By: Lungisa Somtombo
South Africa held its first Lesbian and Gay Pride march on October 13, 1990, in Johannesburg, however, June has been proclaimed as the LGBTIQ+ Pride Month in South Africa.
This was the first pride march on the Africa Continent and was organized by the Gay and Lesbian Organization Witwatersrand (GLOW), it had about 800 people and it was gay pride and an anti-apartheid march.
According to South African History Online, the march was part of a larger campaign to end apartheid and decriminalize homosexuality in South African law.
Simon Nkoli remarked as he addressed the audience “I am black and gay; I can’t distinguish the fundamental and secondary challenges in my life they’ll all be in the same fight.”
Pride month is about celebrating lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender persons as a social community promoting self-affirmation, dignity, equality and increased visibility
South African law legalized same-sex marriages which allows two people to form a marriage or civil partnership regardless of their gender. This was done to promote equality which is written in section 9 of the South African Constitution.
Even though the constitution confers the right to equality and no discrimination against people based on sexual orientation, gender and sex. Gays and lesbians still have fears as they are constantly attacked for their sexuality.
LGBTIQ community member Simamkele Luningo from Mdantsane, said when he was in high school his classmates used to mock him because of his sexuality, he had to get assistance from his teacher to stop his classmates.
Luningo said pride month is important to him because it is a time for the LGBTIQ community to celebrate themselves and to teach societies about LGBTIQ.
“As the LGBTIQ community our lives are threatened daily, however, we are still standing with pride. Pride month is for us to celebrate the victory of standing up against a society that isn’t accepting,” said Luningo.
Further, he said growing up his community found it difficult to accept him but his confidence and strong self-esteem convinced them otherwise. He added that he wishes the LGBTIQ community would support each other because they are stronger when they are united.