CAPE TOWN PRIDE THEME DISPUTE
Cape Town Pride has clashed with LGBTI community organisations over the theme for the 2009 festival.
According to reports, organisations in the city, such as Triangle Project, have objected to the theme “Pink Ubuntu: Jou ma se Pride” chosen to represent next year’s event.
They claim that that the term “Jou ma se Pride”, a play on an insult commonly associated in a derogatory manner with the Cape’s coloured community, could be seen as offensive to both coloured people and to women.
In a statement issued on Monday by Cape Town Pride, Chairperson Glenn de Swardt defended the theme:
“The choice of the theme was fed, in part, by a need to identify a quintessentially localised ‘Cape Town’ brand for the 2009 festival,” he said.
He added that, “We contend that, while particular words and phrases may offend some elements of the LGBTI community, we also need to feel empowered to challenge and address the perceived symbolism of such words and phrases.”
De Swardt slammed the LGBTI organisations for having undertaken “a virulent email campaign” around the issue without contacting or discussing the matter with Cape Town Pride.
“We express our concern that, despite our repeated, ongoing attempts to engage with LGBTI organisations, most have chosen not to interact with us directly. Indeed, we were informed of the current debate around our 2009 theme by a concerned member of the public,” he said.
He further noted that in spite of Cape Town Pride’s 2008 Annual General Meeting being widely publicised only one LGBTI organisation was represented by one of its volunteers.
Despite the fracas, De Swardt invited LGBTI organisations to engage with Cape Town Pride. “It is thus incumbent on us to be open, direct and sincere in our interactions and to promote collective solidarity in a responsible and mature manner.”
The 2009 Cape Town Pride Festival is set to take place from 19 February to 1 March, with the street parade on Saturday 28 February.
Pride theme. I love this theme, even if it is a bit provocative and cheeky, and I don’t think it is any insult to coloured people, if anything it makes me think of Cape Town as a city, surely the phrase belongs to EVERYONE in Cape Town and not just coloured people? These organisations can be so petty sometimes – is this the kind of nonsense they get paid to do? And by the way I really like the Pride logo, its beautiful and fun and kitch and funky!
Typical Gay NGO’s. They didn’t even bother to attend the Pride AGM, but have their mouth’s full.
CT Pride, ignore them and continue.
The theme is great.
Whilst the NGO’s are sitting on their backsides spending millions of overseas donors’ money, at least you are doing something.
The NGO’s think we don’t know what is going on. Cushy jobs but VERy slow or non-existant delivery.
Almost like our government! Let’s call it the NGO gravey train.
Mamba and Pride and so on get no funding WHATsoever and see what they accomplish.
Go Pride!
oh i so agree with you, all these guys can do is sit around a bicker with each other, they actually give the gay community a lousy name by making us sound like a bunch of squabbling kids! you get oodles of money and pride is just a bunch of volunteers doing beautiful work, for which they don’t get paid a cent, leave cape town pride and joburg pride alone and find something real to focus on!
Agreed although some gay NGO do some good work, but evidently not this one.
GO PRIDE GO! SHOW THEM WHAT YOU CAN DO!
Just a storm in a very small tea-cup. VIVA PRIDE, you do us all proud, and toss Triangle.
Triangle has become nothing but a radical feminist organisation and they mustn’t make the mistake of turning their sights on the gay community, that will be their end. Just ignore them they’re only trying to get some attention.
This reminds me of the old days, years ago when all the gay groups could do was squabble with each other while everyone else laughed at them. We’re way past that now, we’re supposed to be celebrating our pride as gay people. TRIANGLE PROJECT GO GET A LIFE, FIND SOMETHING CONSTRUCTIVE TO DO!
