the help of the City of Cape Town, the Western Cape Provincial Administration, and all the sponsors who so generously support the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s LGBTI community ... and ... the community itself!!!

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Poetry Night

Bookcase

Mr & Miss Cape Town Pride ...

The Parade ... People marched in their thousands ...

There were flags ...

Small ones ...

And big ones ...

And some wore them ... Mag 18

Others marched with them ...

There were banners & messages...

Some were serious ...

There were the bikers ...

Some were light-hearted There were the floats...

There was drag ...

There were the cars ...

and more drag ...

Mary was there ...

and more drag ... Lola was there ...

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And the marchers ... Camp!! ...

Butch ...

Beefcake ...

and everything in between ...

The cool dudes! ...

In party mood ...

Humorous ...

There were religious groups ...

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The colourful ...

There were schools ...

Embassies ...

Young ...

Cheeky ...

Sexy ...

Not so young ...

There was royalty ...

Outrageous ...

Bright ...

Stylish ...

Pretty ...

And brighter

Friends ...

And marching bands ...

Some were in wheelchairs..

Everyone was OUT!

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CAPE TOWN PRIDE MARDI GRAS 2020 The Celebs ... Alan Winde and .. The performers

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Cape Townâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s LGBTI community came out to party ...

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FEATURE

Photo: Henning Marko Swanepoel

YAHTO KRAFT

“Dude, I was desperate and gone, you’re not my type, you’re fat and ugly.”

THE NAME YAHTO KRAFT IS SOON TO BE ON EVERYONE’S LIPS WHEN HIS POWERFUL DEBUT SINGLE UGLY DROPPED ON FRIDAY 17 APRIL. Mag 26

ritten by Yahto with Matthew Marinus back in 2016 when he was just 16 years old, he took an experience of heartbreak and turned it on its head, writing a song that is fast becoming an anthem of sorts for those who have been downtrodden and victimised, encouraging them to believe that “you are enough” and giving them hope and inspiration to live to fight another day. With strong pop and rock elements and its catchy beat, it’s the profound and inspiring words that capture your attention. Ugly was performed at both the 2018 and 2019 Born To Perform’s SHINE! Concerts by Yahto and was undoubtedly one of the key show-stopping moments of each performance. Yahto, now 19 years old, explains how the song came about: “Ugly started all the way back in 2016 when I was 16. I was going out with friends and we were doing things we definitely were not supposed to and kissing people we weren’t supposed to. It just so happened that the boy I kissed was my crush for the longest time, so I was absolutely on top of the world! The next weekend we decided to do it all over again, and I thought he and I were going to turn into one of those couples you see in a movie but, alas, it flipped and went from a cheesy rom-com to a horror movie. When I tried to kiss him again, he just looked at me and said: “Dude, I was desperate and gone, you’re not my type, you’re fat and ugly.” He continues; “Needless to say, my little heart was absolutely shattered. I went home and put my feelings into words. Thus, Ugly was born. I took this raw piece of work to the incredible Matthew Marinus and he helped fine-tune my lyrics into an actual song. I then was offered the opportunity to perform the song at the Lyric Theatre at Gold Reef City. This arrangement ( by the incomparable Brian Schimmel) was very big and theatrical, perfect for the stage. I got to perform this version again in 2019 at The Teatro at Montecasino. This will forever be a defining moment in my career.

“

Queen in it, some David Bowie, some Alanis Morisette, some Janis Joplin, some The Darkness, but a whole lot of Yahto. He continues; “It’s massive, it’s raw, it dares you to look your heartbreak right between the eyes and say ‘You don’t scare me anymore’. It’s not about my singular experience anymore, I don’t think it ever was. It’s a song about resilience. It’s a song about taking back your power. People like the boy who broke me don’t realise the weight of their words. It makes me shudder just thinking about what others went through in a similar situation. “ Co-writer Matthew Marinus of Upstream Worldwide adds his voice; “Yahto is not just a world-class singer, he is someone that knows how to dream and communicate his big picture idea to his team and its very exciting to be working alongside this young dedicated visionary. The reason for this single is so much more than just a nice tune, as no-one wants to feel alone in their despair and I think this song might just save someone’s life one day.” The decision was made to go with a Lyric Music video concept. Matthew Marinus explains; “This is not just your ”regular” pop/ rock song; the impactful lyrics led us to the easy decision of rather going with a lyric video. As you read those words while listening to the song you will realise even more, the power behind the inspiring words and be moved by it. I believe that Yahto will become one of the inspiring voices of his generation.” Yahto concludes by explaining why Ugly means so much to him; “This song is now for all of us. Those of us who have been broken and beaten down, not only by a significant other but by society’s perceived ideologies of what we should be and what the world wants us to be, it is for anyone who has ever been seen as different or other. It’s for the outcast. This song is for everyone to jam to. Get in your car and yell the

I believe that Yahto will become one of the inspiring voices of his generation.

I got to perform my own song that I wrote on a stage that I’ve dreamt of since I was a child, wearing something I sewed myself. I got complete free reign over my performance, and it felt incredible. The amount of personal growth I’ve experienced since writing this song is astronomical, and I owe it all to this one song, and I knew I had to share this song with the world.” After seeing the overwhelming effect Ugly had on the 2019 Born To Perform’s SHINE audiences with many of them sharing their own stories afterwards, or those of their children, saying how hearing the lyrics of Ugly helped them deal with their own situations, it was a no-brainer for the team to take the decision to release Ugly as Yahto’s debut single.

”

lyrics with the windows down. Dance naked in front of your mirror and feel at home in your own body. Listen in bed when you’re feeling at the end of your rope and just have the song give you a hug and let it whisper in your ear “you are enough, you are strong and you are you”. I hope this song brings us together as one massive family but also makes us as individuals fight back and take back our thrones. Claim your crown and be your own version of you. This is what Ugly is and was, and I hope you all love it as much as I do. UGLY is now available for download on all major digital platforms: https://smarturl.it/kvldxi

The song has been re-worked into a more glam rock space since these performances, with influences such as Queen and The Darkness.

UGLY Official Lyric Music Video link : https://youtu.be/ibTnM8DCUiI

Says Yahto: “I wanted people to relate, not only to the lyrics but to the feeling of the song. This song has a more anthemic rock n roll edge to it, this time round. This song now sounds exactly like it does in my dreams. It makes you feel nostalgic, with its glam rock flicks, yet it is completely new and now. It has some

Connect with Yahto Kraft on Social Media : Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/yahtokraft/ Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/yahtokraftt Twitter : https://twitter.com/YahtoKraft YouTube : Yahto Kraft TikTok : https://vm.tiktok.com/W28QHk/ Mag 27

HAIRY OR SMOOOTH

f you had to choose, would you prefer hairy or smooth? Or do you really need to choose? Depending on your own body type and what you’re into, you might be looking for silky smooth exposed skin or the ability to run your fingers through your lover’s chest or back hair.

Some guys think hairy is hot, while other men clearly do not. To some guys body hair is total catnip and to others it is a complete turn-off. During the 1980’s at the height of the gay-liberation movement, leather and fetish clubs abounded and the iconic ideal man was depicted by Touko Valio Laaksonen’s Tom of Finland as muscular, moustached, well-hung uber-manly men. The stereotypical gay man sported a moustache, the bigger the better and lamb-chop side-burns - remember the iconic Marlboro man! (Who was gay!) But, there are hair fanciers who focus in on specific body parts, like treasure trails, fuzzy legs, or hairy butts. “Give me a buddy with bushy pubes and pits, and I’m happy,” one such fan confesses. Then there are fur fetishists who like hair everywhere. One of them says, “I really love lots of body hair, not just on the chest and legs, but on the butt, back, shoulders, all over. To me, it just shouts out masculinity.” He’s not alone; Bears are a whole subculture that celebrates chunky, hirsute, all-male males. Our fur fetishist rhetorically asks, “Who wants a guy who’s smooth as a girl?” But times change and with the AIDS crisis of that decade young gay men took to the gyms, shaved their bodies for a healthier more defined look and this became the it seems the norm through the 90’s and persists today. Smooth chested gorgeous guys with great pecs abound in every club, showing off their glistening gym-ripped, topless bodies as they party the night away. Smooth bodies seem to belong to the youth and represent a purity that is lost with age – perhaps? But it is not only fashion trends that set the standards. Body hair’s a marker of maturity, too. Sure, there are very hairy 18-year-olds, but in general, fur increases with age. Mag 28

So those who get turned on by twink-type young men tend to prefer smooth torsos. Likewise, those who go for femme guys are likely to like them fur-free. Those into hunkier, manlier types often look for a sign of body hair. Along with the gay gym-culture many companies decided to cash in on the trend and today there are whole sections devoted to male grooming products in our supermarkets that thirty years ago would not have been seen. Nowadays men seem to take more care about moisturising, trimming and man-scaping than ever before. What may have been perceived as effeminate is now seen as completely acceptable, right and part of every man’s daily routine – gay, bi or straight - In fact those that don’t groom are not welcome.

