FEATURES

ANYONE FOR QUEER RUGBY?: Homosexuals playing rugby? Yes, it does happen. Blight Rugby Club started out as a small gathering of gay Capetonians having a picnic and has grown into a weekly touch rugby game.

THE IMPORTANCE OF SOWETO PRIDE: Every year at Joburg Pride I see thousands of black gay guys arrive AFTER the march to join in the festivities. But, writes Etienne Shardlow, the point of Pride is the march, not a big party.

PROTECT OUR RIGHTS: JOBURG PRIDE 2012: Africa’s biggest celebration of gay and lesbian Pride is set to turn the streets of Johannesburg pink for the 23rd time. Get all the details of the events, the street parade and what this year’s theme is all about.

FEMALE CONDOMS FOR MAN-ON-MAN SEX?: Never considered using a “female condom”? You may be surprised to learn that they are a very viable and effective alternate to traditional male condoms for man-on-man play. Find out more...

CAN WE TAKE CARE OF OUR OWN?: As more gay and lesbian groups face closure due to financial woes, two international donor organisations will soon launch a new foundation to find local funding for LGBTI projects in Southern Africa. Will it work?

MAMBA SPINS: We review releases from bisexual hip hop/R&B hottie Frank Ocean, dance mama Jennifer Lopez, local muscle star Kobus Muller, synthpop project Owl City, SA rockers Desmond & The Tutus and and the latest edition of the Now That's What I Call Music DVD series.

MY GAY BIRTHDAY: Dylan van Vuuren recently celebrated his third gay birthday - the day he came out to his parents (via SMS nogal). He writes about how it happened, what he learned and offers tips for coming out in style.

GAY COACH TOUR: THE WINNERS: After much deliberation, tabulation and inspiration, the votes from the judges and public alike have been tallied to decide who’ll go on the fabulous Budget Car Hire and Gay Flag of South Africa Coach Tour.

WHY CAN’T GAYS ADOPT?: Wimpie and Andrew Mattison want to adopt a child. But they've been repeatedly told "according to the Lord, it is wrong to help gay people to adopt". It's a practice that’s discriminatory, illegal and unconstitutional, writes Justin Foxton.

EDITORIAL: THE TRUE ‘CULTURE OF DEATH’: Pastor Errol Naidoo of the Family Policy Institute cynically vilifies and dehumanises gays and lesbians. It is his appalling use of religious hatred against our community that is creating a true ‘culture of death’, writes Luiz De Barros.

VOTE FOR YOUR FAVE GAY FLAG TOUR FINALISTS: SA queers have got talent! And heaps of it. Here’s your chance to vote for your favourite entertainer and coach wrap design, helping to select who'll win a seat on the Budget Car Hire and Gay Flag tour of SA.

MAKING SEX FUN AGAIN: Has gay sex become so associated with stigma, morality, stereotyping, the dangers of HIV and safe sex messaging that we’ve lost the ability to enjoy it? It seems we’ve forgotten that sex between consenting adults is natural and fun.

GAY UGANDANS: LOUD & PROUD: Val Kalende, a Ugandan LGBT activist, writes about coming out in the world's reputedly most homophobic place as well the recent groundbreaking first-ever Pride celebration to be held in Uganda.

MAMBA SPINS: Mamba music critic Jared Orlin takes on some big names in the biz: now-legal Justin Bieber, Brit-poppie Cheryl Cole, the ever-angry Chris Brown, dancefloor master David Guetta (and his missus), indie chick Ladyhawke and the big-headed Usher.

NEW YORK CITY PRIDE – THE MOTHER PRIDE: Lance Weyer, Mr. Gay South Africa 2011/2012, was recently invited to speak at Human Rights Watch in New York City on LGBTI issues in South Africa. He also took part in the city's Pride celebrations, one of the world’s oldest.

HEALTH: WILL MSM USE HIV TESTS TO SCREEN SEXUAL PARTNERS?: If men who have sex with men (MSM) have the option of using rapid HIV home testing to screen potential sexual partners, will they do so? A new study gives some clues.

ROWEN BAILEY: PORN THIS WAY: Twenty-four-year-old Joburger Rowen Bailey is well on his way to becoming South Africa’s very own international gay porn star. He sat down with Mambaonline to give us the scoop on his adult film escapades.

FAIRY TALES OF LOVE & FAITHFULNESS: Are we capable of being faithful? Is there a knight in shining armour for us? Thanks to all those fairy tales we’re told, Al Mackay had assumed that once you’d fallen in love you’d automatically lose interest in sex with other people...

UGANDA LGBI CLINIC UNDER FIRE: Gay rights activists have opened Uganda's first clinic for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people in the capital, Kampala, but the government is threatening to shut it down.

MAMBA SPINS: The latest music, including releases from gay icons Scissor Sisters, pop-indie band fun., local songstress ChianoSky, crooner John Mayer, quirky singer / songwriter Regina Spektor and the genre-defying SA band Lonehill Estate.