MAMBA’S GAUTENG LGBT PRIDE GUIDE

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gauteng_joburg_pride_guide_2013Many in Gauteng’s LGBT community are confused by the range of Pride events set to take place in the coming weeks. Here’s our attempt to clarify the what, when and where.

In 1990, Johannesburg became the first African city to host an LGBT Pride event. Almost a decade ago, Soweto Pride was launched and more events in the province have since come into being.

Recent years have, however, seen growing divisions in the community as to the kinds of Pride events that should be taking place and their location.

While some choose to celebrate the advances of our rights under the law since 1994, others believe that Pride should remain a primarily activist protest event, especially as LGBT people face daily inequality and lesbian women continue to be raped and murdered in the townships.

Unfortunately a number of the upcoming Prides this year will take place at the same time, making it difficult for those who would like to participate in every event to do so.

So, which event will we support at Mambaonline? All of them! We believe that everyone in our diverse community has the right to get together and express their views. Plus the more of us on the streets making our voices heard the better.

Here’s our quick guide to the various remaining 2013 Pride events in the province.

PEOPLE’S PRIDE – SATURDAY 5 OCTOBER

What it’s about: This new event was created in response to the feeling by some members of the community that Johannesburg Pride had become a commercially-driven party that had lost its activist roots. The People’s Pride aims to be an alternative and espouses an anti-capitalist ideology. It includes a number of empowering events leading up to the march through Hillbrow and Braamfontein.

Time: 10am to 1pm
Venue: Constitution Hill, Kotze St, Braamfontein
Contact: JHBPeoplesPride@gmail.com
Web: www.peoplespride.org.za
Facebook: www.facebook.com/peoples.pride.JHB
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PRETORIA GAY PRIDE – SATURDAY 5 OCTOBER

What it’s about: Another new event that will see Pretoria host its first ever Pride march. Pretoria Pride aims to highlight discrimination against LGBT people in South Africa and Africa. The theme is ‘Coming Out for the world to see us,’ and will feature a march through the Centurion central business district starting at 12pm. This will be followed by a beach party and live entertainment. Entry is free.

Time: 10am to 8pm.
Venue: Corner of Hendrik Verwoerd Drive and South Street, Centurion (diagonally across from the Standard Bank offices).
Contact: Bruce Walker – bruce62@iburst.co.za
Facebook: www.facebook.com/events/149259468572360/?ref=3
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JOHANNESBURG PRIDE – SATURDAY 26 OCTOBER

What it’s about: The organisers state that they are putting on the city’s 24th annual gay Pride, which has in the past attracted up to 20,000 people. This year’s event has been mired in controversy. It was set to take place on Saturday 28 September in Newtown but was moved at the last minute to the end of October in Sandton, due to security concerns, say the organisers.

Time: To be confirmed
Venue: Sandton. More details to be confirmed.
Contact: 24@johannesburgpride.co.za
Web: www.johannesburgpride.co.za
Facebook: www.facebook.com/JohannesburgPride
READ MORE

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