MAMBA’S TOP 20 FEATURES OF 2013

Our popular features in 2013 were wide in their scope and included topics such as handy tips in the bedroom, interviews with notable people in our community and the personal experiences of both a rape survivor and a victim of homophobic oppression in Zimbabwe.

Here are our 20 most read feature articles of the past year.

No 20. THE CAMP VS BUTCH TRAP
Al Mackay, 2013’s most popular Mambaonline feature writer, kicks off the list with this look at masculinity in the gay world; how so many of us aspire to be “straight-acting” and look down on anyone perceived as “camp”.
Read it here

No 19. SPEAKING IT: A SURVIVOR’S TALE
Mambaonline was contacted by a gay man who wanted to share his harrowing story of being raped. It’s an experience that may not be as uncommon as we’d like to think and struck a nerve among many readers.
Read it here

No 18. A DOUBLE LIFE: AFTER NINE 2
After six years, After Nine, the groundbreaking South African series about a bisexual man’s love triangle, finally returned to television screens. We spoke to both to the show’s creator, writer, director and producer Sechaba Morojele and its star, Lucky Khoza.
Read it here

No 17. ASK MAMBA: TIRED OF BI DRAMA
In our first edition of Mambaonline’s advice column, psychologist Xander tackled a couple that’s stopped having anal sex, a son dealing with his mom’s depression and a bisexual guy who can’t choose between his girlfriend or his boyfriend.
Read it here

No 16. EVERYBODY WANTS A MOTHER LIKE THAT
Eugene Brockman got to meet Shireen Abbas, the inspiring mother of a young gay Muslim Cape Town man who was attacked while buying her a Mother’s Day gifts.
Read it here

No 15. YOU GET GAY BACKPACKERS, TOO
Al Mackay writes how his love of traveling as a backpacker can be fraught with complications; often having to decide between ‘coming out’ all over again to fellow backpackers or just going along with their assumptions that he’s straight.
Read it here

No 14. SYLVESTER CHAUKE: WAVING THE FLAG
An interview with the openly gay and highly influential Sylvester Chauke, one of the freshest minds in marketing in South Africa, known for his memorable ad campaigns that helped made Nando’s famous.
Read it here

No 13. NOT 2ND BEST: STEVE WILLIAMS
When Steve Williams came second in the Mr Gay South Africa 2013 competition, he never dreamed that he’d be asked to take over the title after the winner resigned just weeks before the Mr Gay World event. He spoke to us about the controversy and ageism in the gay community. (Steve went on to compete in Mr Gay World in August but failed to take the title.)
Read it here

No 12. THE NEW DEMOCRACY OF PORN
Al Mackay looks at how just about very gay guy these days seems to be posting naked selfies and even x-rated video clips on social networks and dating sites. Does everyone want to be a porn star?
Read it here

No 11. MR. GAY SA, JASON ROGERS: THE MAMBA INTERVIEW
In December 2012, at the age of twenty-two, Jason Lee Rogers was crowned Mr. Gay South Africa; the youngest entrant to win the title. He spoke to Mambaonline about coming out and why he entered. (Jason went on to controversially resign, and runner up Steve Williams took over the title).
Read it here

No 10. LOVE IN THE TIME OF CHANGE
Al Mackay had always believed that long distance relationships are expensive (in both travel and communication), inconvenient and fundamentally unsatisfying. And then he found himself in one.
Read it here

No 9. TO DISCLOSE OR NOT TO DISCLOSE
If you’re HIV positive, there are bound to be many situations in your life in which you’ll be faced with the decision of whether or not to disclose your HIV status. Riaan Norval from Health4Men had some advice.
Read it here

No 8. THE HAPPY BOTTOM: TIPS FOR HOTTER & SAFER ANAL SEX
Anal sex is something that many feel is part and parcel of being gay. Despite this, few of us talk about it and even fewer of us know what we’re doing when we first try it. Here’s how to make it sexier and safer.
Read it here

No 7. COMING OUT FOR PARENTS
Dylan van Vuuren sat down with his mom to come up with this helpful and witty guide for parents; what to expect and how to manage when your child comes out of the closet.
Read it here

No 6. THE DUO BEHIND NOH8
Meet Adam Bouska and Jeff Parshley, the two Americans who created the influential celebrity-backed NOH8 campaign. We sat down with them when they visited Cape Town in early 2013.
Read it here

No 5. IF BEING GAY IS A CHOICE, WHEN DID YOU CHOOSE TO BE STRAIGHT?
The groundbreaking gay traditional wedding of Tshepo “Cam” Modisane and Thoba Sithole in Stanger, KwaZulu-Natal last year sent cultural and social shockwaves around the country. Delani Majola, a journalism student from the same town, shared his thoughts on the furore.
Read it here

No 4. WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT BUTT SEX
Showing up on our list twice, the topic of anal sex is clearly one of great interest to our readers. And, as Mark OConnell writes, this is largely due to the issue being shrouded in secrecy and shame.
Read it here

No 3. LIONEL GIREZHA’S STORY: IN LIMBO FOR MY TYPE OF LOVE
Attacked, arrested, harassed, imprisoned and dragged before the courts for having consensual gay sex, Zimbabwean Lionel Girezha’s sad story touched the hearts of many of our readers.
Read it here

No 2. A GAY AFRICAN LOVE STORY
Tshepo Cameron Modisane and Thoba Calvin Sithole became the gay “it” couple in South Africa in 2013. Their crusade to widely celebrate their love as black African men and their ensuing traditional wedding was covered by media around the world. This was when we first got to meet the proud lovebirds.
Read it here

No 1. THE MR GSA 2014 FINALISTS
The most read feature article in 2013 was our introduction to the 10 finalists competing in the Mr Gay South Africa competition. You were invited to cast your votes for your favourite, which counted towards the selection of the winner. Twenty-six-year old Werner de Waal went on to be crowned Mr Gay South Africa 2014 at a ceremony in Cape Town in December.
Read it here