 9th May 2012 Have they not heard? The people shall govern! Statement of the Joint Working Group: The Congress of Traditional Leaders challenge of the clause in the South African Constitution that protects sexual orientation The Joint Working Group, which represents the formal sector of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) Community in South Africa, writes in protest of the suggested changes to the Constitution as proposed by the Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa (Contralesa). The JWG also calls on the ANC to do more than just distance itself from the statements of ANC MP Patekile Holomisa who, coincidentally, not only chairs Contralesa, but is also the Chair of the Constitutional Review Committee, which considers all public proposals for amendments to the Constitution. In 2011, the House of Traditional Leaders submitted a proposal to the Constitutional Review Committee of the National Assembly to amend Section 9 of the Constitution, which protects many minorities from unfair discrimination, specifically targeting the clause that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. Why now has this committee considered a proposal that will erode the rights of a significant percentage of the population? And referred it to the political parties for review? This has never happened before. A recent Die Burger report notes that Holomisa has confirmed that in 17 years the Constitutional Review Committee has rejected all public proposals for amendments to the Constitution. This is not the only assault planned on the Constitution by Conrtralesa using the vague arguments of ‘tradition’ and ‘culture’. The proposed Traditional Courts Bill too, is an unconscionable effort to erode the rights of South African citizens, particularly women. This Bill would centralise executive, administrative and judicial powers in one person. The constitutionality of certain sections of this proposed Bill are already being challenged by civil society. The Daily Dispatch reports that the Contralesa leader in the Eastern Cape, Xolile Ndevu, has denied the existence of LGBTIQ people. In his jumbled defence of the Traditional Courts Bill he has said that gays and lesbians have nothing to fear from the traditional courts as traditional leaders want nothing to do with homosexuality. Where is the sense in this when increasing levels of gender-based violence, particularly against black lesbians and transgender people, has resulted in the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development setting up a government-led task team to investigate these crimes and how they are dealt within the criminal justice system. In the first instance, Holomisa should have recused himself from the Constitutional Review Committee. As he did not, the process is already flawed. Regardless, it continues apace. We are dealing with Conservatives, who resist change, and use the excuse of culture and tradition to perpetuate their sexist, misogynist, classist, and patriarchal agenda. We call on the Government to immediately intervene and put an end to this process For further enquiries contact: Jayne Arnott Triangle Project 021 448 3812 [email protected] On behalf of the JWG
The Kaleidoscope Youth Network commemorated International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia nationally through several initiatives. In the Eastern Cape, OUTRhodes had a kiss-in protest, and a NOH8 campaign. In the Western Cape, LoudEnuf engaged staff and students with an IDAHO event. In Gauteng, ACTIVATE and Liberati engaged with their campus constituents using skills learnt in a 2011 Art For Advocacy workshop to bring awareness to the marginalisation of LGBTIA students on campus. See the project profiled on our National Projects pageLinks: The Times Newspaper http://www.timeslive.co.za/local/2012/05/16/gay-rights-students-marchIDAHO site: http://www.dayagainsthomophobia.org/South-Africa-announces-program-the,1526Below is the KYN national IDAHO poster, designed by Anzio Jacobs
Statement to the Police Commissioner about Noxolo Nogwaza’s Murder case
25 April 2012
The brutal rapes and murders against lesbians in the past years has become more than a threat to the LGBTIA (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, and Asexual) community in South Africa. Aside from discrimination, abuse and violent crimes, the LGBTIA community also faces marginalization even though the Constitution of South Africa enshrines every citizen’s human rights.
Hate crimes against LGBTIA member’s often remains unreported and the slow response of the justice system to the reported crime only exacerbates the silence.
As Kaleidoscope Youth Network we urge the Police Commissioner to act with diligence and urgency to the brutal case of Noxolo Nogwaza of Kwa-Thema of Johannesburg who was brutally raped and then murdered, allegedly because she was a lesbian in 2011.
It is heart breaking and disconcerting that a year later; there has not been any concrete report from the police on her case. We request the office of the Police Commissioner to:
-Prioritize the arrests of Nogwaza’s murderers and rapists
- Show zero tolerance to perpetrators of hate crimes
- Defend the rights of LGBTIA citizens who are targeted on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity, conveying a zero tolerance policy towards hate crime perpetrators.
- Prioritize existing hate crime trials in court. Multiple postponements are a terrible example of apathy when it comes to persecuting hate crime perpetrators.
We believe that justice delayed is justice denied and the lack of accountability, arrest and convictions of the perpetrators will perpetuate the mindset that rapes and murder committed against LGBTIA individuals is acceptable.