To some guys body hair is total catnip As trends stand now, it seems beards are becoming more popular, whether neatly trimmed or bushy. But, as with most things gay, body hair is a matter of style, preference, and function. Where and what you trim is a personal choice. Q News Australia reported that a survey carried out of more than 4,000 women and gay men to get their thoughts on chest hair, had the following results. According to the respondents, 58% of the gay men who took part prefer a partner to keep it natural with a hairy chest, while 61% of the women preferred their men to be bare-chested.

The iconic sexy, moustached Marlboro Man

WWE’s John Cena “Manscaped from head to toe”

“Homosexual men preferred hairier stimuli than heterosexual women, supporting past findings that homosexual men have strong preferences for masculine traits,” the study found. The results also mirror a similar survey conducted by Manhunt in 2013 that found 79% of gay men wanted their men to leave their body hair the way God intended, and only 21% wanted it shorn. Nearly 1,000 men were asked about their own grooming habits and the respondents were divided on manscaping: 46% percent of them said they shaved their chest, compared to 54% who don’t. Single Man director Tom Ford doesn’t think men should shave their chest. Speaking ahead of the release of Nocturnal Animals in 2016 he said there was no way he was going to make Jake Gyllenhaal manscape. ‘I happen to like body hair. I think people should leave it alone — I’m not a fan of all this manscaping that goes on. I don’t really get it.’ He added as he gestured downward: ‘If you like the chest, you should see what’s down here. There is no manscaping.’ Then Ford repeated for extra emphasis: ‘There is no manscaping.’ Some men clearly like a natural bush, others like Graham Norton who did a segment a few years ago where the poor (stupid?) volunteer got a “back, sack and crack.” Said, “I’m not a fan of excessive grooming, but I’ve gotta say that I’ve seen some human Wookies that could really use Nair.” Jennifer Aniston has said in various interviews that she favours an appropriately manscaped partner, whatever that means. In a recent interview with People magazine, the WWE star and actor John Cena, revealed his time-consuming manscaping routine that takes anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour daily, using around six bottles of shaving cream every month.

constantly trying to stay up on fine lines in my skin and that stuff, so I’m a lot more grooming-centric than you would realize. My routine is a lot more than you would think — I’d say it’s a strong 7 1/2 out of 10.” He started when he was body-building and has always just kept it up. In 2016, the British newspaper The Telegraph reported that male chest hair was back on trend and a survey of their readers on the topic found over 70% of respondents favoured a hairier look. Another survey found both the men and women reported bearded partners were more suitable for long-term relationships, with the gay men reporting an even stronger preference for facial hair than the women. So, whether you prefer romping in a luxuriant forest of fur or sliding smoothly across bare skin, it seems that your fetish is a personal one, driven by your own fantasies, personal preference and whatever your in to there’s a man out there who will tick every box and if you haven’t met him yet there’s lots of fun trying to meet him and who knows you might meet someone who turns all your preferences on their head and you start hankering for the other side of the hair/less spectrum. Have fun and be safe. Tom Ford said there was no way he was going to make Jake Gyllenhaal manscape

“I’m completely manscaped from head to toe — from the ears down — so that takes a bit of time,” he told the outlet. “I’m Tom of Finland men were masculine, moustached and muscular

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CAPE TOWN RATED BEST IN AFRICA Open For Business is a coalition of leading global companies dedicated to LGBT+ inclusion. Their task is to present the business rationale on global LGBT+ inclusion: successful, enterprising businesses thrive in diverse, inclusive societies and the spread of anti-LGBT+ policies runs counter to the interests of business and economic growth. They recently published the rankings of the World’s cities, and Cape Town ranked the highest in Africa

he Open For Business city ratings research began in 2018 and the organisation recently published their findings - rating 144 cities across the globe.

Top of the list was, unsurprisingly, that gay mecca - Amsterdam. Femka Halsema, the Mayor of Amsterdam commented, “I am proud that Amsterdam is the highest rated city in the Open For Business City Ratings 2020. One aspect that sets cities like Amsterdam apart from others is its dedication to providing a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere for everyone, regardless of national origin, religion, sex, race, creed – or, indeed, sexual orientation and gender identity or expression. In Africa it was Cape Town that was awarded top honours for the continent - a rating of CCC. The report noted that legally South Africa was strong but the reality on the ground reported violence and discrimination against LGBTI+ people together with the worsening economic situation in the country (and that was prior to Covid-19). Both Johannesburg and Durban were rated lower CC, whilst the rest of Africa received D rating or lower. This rating is calculated using 26 metrics, relating to economic performance, innovation, human capital, business environment, social attitudes and the legal situation faced by LGBTI+ people. A feather in Cape Town’s cap ... Mag 30

(Visit open-for-business.org)

Cape Town

Durban Johannesburg

LARRY KRAMER 25 June 1935 - 27 May 2020

PEOPLE WITH A TASTE FOR LIFE.

he LGBT rights activist, author, play write and public health advocate Larry Kramer has passed away. Kramer was a legendary activist who co-founded the Gay Men’s Health Crisis, an organisation devoted to helping people living with HIV and AIDS. Young people may not know the work he did, but those readers who lived through the 1980’s and 90’s, will remember him for his highly confrontational style of activism. In 1987, frustrated with gay men’s apathy towards the HIV pandemic as well as the government’s inept response, he helped cofound ACT-UP, a direct action organisation focused on changing the public health reaction to HIV and public perception of people living with the virus, it was the world’s first service organisation for people living with HIV/AIDS. In a tweet Act-Up said, “Rest in power to our fighter Larry Kramer. Your rage helped inspire a movement. We will keep honoring your name and spirit with action.” Love him or hate him, “he played an “essential” role in getting the FDA to make the process for approving new drugs faster”. said Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Dr. Anthony Fauci. Peter Tatchell issued a statement saying, “ACT UP’s efforts helped save the lives of millions of people worldwide and Larry was part of that achievement.” He was the author of many works, including the 1978 novel Faggots and The Normal Heart, a 1985 play about the early years of the AIDS crisis, which was made in to a brilliant movie in 2014, with Mark Ruffalo, Matt Bomer, Taylor Kitsch, Jim Parsons and Julia Roberts - if you’ve not seen it ... do! Kramer was working on another play before his death, An Army of Lovers Must Not Die, which was partly about the coronavirus pandemic.

www.spur.co.za

Customer Care: 0860007787

“It’s about gay people having to live through three plagues,” he told the Times in a recent interview. The three plagues were HIV, COVID-19, and aging. He passed away at the age of 84 due to complications from pneumonia. GLAAD tweeted, “He was a fighter who never stood down from what he believed was right, and he contributed so much to the fight against HIV/AIDS. He will be missed by so many.” Mag 31

CAPE TOWN PRIDE & CAPE TOWN CARNIVAL FOOD PARCELS FOR NEEDY LGBTI COMMUNITY MEMBERS

There are 3 options you can choose from to help: Shoprite/Checkers virtual vouchers https://tickets.computicket.com/…/ sh…/7145292/7145306/107235 Please send the voucher to: 082 562 3358

2. Pick ’n Pay virtual voucher https://www.webtickets.co.za/v2/event.aspx?itemid=1501880399 Please send the voucher to: fooddrive@capetownpride.org

3. Cash Donation Please use the following bank account number for cash donation: Bank Account Details: Bank - First National Bank Branch - Sea Point Branch Code - 201809 Name - OUTReach Africa Account Number: 62578991278 Account Type - Current Account SWIFT Code: FIRNZAJJ

PLE AS H EL E PE P O STA PLE A R RV ING E !

Please send PoP to: fooddrive@capetownpride.org Please send your name/company to: fooddrive@capetownpride. org so that we can keep track of all donations made - and also to thank you! Mag 32

Cape Town Pride, in conjunction with OUTReach Africa, needs your help with our FOOD DRIVE! During this trying times we have received countless messages from LGBTI+ community members that are struggling with basic necessities ... like food! Cape Town Pride would like to help these vulnerable members of the community during this time but we can only do this with your help.

