Inxeba censorship | The battle is not over yet
Despite this week’s ruling confirming that the acclaimed Inxeba should not have been classified as X-rated, cultural traditionalists say they will continue to try to have the film banned. On Thursday, the Pretoria High Court handed down its final ruling on the Film and Publications Board Appeals Tribunal’s February decision to re-rate the film as X18. […]
Review | Falling in love with Love, Simon
Coming out is a unique process for each one of us; both a deeply personal and a culturally-specific experience. But somehow, against all odds, Love, Simon reflects the shared universality of being LGBTQ and wanting to be accepted and loved. Greg Berlanti’s eagerly anticipated film is based on the premise that, “Everyone deserves a great […]
Judge: Inxeba is not porn, but violates rights of Xhosa people
The Pretoria High Court has handed down its final ruling on attempts to classify controversial South African film Inxeba as X-rated, and it’s a decidedly mixed outcome. Importantly, Judge Joseph Raulinga found that the Film and Publications Board Appeals Tribunal’s decision to rate the film as X18, effectively barring the gay love story from cinemas, was […]
FAKA on their Versace fashion show and queer representation in South Africa
South Africa’s international music queer duo, FAKA, saw themselves attending the 2019 Versace Summer Spring fashion show in Milan about two weeks ago. Their track, Uyangikhumbula, played as the models, including Kendall Jenner, showed off the luxury label’s latest collection. Desire Marea and Fela Gucci, the two members of the group spoke to Mambaonline on […]
Hungary | ‘Billy Elliot’ musical cancelled because “it’ll turn children gay”
The Hungarian production of the Elton John stage musical Billy Elliot has been cancelled after a homophobic newspaper article accused the show of being ‘gay propaganda’. The Hungarian State Opera announced last week that the Budapest run will be cut short because ticket sales had collapsed after the article was published. The award-winning musical, based […]
Coming out the high school closet: ‘Love, Simon’
Trying to find love while hiding your sexual orientation can be quite complicated. Like for 17-year-old Simon Spier (played by Nick Robinson), who is yet to tell his family and friends that he is gay and finds himself falling in love online with a classmate whose identity he doesn’t know, in gay romcom, Love, Simon. […]
Nakhane stuns with debut UK live TV performance (Watch)
South African musician and actor Nakhane made his debut UK live TV performance on one of Britain’s biggest music shows, Later… with Jools Holland, on the BBC this past Tuesday. Nakhane performed Clairvoyant, from his latest Indie genre studio album, You Will Not Die, which was released in March this year. Wearing a rich red suit with a […]
Kenya’s banned ‘Rafiki’ to close off Durban International Film Fest
Kenyan LGBT love story, Rafiki, has been announced as the closing film at the 2018 Durban International Film Festival (DIFF) in July. Rafiki is a movie based on the award-winning short story, Jambula Tree by Monica Arac de Nyeko. It is a coming of age film about two Kenyan girls who fall in love and […]
The 2018 KU33R$ Event (In Pictures)
Kitcheners Bar, in Braamfontein Johannesburg, hosted a Ku33R$ (pronounced “queers”) event on Thursday, June 7, for womxn, queer, gender-queer and transgender bodies to exist comfortably. Young queer people came out to support the inaugural event by arts creative Khanya Kemami, in the spirit of celebrating International Pride Month. Kemami said the event was aimed at […]
Pretoria Pride to commemorate African LGBTIQ+ heroes
The 2018 Pretoria Pride theme has been announced and this year it is all about “Pride for Purpose”. The theme aims to raise awareness on what has been done by African LGBTIQ+ activists within the community and also raise awareness on the work that is still yet to be done. Each week, the Pretoria Pride […]