South Africa is a young democracy with a very painful past where South African’s have lived with discrimination and segregation based on their differences; there was a hope that such circumstances would never happen again in this democracy many gave up their lives to achieve.
We hope that the Commissioner will hear our call and respond with great urgency to bring those responsible for Nogwaza’s death to book. The future of our democracy depends on it.
This statement was issued by
Kaleidoscope Youth Network Auxiliary Committee
Jan Malatjie, PRO
Press statement. For immediate release.
Kaleidoscope Youth Network’s 6th Annual LGBTIA Youth Leaders’ Lekgotla taken to new heights
Jan Shawn Malatjie, Kokeletso Legoete (Public Relations)
The South African Universities’ LGBTIA leaders were gathered at Kwena Lodge in Potchefstroom for the Sixth Annual Kaleidoscope Youth Network National Youth Leaders Lekgotla, which took place from March 30th to April 4th 2012. LGBTIA youth in universities across South Africa were represented through campus solidarity societies. The Lekgotla took place to facilitate discussion around the progresses made by the Network, guiding documents and policy, and future projects for the next period.
National Convener and activist Anzio Cameron Jacobs said, “The delegates were indeed a true representation of the future of the LGBTIA sector. Older activists can finally relax, knowing that all their hard work has not been in vain, and that this generation will take activism in this sector to new heights.”
The six-day Lekogtla focused on policy change and implementation within the network; with the drafting of the Constitution being in the forefront. Presentations on Queer history, Art in Advocacy, team building, coping in the sector, transgender and intersex issues, international and internal engagement of the network were, to name a few, activities that took place. The process was facilitated by young activists in the sector, namely, Anzio Jacobs, Ella Kotze a psychologist, Gabriel Khan from Gay and Lesbian Memory in Action, Revelation Xakoshe from TIA(Transgender Intersex Africa), Jacques Rothmann from the North West University and Jay Matlou.
“Member organizations have worked extremely hard to ensure that they are taken more seriously within the context of their respective universities. Although some progress has been made in this regard, there’s still a long road ahead for these young activists.” According to the network’s National Convener, the youth seem prepared for the tasks ahead.
The network is part of The Joint Working Group (JWG) and it is set to become a member of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA) which is a positive sign that the network is well on its way to achieving its mandate to amplify the voice of South Africa’s LGBTIA youth.
One important conception that came out of Lekgotla 2012 was the initiation of mini-lekgotlas to be held on regional level. As the National Convener stated,” the mini-lekgotlas are intended to bridge the gap between KYN members and the executive, and also act to assist KYN in knowing what's happening on ground level so that we are able to voice the opinions of a wider variety of LGBTIA identified youth.
Anzio Jacobs (National Convenor), Tish White (Vice-National Convenor), Stefan van Tonder (Secretary) and Celia Engelbrecht (Logistics Manager) have been elected for a second term in office as the Executive Committee of the network; with a new member Kokeletso Legoete as the Public Relations Officer. As part of the policy change that took place during the Lekgotla, a new Auxiliary Executive Committee was elected to ensure that the transfer of skills, support and knowledge is passed on to new activists as part of a shadow committee. Mallory Perrett was elected as the Auxco-National Convenor , Thuli Mathabela as Auxco- National-Vice convenor, Brendan Roche-Kelly as Auxco- Secretary, Matthew Moto as the Auxco- Logistics Manager and Jan Shawn Malatjie as the Auxco-Public Relations Officer.
Organisations present at Lekgotla 2012 – Out and Proud (UNW Mafikeng), POUT (UNW Potchefstroom), Flamboyant (TUT), UP&OUT (UP), ACTIVATE (Wits), Liberati APK (UJ) and Liberati DFC (UJ), Out@Kovsies (UFS), MOVE (UKZN), Shadows in the Rainbow (DUT), OUTRhodes (Rhodes), UFH LGBT (UFH), Eloquor Knights (NMMU), GAYLA (UWC), LOUDEnuf (UWC) and GLOScput (CPUT).
Associate organisations present – Gay and Lesbian Memory in Action, 1in9 and Transgender Intersex Africa.
There remains a lot that still needs to be done in South Africa and the rest of the world in realizing that Gay Rights are Human Rights and that they should be respected and protected. The network, which is still in its infancy, has achieved immense progress with regard to the integration of LGBTIA youth within universities and promises to do more with the help of its member organizations.
End.
