Rainbow party: The gay pride parade in the Namibian capital Windhoek. AFP/File/Hildegard Titus
Homophobia is morally incorrect and has never been a joke!
Zodwa Wabantu, true to form, shot from the hip and offended an entire community of people.
Words were said, feelings were hurt and there were calls for a cancellation of the celebrity’s show – the very platform that allowed for the utterances to go unedited.
While a retraction and apology have since followed, this shows the absolute lack of education within communities at large in terms of the LGBTQI population.
We claim to want equal rights for them, we claim to love and understand them, but an entire production crew allows biting comments to be made.
Being a member of the LGBTQI community seems to be an extreme sport.
David Tlale, Somizi and the boys of 3Sum became the icons of gay black South Africa. They are unashamedly black and gay and, to a very large extent, they are in your face. If you followed black South African media, you could not help but take notice of them.
When the South African households were hiding their sons with a “softer side” and shaming anyone who declared themselves to be gay, this group of men refused to be dictated to by people who had never walked a mile in their shoes.
When South Africans said they were not ready for a the emergence of black gays and lesbians, they stood alone.
Today, with greater acceptance from the masses, they remain standing.
The point of it all is that, if you’re really looking to be taken seriously, stand for something, even when the crowd is not in your corner.
Even if you must stand alone, stand for something you believe in and remained unmoved.
Can we seriously be those people who are waiting for the wind to determine the direction in which we go? East today, west tomorrow, like a pawn piece in a chess game?
Even if 300 other people clap and applaud something you do not believe in, carry your pride with you and walk the walk.
If they do not appreciate what you bring to the table, let them eat alone.
Kekeletso Nakeli-Dhliwayo.
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