TRUE TO YOU - BE WHO YOU ARE

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GLOBAL PRIDE

World leaders and Grammy Award-winners among line-up for online Global Pride event

worldwide LGBTQIA+ Pride event has announced the first wave of speakers and artists appearing at the online event on June 27, expected to attract up to 300 million viewers.

They include Carlos Alvarado Quesada, President of Costa Rica - which this week legalised equal marriage - Prime Ministers of Norway Erna Solberg and Luxembourg Xavier Bettel, and Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil of India. All were approached by Pride organisations in their own country. More leaders will announce their participation in the coming weeks. Artists including Pabllo Vittar, Ava Max, Olivia Newton John, Deborah Cox, Kristine W, Dixie Chicks, Thelma Houston, Bright Light Bright Light, Courtney Act, Steve Grand and Rachel Sage are already scheduled to appear, and more leading names from the world of entertainment including international musicians and bands, and performers from the LGBTQIA+ community, will be announced throughout June. Global Pride was launched by national and international Pride networks after hundreds of Pride events were cancelled or postponed due to COVID19. Organisers are planning a 24-hour stream of content created by Prides globally, together with speeches from world leaders, activists and human rights defenders, reflecting the organisers’ statement that “Pride events might be cancelled but the spirit of Pride will live on”. Organisers estimate that there are more than 1,500 Prides globMag 34

ally, and all are invited to be a part of the virtual event. Kristine Garina, President of European Pride Organisers Association, said: “Every Pride organiser in the world can tell you a story of someone whose life changed when they visited Pride, and so with so many Prides being cancelled or postponed, as organisers we felt we had a responsibility to come together and deliver

June 27th event is expected to attract up to 300 million viewers

OUT OF THE CLOSET It is always good news to hear that a professional sports person has come out of the closet ... and recently Dennis Del Valle, a professional volleyball player, who lives in Switzerland and is a member of the Puerto Rican national team, has come out publicly as gay.

June 27th - log into the Global Pride website and join in the fun! (globalpride2020.org) Pride online. We’re tremendously excited for the potential for Global Pride to bring people together in the biggest Pride there has ever been.” Julian Sanjivan, Co-President of InterPride, said: “By taking Pride online, not only are we making sure that LGBTQIA+ people everywhere can still experience the joy and community of Pride, but we also for the first time are enabling people to take part in Pride wherever they are. This means people who aren’t out, or who are living in socially conservative countries, can take part. The support of these incredible world leaders and performers will mean so much to marginalised LGBTQIA+ people everywhere.” The show will be livestreamed on the Global Pride website [globalpride2020.org], on YouTube and on other platforms to be announced, and will be free to view. Michelle Meow, Executive Producer of Global Pride, said: “Pride started as a grassroots coming-together to liberate our people. It’s remarkable that we’re doing exactly that during this pandemic. We are bringing a grassroots presentation of Pride to living rooms and digital devices everywhere. Performers on the global stage are invited to join in this historic event to share their message of affirmation, empowerment, and solidarity.”

he 31-year old, from San Juan, Puerto Rico, revealed that he decided to come out to show that gay athletes can play at elite levels; saying in an interview with 24 Heures, “Now is the time to speak up. There must be lots of young athletes who live in secret ... On my level, I’ve had a successful career being gay.” “I hope they will say to themselves: ‘Why not me?’ Maybe I could change someone’s life. Me speaking out could allow someone to gain confidence, to feel safer, to not stop playing sport for fear of rejection.” “What an unusual Sunday for me,” Del Valle wrote on Facebook after the story appeared. “While I thought I was doing something nice and special for myself, I didn’t realise how much more I was doing for others like me. “I wanted to use this platform not to tell the world my story or who I am. But to try to inspire other people, kids, especially athletes that don’t have anyone to look up to.” We applaud all athletes who take this huge step, which often comes from many years of soul-searching and the fear that such a revelation with have oh fellow team members as well as fans. It is a very brave move, as major stars feel terrified to come out while their careers are active - they are role models ... As well as struggling for public acceptance, players sometimes also face rejection from family as was the case with Justin Fashanu who came out as gay in 1990. The footballer died by suicide in 1998 after years of homophobic abuse and tabloid harassment. Then, Gareth Thomas, the former Welsh Rugby captain who was the first rugby player to come out, was forced in 2009 to come out as HIV positive after allegedly being blackmailed by a newspaper. It is not an easy decision ... we admire and congratulate those who do. You can follow Dennis Del Valle on Instagram. Mag 35

ICONS

These Queens were not a Drag - They were Fabulous!

LOOKING BACK AT THE LEMMING SISTERS

Photos: Gavin O’Neill

1995 was a landmark year in the history of Zimbabwe’s gay community. It was the year we found out that our president was a tired old homophobic bigot. It was also the year that The Lemming Sisters burst out on to the scene with pride and gusto not seen since the post-Independence euphoria of the early Eighties.

rom humble beginnings in the conservative rural backwaters of Zimbabwe’s northern farming community of Mvurwi in 1994, to international stardom at the end of the Gay Nineties, The Lemming Sisters have thrilled, delighted and excited audiences, gay and straight alike, with their glamorous, sexy, sometime sleazy, and always entertaining performances. The idea of The Lemming Sisters began, as great ideas often do, as a joke amongst three friends, all with a penchant for drag, but no opportunity to express it. Their first chance came along at a kitchen tea party in Mvurwi, where they went down a storm with the farmers’ wives.

The next opportunity was to perform at the by then regular Thursday gay nights at the Tube Night-club in Harare in early 1995. There was an ABBA Evening, and the trio appeared as ABBArish, and performed a hilarious rendition of “Money, Money, Money”, dressed in frumpish house coats and huge bosoms. By the end of their set, they were stars on the rise, thanks to a magnificent performance of the Pointer Sisters “I’m So Excited”, which had since become their theme song. The success of their first public performance at The Tube encouraged the girls, and they changed their name to The Lemming Sisters, comprising Tara “Tight-Ass” Lemming, Linda Mag 36

“Love-Less” Lemming, and Lara “Du-May Puss” Lemming. And they have never looked back. Their fate was sealed when they brought the house down at the Jacaranda Queen Drag Pageant in 1995, with their glamorous, in-your-face performance, before their largest audience yet. The event was also covered by the international press, thanks to the free publicity from our president. What followed was more dates at The Tube. Meanwhile, the shows were getting more daring and outrageous. “Gold Finger” springs to mind. Their reputation was growing, and they began doing more and more engagements outside the gay community, mainly for corporate functions, bachelor parties, product launches, and so on. In 1996, The Lemming Sisters supported The Three Degrees during their tour of Zimbabwe, and somewhat eclipsed the visiting stars, judging from the audience response. Later on in 1996, The Lemming Sisters received the Chelsea Award at the Jacaranda Queen Pageant. This annual award goes to any group or individual who has increased gay visibility in Zimbabwe in a positive manner. In April 1997, The Lemmings were invited by the doyenne of South African drag, the evergreen Evita Bezuidenhout to per-

Newspaper review of Darling show

With the Three Degrees in Harare 1996 form at her theatre in Darling, near Cape Town, where they received rave reviews. The value of drag is that it can be subversive, something that was clearly illustrated when the Lemmings were seen at a function by a minister of state who described The Flemming (sic) Sisters as an excellent example of Zimbabwean womanhood, who should be emulated. It must be remembered that this happened just after the head of state’s anti-homosexual tirades! The Lemming Sisters disbanded in 2000 and only one sister remains in Zimbabwe. However, the legend of the Lemming Sisters lives on as they have entered the annals of Zimbabwe’s gay history. And although there have been several rumours of a reunion, sadly they are only rumours. But Lara “Du May Puss” Lemming, now resident in Jersey, could not stay out of the limelight for too long. She has reinvented herself and is now known as Madonna Lemming, in honour of her idol. In November 2004 she visited her home town Bulawayo for her Reinvention Tour. In June 2005, she wowed audiences with a spectacular rendition of “Like A Virgin” at the Peninsula Hotel in Manila, the Philippines.

After critical acclaim there, it seems as if Madonna Lemming is on the verge of a second debut on the international stage. She also performed on the Pride stage in Cape Town and at The Venue Bar. Not bad for a girl from sleepy, dusty Bulawayo. The unforgettable spirit of the Lemmings lives on. Article courtesy GayZim “Dorothy’s Friends Diary

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In the photo from left to right: Station Commander - Colonel Van Der Berg, Victim Empowerment Co-ordinator - Sergeant Teixeira, Schmidhauser Electrical & Plumbing, Keegan Weyer standing, Daniel Schmidhauser crouching, Counselling psychologist - Heather Kirkwood standing, Nicola Kruger crouching

The Department of Community Safety, South African Police Services (SAPS) and Community Police Forums (CPF’s) work in partnership and play a central role in developing the community-based victim support programmes and establish victim friendly facilities and volunteer networks at all police stations to improve services to survivors of crime and violence.