How disappointing. one would think that with so many of the gay community being extremely creative (not to slag off our straight counterparts) that the uniting theme in which EVERYONE is supposed to be able take part in (and have pride in) would be something a little bit more… genius. this theme sucks. who would want to march down the street where everyone is going to slag you off in any way (or you would stand the chance of being slagged off!) under a banner of YOUR MA SE PRIDE. how many homophobes are not going to use that same slogan against us? come on, can NO ONE think of a BETTER theme? yes, make it uniquely Cape Town, but just remember that Cape Town Pride is essentially supposed to represent EVERYONE.
Well then, if you have such strong views, why don’t you use your creative genius and join Pride and help them make the choices that would suit you personally? I agree that the theme is a bit in-your-face but that’s what I like most about it, that’s part of what Pride is about – not so?
Just the fact that so many people are commenting on this is great, it shows that the theme is slightly tongue-in-cheek and provocative as opposed to dull and boring.
Agree with Reader.
At least this has got people talking about the theme and that’s fantastic and refreshing. You can’t please all the people all the time. And another thing Capetonian, (I’m also in Cape Town by the way, you’re not the only gay in the village) we won’t be walking or partying under a banner of “Jou Ma se ANYTHING”, we’ll be under a banner of UBUNTU!!!! Maybe you need to look that term up some time?
Amen!. Amen to that Reader!
So capetonian with the big mouth … why don’t you make a few suggestions then … seeing as you have so much to say????
COMMITTEE. Think the committee needs some fresh blood. Lets the Jhb Pride committee show them how it should be done. This years event and theme was amazing. LOVE NOT HATE.
Nodi?. This smacks of Nodi Murphy – still no clue.
What do you mean by that, Nodi of the gay and lesbian film festival?
OIA & Pride. OIA & Nodi are 100% behind CT Pride – watch the press for more info
Why are we fighting amongst each other about stupid shit like this when the real problems are out there. You will always get a drama queen that is so easily offended and then makes a big deal out of it. Really come on! Why can’t we stand together as a community? It’s like these people writing to the broadcasting complaints commission because someone dared to say “bliksem” on the radio or TV. If there is no issue we MAKE an issue out of it.
I think the theme is cool, really cool, and Cape Town is our best hope of having a proper world class Pride festival. You go boys and gils, ignore the drama queens.
CT Pride theme. The phrase, ‘jou ma se Pride’ is a play on an iconic capetonian phrase that is nationally identifiable. I don’t see how it can be thought to be offensive, particularly where the single offensive word is replaced by a positive one.
We often here radio ads where colloquial phrases are used in jest where no offense is intended or taken. Triangle Projects objection seems to be more of a political nature than in the true interests of those they are claiming to be offended.
Organisations like Triangle Project should have been more proactive by attending the Pride AGM and contacting the Pride board directly instead of going behind everyone’s back.
Triangle Drama in Latest Exit. Read Drummond Marais’ article on page 2 of the latest Exit…
Yes I saw it, WHAT is going on with Triangle Project after Glen de Swart left them?
so these guys have a serious problem… time to call in the PR it seems
Who the FUCK is Triangle Project anyway?
Don’t they have something better and more constructive to do than chirp from the peanut gallery?
They have done themselves NO favours within the gay community by trying to meddle in Pride’s business.
Shouldn’t they be offering the services to the community that they have pledged to do to their overseas doners?
I think somebody should inform the doners that this organisation is wasting their time and money and resources on matters that, quite frankly, have FUCK ALL to do with them.
Have they ever considered that the gay community DO NOT WANT PRIDE TO BE A POLITICAL AFFAIR.
We are moffies not politicians.
Just catch a wake up … and then drop dead!!!
PS: JOU ma se Pride …
WOW – you have a great way with words!
VIVA PRIDE, VIVA QUEERS, VIVA STABANIS
It sounds like Triangle got stuck in stone age. The world has changed since Stonewall, for goodness sake! Pride is a festival, not a riot!
PHANZI TRIANGLE
PHANZI TRIANGLE
Trying to make trouble for everyone, thats all they can do. Why not do something about AIDS killing us?