The Kaleidoscope Youth Network comprises of 18 members that form a network of student LGBTIA organisations. The network will host its annual general meeting (Lekgotla) in Potchefstroom's Kwena Lodge this year from the 30 Mar – 4 Apr 2012. Lekgotla is an annual opportunity for member organizations within the network to convene. It allows for representatives from across South Africa to voice the needs of their communities. The AGM is hosted at no costs to the society representatives, and is slowly extending to include delegates who would generally not have a voice in the forum. Policy within the network is discussed along with issues related to leadership in the various constituencies. An election is held for a new Executive Committee, and workshops take place. This year, the Lekgotla will focus on Safe Sex and the promotion there of (Jay Maltou), Arts for advocacy teambuilding (GALA) as well as discussions around international and local engagement of the network. This year the Lekgotla process will be facilitated by younger activists, Gabriel Khan, Ella Kotze and the Kaleidoscope National Convenor Anzio Jacobs. The aim is to strengthen leaders in their leadership styles, but also to broaden their knowledge of the LGBTIA community which they serve. It is also an excellent opportunity to network with other leaders and to take from their experiences in the field of activism. Kaleidoscope Youth Network has come a long way since its inception. In 2007, student society ACTIVATE Wits hosted the first LGBT Youth Leaders Lekgotla at Wits University. Subsequent Lekgotla’s were hosted over the past years in 2008 (Rhodes), 2009 (UCT), 2010 (UP) and 2011 (Potchefstroom). In 2009, Kaleidoscope was officially launched at UCT Lekgotla’s have been guided by some of the most passionate and experienced activists in the sector, such as – Edwin Cameron, Zackie Achmat, Phumi Mtetwa, Emily Craven, Dawn Cavanagh and Vanessa Ludwig, to name a few. Lekgotla alumni have gone on to work at 1in9, HIVOS and Wits University. They remain passionate about the work of a network which they nurtured, and continue to give advice and support where they can. The Kaleidoscope Youth Network is governed by the charter set out by delegates in the initial years of work. In 2011, the network chose to form a constitution, as it was felt that the charter, although a strong document, was not sufficient to capture all rules and regulations which the network was to be guided by. With its mission to epower youth leaders, eradicate hate crimes and promote the wellbeing of LGBTIA identified youth in South Africa. The Kaleidoscope Youth Network is currently led by a5-person Executive team that is accountable to the collective for all decisions made on behalf of it. All the executive team volunteer time and resources to ensure the network remains functional at all times. The bulk of communication maintained via email and Facebook Kaleidoscope is proud to announce the following members under the network, as they span South Africa, and provide LGBTIA support to students in 6 regions. POUT,OUT n PROUD, FLAMBOYANT TUT, UP&OUT, ACTIVATE Wits, UJ Liberati APK, UJ Liberati DFC, OUT@Kovsies, Shadows in the Rainbow, MOVE UKZN, OUT Rhodes, Eloquor Knights, Rainbow Blood, UFH LGBT, Lesbigay, RainbowUCT, GAYLA, LOUDEnuf, GLOSCput LEADERSHIP STRUCTURES–2011-2012 EXCO • National Convenor –Anzio Jacobs • National Vice-Convenor –Tish White • Logistical Manager –Celia Engelbrecht • Public Relations Officer –Philly Makwakwa • Secretary –Stefan Van CONTACTUS Website –www.kaleidoscopenetwork.weebly.com Twitter -@Kaleidoscopenet Facebook–www.facebook.com/kaleidoscopenetwork Email – [email protected]
Out In Africa Gay & Lesbian Film Festival
Nun Metro Hyde Park & V&A Waterfront 23 March – 1 April.
See website www.oia.co.za for Fanatics and Clicks discounts.
We open in Johannesburg this Friday 23rd with Albert Nobbs - Glenn Close in an Oscar nominated role as a cross-dresser. Nuff said.
A snapshot of the rest of the Fest:
9 Dead Gay Guys
Dir: Lab Ky Mo UK / 2002 / 83min
Wickedly funny – two popular Paddys in London looking for the money, but someone’s bumping off the clientele.
Christopher and His Kind
Dir: Geoffrey Sax UK / 2010 / 90min
Lush drama depicting the real story of Christopher Isherwood’s Berlin, fabric of the cult classic Cabaret.
Kiss Me
Dir: Alexandra-Therese Keining Sweden / 2011 / 105min
Lekker lesbofliek, script, actors, cinematography – what a pleasure!
A Marine Story
Dir: Ned Farr USA / 2010 / 98min
‘Don’t ask, don’t tell’ – she should have been a hero, but there’s life and love after the Army in this multiple-award winner.
My Last Round
Dir: Julio Jorquera Arriagada Chile / 2011 / 110min
Exquisite South America sleeper, in the fashion of 2010's runaway hit Undertow.
North Sea Texas
Dir: Bavo Defurne Belgium 2011 94min
Oh, what a Beautiful Thing! Subtle, nuanced, satisfying.