HELPING SURVIVORS OF ABUSE

Schmidhauser sponsors SAPS Woodstock Police - Rape and Domestic Violence Survivors

Victim-Friendly Room (VFR) provides an opportunity for victims of intimate violence (gender-based violence, child abuse, sexual offences and domestic violence) to make their statements in private and in a non-threatening environment.

They provide comfort and privacy to the victims and a venue where other relevant support services can be rendered. They are often the initial point of entry into the criminal justice system and where a victim support volunteer can provide free counselling and information. A team of dedicated volunteers work on a 24hr (365 day) standby roster and offer their personal time, resources and support to victims of crime. This is a free service offered to all residents in the area. The team is often exposed to horrific crime scenes and many times need to provide people with basic essentials such as food, clothes and toiletries. This is particularly true when victims or survivors, as we like to call them, of rape and domestic violence are taken to hospitals and their clothes and belongings are retained for forensic evidence. Most of these survivors are left severely injured and abandoned without any possessions. According to SA Police Services 41,583 rapes were recorded in 2018/19. This means an average of 114 rapes per day with 41% of them against children. Rape statistics are difficult to calculate accurately; however It is estimated that only I in 9 rapes are reported to police. With the present state of Covid-19, there has been a horrifying escalation in crime and violence especially against women and children. With this in mind, Heather Kirkwood, a Consulting Counselling Psychologist at Schmidhauser Electrical and Plumber in Woodstock along with Dan Schmidhauser, CEO and his exceptional staff are making a positive difference in survivor’s lives. Mag 38

Mr Schmidhauser said, “this business has been run successfully by our family for 3 generations on the foundation of family, care, support, kindness, community and unconditional giving. This is a time when we all have to do whatever it takes to care for each other so we can come through this better, bolder and whole. The safety and protection of our women and children in our community has got to be a priority and this is why we have reached out to Woodstock SAPS to assist wherever possible” With the assistance of Heather Kirkwood who has been a Victim Empowerment Volunteer for 18 years they have created a Comfort Kit for the Survivors of Rape and/or Domestic violence. These bags contain items such as tooth brush, tooth paste, face cloth, body cream, shampoo, underwear, sanitary pads, water, chocolate, comb, soap, information brochure on rape and counselling. A notebook, pencil, pen and coloured pencils are also included. Mrs Kirkwood explained that during a traumatic event one of the first sections of the brain to “shut down” is the memory. Slowly these “files” will start to open and additional details of the event will appear. These details will be crucial to the case and therefore the survivor will have the means to document them. It is also hoped that by drawing, the survivor can start the process of healing. Mr Schmidhauser is appealing to the community to assist wherever possible. Him and his team are committed to repairing the electrical and plumbing in the VEP room which needs a lot of up grading including woodwork, painting, furniture etc. Schmidhauser is an Essential Service and is operating 24/7 during Covid-19 Lock down. Call +27 214244588, Hotline 0800 029 999, E-mail: Daniel@Schmidhauser.co.za

Mag 33

“

My life is a hell - the name-calling, staring, insults and harassment is my daily reality.

”

LGBTI COMMUNITY FACES EXTREME DISCRIMINATION SA’s LGBTI community continues to face extreme discrimination, violence and inadequate healthcare

very day, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people face violence, exclusion and discrimination in South Africa. To promote inclusivity, the International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia took place on May 17th. *Seoketsi from Limpopo was physically assaulted by a nurse and after laying a charge, a doctor refused to examine her or to sign a report about the assault. Getty Myeni, from Ermelo, knew the men who broke into her home and stabbed her to ‘fix her to become a real man’. She reported this at the local police station where she was ridiculed and mocked. Despite knowing her attackers, the police did not investigate the case. *Thabo from Bloemfontein is resented and mistreated for his sexuality by his stepfather who wants him to toughen up and be a man. Augustine from Mpumalanga says, “My life is a hell - the name-calling, staring, insults and harassment is my daily reality.” Family rejection when a person ‘comes out’ often results in violence, abuse and adverse health outcomes. LGBTI youth who experience family rejection are eight times more likely to attempt suicide, almost six times more likely to experience elevated levels of depression, and three times more likely to use illegal drugs than those LGBTI youth who were accepted by family members as stated by UN Women. Beyond Zero’s Me 1st campaign which targets men who have sex with men and the #UnMuteMe campaign which supports Mag 40

transgender people, indicates that harassment by family and society is a contributing factor to the mental health issues of many LGBTI people. Dr Bulumko Futshane, Beyond Zero’s programme director for HIV prevention under the Global Fund says, “Family rejection is high and leads youth to either run away from or be kicked out of their homes. Once they find themselves homeless, they are at risk of HIV infection and other sexually transmitted infections and engaging in risky sexual behaviour including sex work. Intimate partner violence is also prevalent.” The LGBTI community is often reluctant to seek medical care or are denied access by healthcare providers due to discrimination or a lack of knowledge or experience with LGBTI health. This discrimination and stigma results in increased HIV and TB transmission because patients do not adhere to their treatment routines. LGBTI people also face harsh experiences due to their sexual orientation in the social justice system where, while seeking help, they are exposed to discrimination, police harassment and lack of access to courts. Urgent legal and policy reforms that ensure justice and protection for all LGBTI people, who are already among the most marginalised, need to be implemented. Beyond Zero, aligning with WHO strategy on combatting the dramatic health disparities faced by LGBTI populations, is training and sensitising healthcare workers, and engaging with law enforcement and community members to provide an accepting environment for transgender people to seek treatment and support.

LOOKS LIKE THERE’S A NEW MR. GAY WORLD IN TOWN.

ince 2009, Mr. Gay World has annually crowned a new titleholder. For the first time in the event’s history, this year the event was postponed due to the ongoing pandemic. As a result, in lieu of having Mr. Gay World 2019 continue his reign, organisers decided to select an interim 2020 winner. Enter 30-year-old Francisco José Alvarado, who recently, coincidentally, recovered from the corona virus, and who was last year’s runnerup . “I’m really happy to announce I’m the new Mr. Gay World,” Alvarado, the a family doctor in Madrid, said in a video posted on Facebook. “I want to say thank you for giving me that opportunity.” When the organizers of the Mr. Gay World decided to postpone the event and announcing that the 2020 and 2021 event will take place simultaneously, Alvarado who was the first runner up in the 2019 competition became the choice. “It is unfortunate that we are postponing this year’s event to March 2021 but we will be back greater and stronger; in these unprecedented times we lead by example and by the ability to cope with change and adjust,” Eric Butter, president, owner, and founder of the event, said in a statement on the Mr. Gay World website. “In the meantime, the current Mr. Gay World™ 2019, Janjep Carlos from the Philippines, stepped down from his duties after his reign concluded at the end of April 2020. Mag 41

FEATURE

In the silent movie Wings (1927), as a dying fighter pilot (Richard Arlen) cries out to his friend (Charles Rogers) “ Don’t go Jack! Just stay with me – for a little while” - and what follows is possibly the first same-sex male kiss on screen Then came the villains....

AWESOME VILLAINS OF QUEER CINEMA Over the years gay representation in cinema has been an issue – we’ve always been there but how gay men and women have been portrayed has been problematic.

n fact, one of the first, if not THE first motion picture with sound, all of 17 seconds long featured William Dickson playing the violin whilst two men are dancing arm in arm. The Dickson Experimental Sound Film is often referred to as The Gay Brothers. But, since that first positive representation, the depiction of gay people on film has seldom been so. Some of the silent movies dealt with life as it happened albeit exaggerated for dramatic effect, but homosexual tenderness was seen in the silent movie Wings (1927), as a dying fighter pilot Mag 42

