FINANCIAL MAIL REPORTER BERATED

Cape Town’s Triangle Project has accused a Financial Mail reporter of insensitivity after he revealed the sexual orientation of two men without their consent.

In a recent article revisiting the Groot Marico area, reporter Sven Lünsche inappropriately outed the owners of Marico Memoirs, a local restaurant, says the organisation.

“Triangle Project finds no compelling reason for the inclusion of the owners’ sexual orientation in this piece and therefore regards Lunsche’s reporting as reckless and inept”, it said in a statement.

“In reading the article, one finds no absolute reason for outing the owners. This kind of sloppy journalism reverses the progressive steps taken by organisations such as Triangle Project,” says Vista Kalipa, Media Coordinator for Triangle Project.

In an irate email to the reporter, one of the outed owners says, “Identification according to sexual orientation gives credibility to the bigotry and prejudice that we have stood in the face during the six-month period we’ve been open.”

In the article, Lünsche writes that, “the Marico Memoirs was started by a gay couple from nearby Swartruggens last year and they have certainly made some waves in this conservative town.”

Glenn de Swardt, Acting Director of Triangle Project, said that the organisation will be taking the matter up with the Editor of Financial Mail and reporting the incident to the press ombudsman.