FEATURES
Q&A | Miss Drag SA 2019 Belinda Qaqamba Ka-Fassie:
After winning more than 20 pageants, Belinda Qaqamba Ka-Fassie was crowned Miss Drag SA 2019 in October. Find out more about this stunning activist and drag artist here!
Get to know your LGBTIQA+ alphabet:
People – and even members who are part of the LGBTIQA+ community themselves – often talk in jest about the seemingly confusing umbrella acronym for people who do not identify as entirely straight.
Pierre De Vos: Why the hate speech provision was declared unconstitutional and what happens next:
Constitutional law expert Pierre De Vos looks at what led the Supreme Court of Appeal to dismiss the Jon Qwelane homophobic hate speech conviction and what it means for the LGBTQ+ community.
Edwin Cameron World AIDS Day Message 2019:
Every year, now-retired Constitutional Court Justice Edwin Cameron pens a World AIDs Day message, published by Exit - SA's longest-running LGBTQ publication - and shared by MambaOnline.
“The category is love”: Celebrating the ineffable Billy Porter:
History-making singer, performer, actor and fashion icon Billy Porter has become a dynamic representation of black queer talent, success and fearless fabulousness.
The history of drag in South Africa still plays out at modern pageants:
A Google search for the term 'South African drag queens’ yields approximately half-a-million results. TL McCormick takes a look at the history of drag in the Western Cape.
Opinion | Dear Gay Men: Do You Remember Your First Sexual Experience?:
For most young LGBTQ people, their first sexual experience can be a defining moment. So why is it often not always a fully consensual one, asks Motlatsi Motseoile?
In Pictures: The first Feathers Festival:
The recent Feathers Festival in Johannesburg was a truly memorable Afro-queer affair, boasting stylish, beautiful people, cutting edge fashion and world-class music.
Opinion | Silence is evil, Mr Deputy President:
The Rev. Teboho G, Klaas, a pastor in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, speaks out about the furore surrounding Deputy President David Mabuza's comments that South Africa does not have the right to interfere in Uganda's persecution of LGBTI+ people.
Queer Books | Nataniël’s bio and two collections of stories:
Three new South African queer books were recently unveiled, including Nataniël's first full autobiography and two collections of African queer life and stories, in both graphic and written formats.
America’s right is lobbying against South Africa’s sex education syllabus:
Conservative “pro-family” advocacy groups with US ties are targeting increasingly inclusive sex education lesson plans being developed by the South African education department as part of the life orientation curriculum.
In Pictures: Johannesburg Pride Street Party Gallery 2:
One of Sandton's busiest thoroughfares was turned into a massive street party to celebrate the LGBTQI community as part of the 2019 Johannesburg Pride festivities.
In Pictures: Johannesburg Pride Street Party Gallery 1:
One of Sandton's busiest thoroughfares was turned into a vibrant celebration of the LGBTQI community for the 2019 Johannesburg Pride street party.
Edwin Cameron | The Mamba Interview:
In an exclusive must-read interview, retired Constitutional Court Justice Edwin Cameron opens up about HIV stigma, coming out, the limits of religious bigotry, and how he met his partner.
5 things you might not know about Oscar Wilde:
Oscar Wilde was born in 1854, but is still considered a literary and cultural icon who paved the way for LGBT representation in the arts.
In Pictures: Johannesburg Pride Parade Gallery 2:
Marking 30 years since the inception of Johannesburg Pride, Saturday's parade through Sandton was a colourful explosion of LGBTQ identity.
In Pictures: Johannesburg Pride Parade Gallery 1:
Saturday's Johannesburg Pride Parade was one of the largest in years, with thousands of LGBTQ people and their friends, family and allies spilling out onto the streets of Sandton.
Here are the Mr Gay World South Africa 2019 finalists (pics):
The 2019 Mr Gay World South Africa finalists were announced on stage at Johannesburg Pride in Sandton on 26 October.
Fighting for the rights of intersex people:
Intersex genital mutilation — a violent and irreversible cosmetic surgery — is still happening in many countries, including South Africa. Intersex children need to be protected.
RWC 2019: LGBTQ rights in the host country, Japan:
The 2019 Rugby World Cup is currently being held in Japan. So what is the state of LGBTQ rights in the host nation?