(Richard Arlen) cries out to his friend (Charles Rogers) “ Don’t go Jack! Just stay with me – for a little while” and what follows is possibly the first same-sex male kiss on screen, “You – you know there’s nothing in the world more important to me than your friendship,” he utters with his dying breath … a moment of tenderness and same-sex love that was to be censored in future films for most of the century. In the early days of cinema gay men were generally portrayed as stereotypical, highly camp, effeminate men who were there to

be laughed at and ridiculed. But this was a deliberate portrayal as during the first half of the 20th century the public perception of gays and lesbians was that they were people to be ridiculed, sick and disturbed — they were therefore dangerous. This “sickness” saw men mincing around the screen in a comical fashion but often with hidden ulterior motives, or they were dark, moody characters intent on some evil agenda. There were the damaging stereotypes like Prince John in The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938), which saw the brilliant Claude Rains playing the evil pansy prince who bedevils Olivia de Havilland’s Maid Marian and Errol Flynn’s dashing Robin Hood. This stereotype of an effeminate villain taps into the viewer’s homophobia — making it especially gratifying to see him defeated by the more macho hero. Another example of this damaging stereotype was The Maltese Falcon (1941) character Joel Cairo, played by Peter Lorre, who made a career out of playing sleazy reprobates. Here he’s at his most overtly effeminate. The 1944 movie, Laura had gay actor Clifton Webb perpetuated this damaging stenotype, with his character Waldo Lydecker who is at his most bitchy and controlling as the evil queen who attempts to transform Gene Tierney’s mysterious and titular Laura. In Dressed to Kill (1980), Michael Caine plays a transvestite killer in director Brian De Palma’s horror film and was one of the first films to cause a public outcry from the gay community for yet another stereotypical damaging portrayal of gay people as evil, violent, deceptive and dangerous. Sharon Stone had her most iconic role as Catherine Tramell in Basic Instinct (1992) which also triggered howls of protest from the gay community with her portrayal of a bisexual serial killer in this stylish piece of misogynist trash. And thoroughly reprehensible was Prince Edward in Braveheart (1995) where Peter Hanly played a pathetic, simpering, and historically inaccurate,

The Dickson Experimental Sound Film is often referred to as The Gay Brothers.

Mag 43

gay prince in the famously homophobic Mel Gibson film that swept the Oscars. Governor Ratcliffe in Pocahontas (1995) played by gay actor David Ogden Stiers voices the vain, foppish villain in another less than historically accurate Disney film. Cruising, starring Al Pacino also saw protests from the gay community with his portrayal of a murderous cop prowling the subversive, deviant leather scene all these examples represent negative stereotypes which Hollywood has perpetuated over the years. Homosexuals were represented as deviant, manipulating, evil, blackmailing, malicious, immoral, criminal characters who were always outcast, ridiculed and who met with a nasty end. As the 20th Centuries most powerful medium informing us about western culture, this clichéd, negative portrayal of homosexual men and women reinforced homophobia in the broader society, telling cinema goers that gay and lesbian people were bad corrupting influences and needed to be ostracised, vilified and even hated. Overt references to homosexuality were prohibited in film with the introduction of The Motion Picture Production Code, also known as the Hays Code and was one of the first instances of censorship within the film industry. It was founded based on the concept that “if motion pictures present stories that will affect lives for the better, they can become the most powerful force for the improvement of mankind,” implying they also had the potential to cause great harm. The Hays code came about as a result of the retaliation and vitriol that came from religious groups following portrayals of sexuality, violence, or queerness, they wanted to fight against the moral corruption of US citizens and their children. Once again religion raised its ugly head especially when it came to queer people. But to a handful of filmmakers it meant that, while you couldn’t have lewd subject matter in your film in any overt way, you could be clever and include it covertly and no one handled this more deftly than director Alfred Hitchcock, the master of suspense and psychosexual anxiety — who often cast closeted gay actors in gay-ish roles, creating characters that displayed subtle yet clearly queer qualities.

housekeeper, Mrs Danvers, who is obsessed with the late Mrs. De Winter - to the dismay of Joan Fontaine as the new Mrs. De Winter, in a scene, Danvers all but sniffs the late woman’s lingerie in a scene so sensual and shocking for the time, its subtle message about her sexuality passed the censors knife … as only Hitchcock knew how. In another Hitchcock film, Rope (1948), Philip and Brandon, played by Farley Granger and John Dall star in a story of two upper-class gay guys who commit a murder just for kicks - in this fictional variation on the real-life Leopold and Loeb case. Brilliantly done in that style typical of the celebrated director. Another Hitchcock masterpiece was Strangers on a Train (1951) where Robert Walker plays Bruno Anthony, a psychotic gay socialite who convinces Farley Granger’s tennis pro to swap murders. He followed it up with possibly his most famous movie, Psycho (1960) which saw gay actor Anthony Perkins as Norman Bates, give his most famous performance as the ultimate mama’s boy in this grisly masterpiece. His penchant for cross-dressing comes from the true (and much more grisly) story of serial killer Ed Gein, on which the film is partly based.

Many films created dangerous stereotypes that have taken years of activism to overcome. And even to this day, as more varied images of gay characters have appeared on film and some queer villains have become more complex, there remains glaringly offensive portrayals of LGBTI characters. However, some of these films which portrayed LGBTI people negatively and whilst their characters were evil, they were at the same time awesome … some of these villainess roles have become iconic and it those we celebrate here… Rebecca (1940) - Judith Anderson plays the archetypal evil

Anthony Perkins was the epitome of evil in Hitchcock’s “Psycho” In All About Eve (1950), George Sanders earned a Best Supporting Actor Oscar as the manipulative Addison DeWitt, a queen bitch theatre critic, inspiring a generation of witty, evil, prototype-gay villains. He was evil but at the same time awesome. The Hunger (1983) starred the stunning Catherine Deneuve and David Bowie as vampires? What’s not to like? And she sets her sights on the young and tremulous Susan Sarandon. Tony Scott’s erotic horror film features a soft-porn lesbian sex scene and while panned by the critics Deneuve is an awesome villain.

Mrs Danvers (Judith Anderson) gets close to Joan Fontein in Rebecca Mag 44

Jeremy Irons channels George Sanders (Shere Khan, Jungle Book), voicing Scar, the bitchy, evil (and less hetero) feline version of Hamlet’s King Claudius in The Lion King (1994). His cunning is awesomely evil.

Dirk Bogarde is brilliant as the gay barrister in the iconic British film Victim

from wealthy and famous gays. Melville Farr, played by Dirk Bogarde, is a smooth, skilled barrister who stands up against the blackmailers, and in the scene when Farr admits, despite his previous denials, that he has homosexual feelings and is attracted to men. Bogarde came up with the memorable line: “I stopped seeing him because I wanted him!” (shock, horror!) - the film was ground-breaking and stands out in gay villain cinema. Far from their limp-wristed, lisping predecessors, the modernday villains of Skyfall, Dexter and David Fisher in Six Feet Under do their own dirty work and are every bit as masculine as the heroes with whom they do battle. Whilst in most instances the stereotype remains, the old portrayals suggested that gays were vain and effeminate, the new villains can hold their own with their straight counterparts. So perhaps there is a new code Hollywood will work with going forward.

In The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999), Matt Damon gives his most complex and overlooked performance as Tom Ripley, a gay chameleon who reinvents himself to join the high society world of Jude Law and Gwyneth Paltrow. The association ultimately leads to murder. His character is undeniably evil, but he is charmingly awesome. Charlize Theron won a Best Actress Oscar as the real-life lesbian prostitute and serial killer, Aileen Wuornos in Monster (2003). Theron’s performance was amazing, and despite the evil of Wuornos will undoubtedly be a classic in gay cinema. In Notes on a Scandal (2006), Judi Dench’s Barbara Covett, kicks ass as a lesbian high school teacher who preys on a flighty new teacher (Cate Blanchett) and ruins everyone’s life in the process. Perhaps the most famous and best known queer villain, who isn’t a role model in the traditional sense is Frank ‘n’ Furter, in The Rocky Horror Picture Show. He is a murderous cannibal and a rapist who creates his own sex slave. Though the character has appeal, he’s more than a bit problematic. “Dr Frank-n-Furter is not an example of positive queer representation,” Author Caelyn Sandel wrote. ” He is a ton of shitty, old-fashioned queer exploitation stereotypes mashed into a single character.” He is sensational but certainly no hero – and he’s not supposed to be one. That doesn’t mean, however, that we can’t find aspects of his persona that we like and want to emulate: Frank ‘n’ Furter’s gender and sexual freedom and his fabulous way with a string of pearls have endeared him to gay (and straight) audiences worldwide. British films were not subject to the Hays Code so in many instances dealt more realistically with gay issues. Victim (1961) was a neo noir suspense directed by Basil Dearden and starring Dirk Bogarde and Sylvia Syms and was the first English-language film to use the word “homosexual”.. In fact the film was originally banned from American screens simply because it used the word. In an era when gay sex was illegal, Dirk Bogarde’s elegant, sensitive portrayal of a man coming to terms with being gay played a vital role in the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality. The plot hinges on anonymous blackmailers who collect regular payments

The iconic Tim Curry is our most famous on screen villain Mag 45

MENS HEALTH

SEX IN THE TIME OF COVID19

Source: www.avert.org/ Mag 46

It seems that if you do not have a sexual partner, physical sex with someone who doesn’t live with you is out - maintaining social distance is what its all about... forget about dating apps, cruising spots and sex clubs ... if they are open you’ll be putting your life at risk ...

