Comments on: Johannesburg Pride venue controversy gets mainstream coverage

By: chris

chris — Tue, 01 Nov 2016 05:40:53 +0000

This being the first pride I’d been to since the late 90’s I must say that I was massively disappointed with the march. It was great to see so much more melanin on the march but where was the fabulous?!!? No floats! No sound systems! No one waving meter-long dildos in the air! WTF!?!?! It felt like a primary school fundraiser.

By: Hendrik

Hendrik — Wed, 26 Oct 2016 04:29:25 +0000

People seem to think there is one coordinating Pride organising committee or something. There is not, there are just some proactive people here and there who make things happen. Perhaps we need more of these so that there can be more pride events organised locally, like we have seen. Who has supported Kanana, Vosloo or Orange Farm Prides? But we like to bitch and moan.

By: Kyle

Kyle — Tue, 25 Oct 2016 18:22:06 +0000

I think this is disgusting. Melrose Arch sponsored the venue and security and now we drum up some bad publicity for Melrose to shadow pride… How ungrateful are south african homosexuals?… This is why I give up on the gay community. Always complaining. I wish I was straight… I am ashamed of you all and your ungrateful behavior.

By: Hein

Hein — Tue, 25 Oct 2016 12:07:26 +0000

I’ve said this before about the Pride events in Cape Town as well. You need to have numerous well-coordinated events that tie many areas, suburbs and privilege structures together with various activities – instead of making it an elitist muscle and white party. The march is dead, having died naturally upon equality under law being established. We need to nurture our gay communities instead. That is what Pride must evolve to. But we have become complacent.

By: Bystander

Bystander — Tue, 25 Oct 2016 06:45:47 +0000

The issue remains that “new prides” are focussing on superficial nonsense. The day of pride should be a day of celebration for that, that our predecessors fought for, but also a remembrance of what it used to be like. It should encourage discussion and inclusion. I don’t think it is necessary for emotional protest, but it should create and make known forums where issues can be raised and addressed in an applicable platform. I will personally not support pride again until it aligns more with the above.

By: Danie de Waal

Danie de Waal — Mon, 24 Oct 2016 15:29:38 +0000

YannR, you said it all. I think it would be impossible to arrange a pride event in Johannesburg that will satisfy all.

By: YannR

YannR — Mon, 24 Oct 2016 12:48:43 +0000

I think in this political climate, every venue or space proposed is going to be labeled ‘white’ ‘elitist’ ‘etc.’ even if you could find a suitable venue in a township (playing to the crowds) the risk factor in taking it there would alienate both audiences and sponsors alike. The issues raised and faced by the LGBT community are never going to be addressed through the forum of “Pride”.