Feather Awards 2016 goes on the road to 8 provinces

This year’s Chevrolet Feather Awards is marking its eighth year by travelling to eight provinces to address communities about LGBTI issues and challenges.

“While urban areas are the usual beneficiaries of support for LGBTI rights campaign information and support, the Feather Awards in 2016 plans to reach out to the rural and neglected parts of South African provinces,” said Thami Dish, founder of the awards.

He explained that the aim of the eight dialogues is “to support rural and peri-urban LGBTI communities, putting LGBTI rights and issues firmly on the national agenda”. The events will be partnered with local LGBTI groups.

Mambaonline is proud to support the Feather Awards’ series of dialogues as a valuable and ground-breaking initiative.

The first event takes place on Saturday 7 May at the Polokwane Royal Hotel at 9.30am under the theme of “Addressing Hate Crimes against the LGBTI Community”.

Limpopo, which will celebrate its Pride the same day, has been the scene of a number of LGBTI hate crimes, most recently the brutal stabbing of a gay man in the town of Thohoyandou.

The Polokwane dialogue will be facilitated by Lumko Johnson and will feature speakers from OUT LGBT Well-being, Love Not Hate campaign, Thohoyandou Victim Empowerment Project, Gender Equality Commission, Department of Justice and Limpopo Proudly OUT.

The Feather Awards was created as a light-hearted celebration of high-profile LGBTI and other individuals who have inspired, scandalised and amused South Africa’s LGBTI community. It has evolved to increasingly focus on acknowledging LGBTI figures and achievers and highlighting activists from South Africa and the continent.

Mambaonline will be updating the community on the other dialogues in the weeks to come.