OVID-19 is real. And while it is not a sexually transmitted infection, the virus, which has been ruled a pandemic by the World Health Organization, is certainly communicable. And it’s something that impacts sex lives — and specifically queer sex lives and hook-up culture. As the country progresses with quarantines, whether selfinstructed or mandated by government officials, people have increasingly begun discussing what exactly that means in terms of sex. Some apps like Grindr have posted notices warning users of spreading the virus but many stopped short of telling anyone to stop hooking up.. In New York for example a directive was posted reading “All New Yorkers should stay home and minimize contact with others to reduce the spread of COVID-19.” But while the overall advice is to minimize contact, the paper does explain some ways to still engage in a bit of sexual relief. “You are your safest sex partner,” the note explains. It’s been said before that masturbation is some of the safest sex you can have, and that extends to avoiding COVID-19. It’s even safer if you wash your hands and sex toys with soap and water before and after. But if masturbation isn’t enough, “the next safest partner is someone you live with.” Keep it within the lockdown rules. If you’re lockeddown with people, you’re already exposed to them and are in close contact. Outside of the lockdown though, hookups are out. People really shouldn’t be going over to someone else’s place to get together. The more one is outside and in different environments, the more exposure there is for either contracting or spreading the virus whether someone knows they have it or not. Sneaking out every night (we have a curfew don’t forget!) - or every other night for that matter - to meet up with a different person or a different group of people to chat or even to have sex is not social distancing. The point is to limit your in-person social interactions to as few as possible. This doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to get off with someone else, there are video dates, sexting, and chat rooms. – Thank heavens for the internet! As for transmitting the virus, the health departments emphasize that “kissing can easily pass COVID-19.” The virus has also been found in faeces. This means that rimming is also something to avoid at this time. It is advisable therefore to not have oral or anal contact with anyone especially anyone showing symptoms. Showering and hand-washing as well as sanitising anything you may have touched while having sex (or masturbating) is also important. And yes, group sex is officially completely off-limits at this juncture. Acknowledgement: Advocate Magazine

Mag 47

FITNESS

KEEPING FIT UNDER LOCKDOWN With everyone having to stay home during the lockdown it is too easy to get into the habit of doing nothing and nibbling on endless treats ... it is important to maintain a healthy lifestyle and keep up with fitness levels. Emerge from lockdown like a butterfly from a chrysalis...

1 GET SOCIAL Never know what exercises to do? Want to exercise but don’t know quite what to do? Look no further than social media. Instagram is currently awash with #HomeWorkouts. From our favourite sporting stars to personal trainers, there are so many to choose from. They’re mainly short, sharp workouts and, looking at the hashtag, cater for a huge variety of fitness levels: from entry all the way up to hard cardio workouts. No dumbbells? No worries. Tins of beans, loo roll (who has that spare?), and other household items all feature as equipment alternatives. Get scrolling! 2 ACTIVE HOUSEWORK Kill 2 birds with 1 stone and get cleaning! Having to stay in so much, you’ll feel so much better in nice, clean surroundings. Cleaning the windows? 150 calories in 30 minutes. Gardening? Up to 200 calories for 30 minutes. Cleaning the whole flat can be the equivalent of as much as an 8km run! Even better, crank the tunes up and make it fun. Not only will you feel better for moving around, but you’ll also feel smug looking at the hoovered floor when you turn on Netflix in the evening. 3 TV WORKOUTS Hark back to the 80’s and 90’s with some good old-fashioned workouts in front of the TV. Exercise led classes in front of the box are still a thing. There are heaps to choose from. From good old-school keep-fit routines like Jane Fonda’s classic workout (its on Youtube!) to yoga Mag 48

Photo by Justin Shaifer from Pexels

or Zumba. Put on a sweatband and leg warmers to wear during your workout for that authentic 80’s look, pump up the volume and work up a sweat!. 4 GET APP-TASTIC In these thoroughly modern times, of course there is an app for it. Again there are so many to choose from that will keep you inspired and healthy. Something as simple as the app Fiit – which has loads of instructor-led classes. It’s all there from stretching to butt-burning Hiit workouts. If you want to level up, you can join in on live classes and see your efforts on a live leaderboard (currently free to sign up). If you have an exercise bike you can join online spin classes. Perhaps investigate turning your outdoor bike into a static one. Runners and cyclists can enjoy variety in their run or ride without even setting foot out of the house with the excellent Zwift (which costs a bit mind you!). This app gives you varied and interesting virtual routes to complete, all from the comfort of your own home. But we’re allowed out so get in your daily 5kms cycle or jog! 5 VIRTUAL RACES There is nothing quite like the fresh air and, if we can, we should get outside. If you are new to running, try a brisk walk and jog 5 minutes on and off. Build up slowly. Put a bit of variety into your outside exercise by exploring a new route, or Fartlek training: running fast and then running slow between two points (one lamppost to the next). For the more experienced runner out there, as all races are cancelled, there are plenty of virtual races to keep the motivation up. There’s nothing quite like having a goal to keep you going. (At a safe 2-metre distance from others!) It can feel quite hard to get going at first, but there is nothing like a routine to help. It will get better the more you do it. Routine is key, so make it a part of your day. Even if it’s 10 minutes mobility first thing in the morning, or a 10k run; stay active, stay safe and take care. —

Acknowledgement: Cambridge University Press. World of Better Learning

Mag 49

OUT ON FILM OUR BRAVE NEW WORLD OF ENTERTAINMENT By Daniel Dercksen On March 26 our world changed drastically, imploding our sensibility. Social gatherings have become toxic, endearing hugs are forbidden, friends have become foes, and our world of entertainment has undergone a major facelift.

ou truly understand the devastating blow of the Covidcrisis when you have the finale of Survivor done from a garage and the final three at their homes, the finale of Ru Pauls Drag Race done via zoom with each contestant under lockdown. Nothing is what it was, but in a way, the lockdown has opened a floodgate of streaming on the entertainment front, with the world’s greatest theatres delivering operas, ballets, musicals and filmed live theatre that were unobtainable in pre-Covid 19. Before lockdown we watched, now we stream and zoom from the safety of our homes, and get to know ourselves better. The Metropolitan Opera has been streaming their massive opera repertoire since the end of March, offering classic telecasts featuring divas like Sutherland and Norman, as well as productions of 2019 and unforgettable grand opera gala where 40 of the world’s greatest singers sang their favourite arias from their houses all over the world; I can definitely vouch that my life has changed watching more than 30 operas the last two months and continues into June and possibly until the end of the 2020. The treasure chest for opera buffs is free and easy accessible by simple registering on www.metopera.org Thursdays have become theatre night on YouTube, with London’s National Theatre premiering a new play each week 7pm BST (8pm in South Africa), available to watch for free, for a week. International screenings in cinemas will commence on 8 July with Hamlet, featuring Benedict Cumberbatch in the title role of Shakespeare’s great tragedy. http://ntlive.nationaltheatre.org.uk/ For musical lovers, there are many filmed Broadway and West End Musicals streamed free. http://www.filmedonstage.com/ Gay Themed Movies (GTM) , is a site on which you can find a variety of movies and other video material related to LGBT lifestyle , as well as reviews of the latest LGBT festival entries. It also features Gay Web and TV series, sexy and romantic music videos and its free for any visitors. https://orvel.me/ Recommended on GTM are The Thing About Harry, a slight formulaic Hallmark-style romance where two high school enemies are forced to drive together to a friend’s engagement party on Valentine’s Day and inadvertently fall in lust, in Just Say Love, what is supposed to be a no-strings hook up, two men discuss their dreams, what ideal happiness might be like, and maybe a future together. Defiantly unsentimental in its approach, José Celestino Campusano’s richly textured exploration of sex, power and ecclesiastical abuse in Argentine society is a complex and often confrontational Argentinian film Men Of Hard Skin. A teenager Ariel lives a seemingly quiet life with his father and sister on their picturesque farm in a rural part of Buenos Aires. However, unbeknownst to his family, Ariel has been abused for years by Mag 50

The fabulous Jesse Norman Omar, his neighbourhood priest. Having confused his mistreatment for romantic affection, Ariel takes it upon himself to free himself from their relationship and soon embarks on a secret affair with one of the male workers on his father’s property. Two ostensibly straight male flatmates experience mutual attraction in Argentine Helmer Marco Berger’s excellent The Blonde One. Gabo (Gastón Re) is the kind of person who is buffeted by life’s events. His wife dies, so the young father deposits his daughter with her grandparents and moves to Buenos Aires where he takes a job in a carpentry workshop. He rents a room in the flat of a colleague, Juan (Alfonso Barón). Juan has a number of slobby friends who frequently and unexpectedly visit, making the already messy flat even messier. Gabo uncomplainingly cleans up after them (when he is not prone on his bed reading). Even after he and Juan start a sexual relationship (the only time in the film Gabo takes the initiative), Gabo looks on, uncomplaining as ever, while Juan continues bedding not only his girlfriend but also, perhaps, another man. Murphy’s Law Hollywood’s golden age had a lot of glamour, but was also marred by sexism, racism, corruption. Ryan Murphy’s gives us an alternate view of history in the excellent Hollywood (Netflix), one where Rock Hudson can kiss his African-American boyfriend on the red carpet and white supremacists can be stopped with the power of a movie. “There were even scenes that I clutched my pearls at...” said Darren Criss who starred in the series. Murphy is also bringing us a remake of Boys In The Band (Netflix) and follows Murphy’s 2018 Broadway revival of the play and will feature the exact same cast, reuniting Jim Parsons, Zachary Quinto, Matt Bomer, Andrew Rannells, Charlie Carver, Robin de Jesús, Brian Hutchison, Tuc Watkins, and Michael Benjamin Washington — nine actors who are all actually openly gay. Another upcoming Murphy’s LGBT+ film adaptations of Broadway shows is the musical The Prom, following a group of Broadway performers (Meryl Streep, James Corden, Nicole Kidman, Andrew Rannells) who decide to find a charity cause to raise their profiles. They find it in lesbian teenager Emma Nolan (Jo Ellen Pellman), who is not allowed to go to prom with her girlfriend, Alyssa (Ariana DeBose). Read more about upcoming film releases and streamings: www.writingstudio.co.za

PROUD IN AFRICA

D E S E O L H C T N W R O O F KD C LO

6, Sixth Street, New Doornfontein, Johannesburg · Phone 0114025258 · 083-9652227 Email: hlabanga@me.com · Open at 12 noon every day of the year · Closing times: Mon-Wed 3am Thur-Sun 6am · GPS lat: 26.1989 long: 28.0629 FEBRUARY diary Friday 7th Leather Night Free entrance with leather gear · Sunday 9th Full Moon – Celebrate hedonism with free libation wine · Friday 14th Long Schlong Valentine’s Day - Come be everyone's Valentine-free entrance for 20cm+ · Friday 21st Fetish Night – Indulge your fantasies · Friday 28th Public Pigz Night Be a pig on the bar counter for an entrance refund · MARCH diary Friday 6th Leather Night - Free entrance with leather gear · Monday 9th Full Moon Party Celebrate hedonism with free libation wine · Friday 13th Long Schlong Night - Free entrance for 20cm + · Friday 20th Fetish Night - Indulge your fantasies · Friday 27th Public Pigz Night Be a pig on the bar counter for an entrance refund APRIL diary Friday 3rd Leather Night Free entrance with leather gear · Wednesday 8th Full Moon – Celebrate hedonism with free libation wine · Thursday 9th Bad Thursday Party - Cum be as bad as you wanna be · Friday 10th Long Schlong Night Free entrance for 20cm+ · Friday 17th Fetish Night – Indulge your fantasies · Friday 24th Public Public Pigz Night Be a pig on the bar counter for an entrance refund · Sunday 26th Freedom Day Party - Cum feel free · Thursday 30th Workers Day Party - Cum work it MAY diary Friday 1st Leather Night Free entrance with leather gear · Thursday 7th Full Moon – Celebrate hedonism with free libation wine · Friday 8th Long Schlong Night Free entrance for 20cm+ · Friday 15th Fetish Night – Indulge your fantasies · Friday 22nd Public Pigz Night Be a pig on the bar counter for an entrance refund · Friday 29th Fire Crotch Night – Free Entrance with Red Pubes Mondays: R50 entrance for Daddies & Toy Boys between 6 & 9 Every Tuesday is Buddy Night. Bring a friend for free! Thursdays: Student Night. R50 with student card, all day

Great news is that local distributors have scheduled films for release in cinemas from July. JULY RELEASES Unhinged (3/7) is a psychological thriller that takes road rage– to an unpredictable and terrifying conclusion with Russell Crowe as a man who feels invisible and is looking to make one last mark upon the world by teaching a woman a series of deadly lessons; an awkward love triangle gets complicated by the arrival of handsome and newly single guest in The Weekend (3/7), a man fights for the survival of the entire world, and journeys through a twilight world of international espionage on a mission that will unfold in something beyond real time in Christopher Nolan’s highly anticipated Tenet (17/7), and a terminally ill mother arranges to bring her family together one last time before she dies in Blackbird (17/7). Acclaimed filmmaker Niki Caro brings the epic tale of China’s legendary warrior to life in Disney’s Mulan (24/7) in which a fearless young woman risks everything out of love for her family and her country to become one of the greatest warriors China has ever known; and a group of women hatch a plan to disrupt the 1970 Miss World beauty competition in London, which saw the crowning of the first black competitor in Misbehavior (24/7) Tom Hanks is sensational in the outstanding A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood (24/7), portraying Mister Rogers, a popular kid’s TV show host in this timely story of kindness triumphing over cynicism, based on the true story of a real-life friendship between Fred Rogers and journalist Tom Junod. After a jaded magazine writer (Matthew Rhys) is assigned a profile of Fred Rogers, he overcomes his scepticism, learning about empathy, kindness, and decency from America’s most beloved neighbour.

up painting once again, must decide whether to stand with her husband in the shadows or step into the spotlight herself. I Am Woman (7/8) is an Australian biographical film about 70s feminist icon and vocalist Helen Reddy; Diana Prince (Gal Gadot) comes into conflict with the Soviet Union during the Cold War in the 1980s and finds a formidable foe by the name of the Cheetah in Wonder Woman 1984 (14/8), and Jessica Chastain plays the deadly assassin Ava (28/8) who works for a black ops organisation, travelling the globe specialising in high profile hits. In the new Live Action imagining of Pinocchio (14/8), an iconic classic beloved across the world, Matteo Garrone returns to the authentic roots of the Pinocchio story. With this groundbreaking live action film shot in stunning Italian locations, Garrone creates a rich fantasy world of mystery and wonder, filled with luminous, funny and touching moments. Fox’s long-delayed New Mutants (28/8) features a queer romantic relationship between two of its main characters: Moonstar and Wolfsbane, as played respectively by Blu Hunt and Maisie Williams. Hunt and Williams are joined in the New Mutants cast by Charlie Heaton (Stranger Things), Henry Zaga (Looking for Alaska), and Anya Taylor-Joy (Split) as young mutants being held captive at a secret facility overseen by Dr. Cecilia Reyes (Alice Braga). Jacki Weaver (2nd from left) at the premier of Stage Mother

In the taught thriller Becky (31/7) a spunky and rebellious Becky (Lulu Wilson) tries to reconnect with her father (Joel McHale) during a weekend getaway at a lakefront house. But the trip soon takes a turn for the worse when convicts on the run, led by the merciless Dominick (Kevin James), a Neo-Nazi, suddenly invade the home. When conservative, Texas church-choir director Maybelline inherits her recently deceased son’s drag club, she surprises her closed-minded husband and everyone else she knows by moving alone to San Francisco to save the club from bankruptcy in Stage Mother (31/7). In this raucous, racy new environment, she begins to open up and find new meaning for her life, even becoming a mother-figure to the club’s flamboyant performers… until a surprise visit threatens to upend her new life. It stars Jacki Weaver, Lucy Liu, Adrian Grenier, Mya Taylor, Allister MacDonald, Oscar Moreno and Jackie Beat.

AUGUST RELEASES A detached married couple must get their son and themselves to safety after being randomly selected to enter an underground bunker, as a massive object from space threatens to destroy the world in less than 48 hours in Greenland (7/8); on the trail of a missing girl, an ex-police officer, who witnessed the violent deaths of his wife and son, comes across a secretive group attempting to summon a terrifying supernatural entity in Empty Man (7/8). In The Artist’s Wife (7/8) Claire (Lena Olin), the wife of famed artist Richard Smythson (Bruce Dern) and once a promising painter herself, lives in the shadow of her husband’s illustrious career. While preparing work for a new exhibition, Richard is diagnosed with dementia. As Richard’s memories and moods become lost and erratic, Claire attempts to shield his illness from the art community while trying to reconnect him with his estranged daughter and grandson. Claire, who has taken Mag 52

LOCAL RELEASES Writer-director Sunu Gonera’s Riding With Sugar (7/8) is coming-of-age, feel-good story about a young refugee who, despite many setbacks, finds his way, finds love and a chance to create a better life in Cape Town. Once a scholarship student with a great future, Joshua (Charles Mnene, UK) dreams of winning a BMX cycling championship to finding a better life, but fate intervenes in the form of an accident that shatters his knee. He is given shelter and a job by Mambo (Hakeem Kae-Kazim, UK) who houses refugee teenagers from all over Africa. When Joshua meets Olivia (Simona Brown, UK), a talented young dancer of mixed race from a well-to-do family, it brings him into a world he has never known before. Her insights cast a shadow over Mambo’s agenda and cause Joshua to rise above all odds and find a way to a brighter future. Toorbos (21/8) explores the Afrikaner feminine, through her fragility and power, this magical realist period drama, set in South Africa’s Knysna forest of the 1930’s, follows the free-spirited Karoliena as she is coaxed into marriage to a townsman and has to navigate the realities of progress, oppression of society, denying her true self, love and war back to her own personal freedom. An accomplished and assured feature from novelist Rene Van Rooyen, who adapted renowned writer Dalene Matthee’s 2003 best-selling novel. It stars Elani Dekker and Stiaan Smith in the lead roles as Karoliena Kapp and Johannes Stander, respectively. Read more about upcoming film releases and streamings: www. writingstudio.co.za

OUT ON DVD

ne of best films I have seen since Priscilla, is the endearing French comedy The Shiny Shrimps, with Nicolas Gob as Matthias Le Goff, an Olympic swimming champion who makes a homophobic comment in a television interview, is condemned to train “Les Crevettes Pailletées”, a team of gay water-polo swimmers, more motivated by the party than by the competition. This explosive team will then go to Croatia to participate in the Gay Games, the largest homosexual sports gathering in the world. The road travelled will be an opportunity for Mathias to discover a quirky universe that will shake up all of his landmarks and allow him to review his priorities in life.

By Daniel Dercksen

Hugh Jackman in Bad Education

If there is one reason to see Bad Education, it’s for Hugh Jackman’s performance as a closeted gay man, who was involved in the largest public-school embezzlement in American history. This captivating and thought-provoking character driven narrative has become one of HBO’s best films of 2020, which turns corruption and mendacity inside out. This true story was adapted by Roslyn alumni Mike Makowsky, who witnessed the scandal break first-hand as a student. Teenage love is explored in The Miseducation of Cameron Post where teenage girl is caught in the backseat of a car with the prom queen and is sent away to a gay conversion centre where she bonds with some fellow residents as they pretend to go along with the process; the weirdly fascinating Nevrland deals with a teenage boy who suffers from uncontrollable anxiety attacks and finds escape in virtual worlds and meet an older man in a cam chat, marking the beginning of a transpersonal journey to the wounds of their souls; and in Adam a straight teen boy is mistaken for a trans male by the girl of his dreams in this ingratiating comedy of cutting-edge sexual politics. Alan Ball’s comedy Uncle Frank is a road movie about a gay man who confronts his past, with Paul Bettany as a closeted gay man forced to come out to his Southern family in the accomplished ‘70s-set drama. I Carry You With Me explores the relationship between two Mexican men looking for a better life in New York City. Iván, a young aspiring chef in Mexico, tries to land a spot in the kitchen while supporting the mother of his child. When he meets Gerardo, a handsome teacher who, unlike Iván, is out as a gay man and they fall for each other. Their romance is discovered by others, and Iván is forbidden from seeing his son. In despair, Iván makes the arduous decision to cross the border to advance his culinary career, promising his son and newfound love he will return. We have praised Francis Lee’s gorgeously shot God’s Own Country. Now the director is back with Ammonite, a period film that follows the affair of famed British palaeontologist Mary Anning (Kate Winslet) and wealthy socialite (and wife of the man who funded her latest expedition), Charlotte (Saorise Ronan).

Ammonite, stars Kate Winslet and Saorise Ronan

Forbidden desires are explored in the French film Portrait of a Lady on Fire that tells the story of a forbidden affair between an aristocrat and a painter commissioned to paint her portrait starring Noémie Merlant; And Then We Danced is a passionate tale of love and liberation set amidst the ultraconservative confines of modern Georgian society where Merab, a devoted dancer who has been training for years with his partner Mary for a spot in the National Georgian Ensemble. The arrival of another male dancer, Irakli - gifted with perfect form and equipped with a rebellious streak throws Merab off balance, sparking both an intense rivalry and romantic desire that may cause him to risk his future in dance as well as his relationships with Mary and his family; and a brief queer encounter proves much more than casual in Lucio Castro’s erotic End of the Century, an erotic romance between two closeted men. In From Zero to I Love You a gay man whose fear of intimacy has led him to continually fall for married men. He falls in love with a closeted married gay man who becomes Pete’s newest love interest and forces both men to confront what they really want in their romantic lives; Matthias & Maxime is Xavier Dolan’s heartfelt tale of male longing and centres on the titular Matthias (Gabriel D’Almeida Freitas) and Maxime (Xavier Dolan), lifelong friends whose relationship is tested when they act in a short film whose script calls for them to kiss each other, leaving them both questioning their sexual identities when Mag 53

the experience awakens their long-dormant feelings for each other. Before We Grow Old (Heute oder morgen) deals with a young couple in Berlin who is starting a polyamorous three-way relationship with a doctoral student from London . Niels (Maximilian Hildebrandt) and Maria (Paula Knüpling) have been a couple for two years. Their relationship is open, sexuality and adventure determine their carefree everyday life. When the two get to know Chloe (Tala Gouveia), who is increasingly becoming an integral part of their lives, the three young people let themselves go according to the Berlin free spirit and plunge into one or the other love adventure.

Riot Girls

Brazilian director Thales Corrêa’s Bathroom Stalls & Parking Lots follows Brazilian transplant Leo and his friends as they search San Francisco to pursue Leo’s American crush. When the bar-hopping quest takes them into seedier venues, they face unforeseen obstacles that challenge the way they approach relationships. Fresh off the bus in New York, a young man struggles with his attractions to a transgender dancer and the city’s flamboyant kiki ballroom scene in the heartfelt and sensual trans love story Port Authority. In Last Ferry a gay Manhattan attorney named Joseph (Ramon O. Torres) arrives on Fire Island during the offseason in search of a fun escape from his lonely city life. Things do not go as hoped: he’s drugged, robbed and witnesses a murder. Then, he’s taken in by the kind-hearted Cameron (Sheldon Best) and his friends, including the killer Rafael (Myles Clohessy). Riot Girls is a Canadian post-apocalyptic science fiction film, set in the town of Potter’s Bluff, where a mysterious virus has killed all the adults and left society entirely in the hands of rival teen gangs. The film stars Madison Iseman and Paloma Kwiatkowski as Nat and Scratch, a lesbian couple who must go behind enemy lines to rescue Nat’s brother Jack (Alexandre Bourgeois) after he is captured by the wealthy and powerful West Side gang led by jock Jeremy (Munro Chambers). The Chinese drama A Dog Barking at the Moon centres on the fallout of Juimei’s (Naren Hua) discovery that her husband Huang Tao (Wu Renyuan) is secretly gay, and a pregnant woman who finds herself caught between her unhappy mother and homosexual father Read more about upcoming film releases and streamings: www.writingstudio.co.za

OUT TAKES

“ Gay Scottish MP John Nicolson

Mag 54

No amount of cajoling, threatening, or persecution makes heterosexuals gay or homosexuals straight. In my own case, I knew that I was gay from an early age. “No amount of prayer, mockery by school gym teachers, classroom bullying, or tabloid fury could alter that fact.

”

“

I’m so sick of the words ‘gay’ and ‘lesbian’. They’re just people... One day I want my son to come Actor Josh home from Hutcherson school and be like, ‘I found this guy, and I love him.’ And I’m gonna be like, ‘Yes, you do, and that’s ok.’

”

#pride A proud supporter the LGBTQ Community

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OUT AFRICA MAGAZINE Issue 43

Articles inside

OUT Takes

Helping Survivors of Abuse

15 Check Out what’s Trending on the Cat-Walk

The March

Breaking the Silence

Sex in the Time of Covid-19

Out of the Closet

Important Numbers

Editor’s Comment