Romeos
Dir: Sabine Bernardi Germany / 2011 / 93min
Lukas has a secret and must think on his feet, surrounded as he is by a host of nice and not-so-nice teens, as intent as any to get laid, party and have a good time.
The Secret Imfhilo
Dir: Fanney Tsimong SA / 2011 / 45min
A married man is in denial, but there’s help in the form of the BF. Intriguing contemporary South African cinema with lots of humour.
Anders and Paving Forward screen with The Secret
Anders
Dir: Werner Coetzee SA / 2011 / 12min
Small dorp Johan must find the courage to find acceptance, from family and ultimately, himself.
Paving Forward
Dir: Mthokozisi Lembethe SA / 2011 / 16min
Short doc about a fabulous 50 year old dyke and her journey to acceptance, especially from her kids. Features Musoia Lekota!
Triple Oscar nominee Albert Nobbs will have its African première at the first edition of the 19th Out In Africa Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, which runs from Friday, 23 March-Sunday 1 April 2012 in Cape Town and Johannesburg. Glenn Close received her sixth Oscar nomination for her titular role as a woman passing as a man in order to work and survive in 19th Century Ireland. Janet McTeer, nominated as Best Supporting Actress, also has a cross-dressing role, and the film is up for Best Makeup. Rising star Mia Wasikowska ( Alice in Wonderland, JaneEyre) is the love interest. Director Rodrigo Garcia, son of the Nobel Prize winning novelist Gabriel Garcia Marquez, is an Emmy-nominee who’s worked on some of the biggest TV shows of the last decade, from The Sopranos and Six Feet Under to Big Love and In Treatment. The Festival will play host to three international guests alongside one of their strongest programmes yet. Lead actress and producer Dreya Weber will present A Marine Story, which has won 16 major awards. The drama is a timely reminder of the US military’s invidious “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, which caused extraordinary damage to thousands of soldiers before being overturned in September 2011. Weber, a Festival favourite in The Gymnast, is a famous aerialist and choreographer who has performed at the Grammys, the Winter Olympics and with the likes of Michael Jackson, Madonna, Rihanna, Christina Aguilera and Pink. Swedish actor and producer Josefine Tengblad will present Kyss Mig (Kiss Me), a lekker lesbofliek which was named Best Breakthrough Film by the American Film Institute last year. Tengblad workedwith Lars von Trier on Dogville and Manderlay, and on the popular TV series Wallander. Belgian director Bavo Defurne will present screenings of his film North Sea Texas, a subtle, nuanced and satisfying coming-of-age, boy-next-door love story, which was named Best Feature Début at the Montreal World Film Festival and won the Fipresci International Press Award. Soweto-born Fanney Tsimong, a former VUKA! Raw Talent Award winner, is also a guest of the Festival as the writer and director of The Secret (Imfhilo), a contemporary humour-filled story about a married man in denial. The Secret will play with two South African short films: Anders by Werner Coetzee, and Mthokozisi Lembethe’s Paving Forward, a short documentary about a fabulous 50-year-old dyke and her journey to acceptance, featuring a surprise appearance by COPEleader Mosiuoa Lekota. Other highlights include: · the award-winning, wickedly funny British film 9 Dead Gay Guys – the queer flick Guy Ritchie should have made… · Christopher and His Kind, a lush drama and the real story of Christopher Isherwood’s Berlin, fabric of the cult classic Cabaret· The award-winning Chilean My Last Round, an exquisite South American sleeper in the fashion of the runaway hit Undertow· German must see Romeos, a trendy, unconventional and very contemporary take on the issuesfacing queer teens. Out In Africa screens at Nu Metro cinemas - V&A Waterfront in Cape Town and Hyde Park, Johannesburg. Out In Africa's new format of three mini-festivals a year proved very successful in 2011, allowing the Festival to keep up with the latest releases and present more opportunities for the LGBTIQ community to see films in a way that is easier on the pocket and the social calendar. 2012’s second edition is planned from 27 July-5 August, with the third edition scheduled for 17-28 October 2012. Watch the trailers: Albert Nobbshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ini59bYhaUYA Marine Storywww.youtube.com/watch?v=LF_7tdZAzP8Kiss Me/Kyss Mighttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x89C6wLZv6E9 Dead Gay Guyshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBf8ZCi0xs8 Christopher and His Kindhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nty-CrWi1s4My Last Roundhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CU2pXc3v8gMRomeoshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JH19Kz87FwIFor more information visit www.oia.co.za. ABOUT OUT IN AFRICA Out In Africa is made possible through support from Atlantic Philanthropies, the National Film and Video Foundation, The Times, Goethe Institut, British Council, Gauteng Film Commission, 6 Spin Street, Graton Guest House, Rutland Lodge, Krugmann's Grill and Holdenmanz Wine Estate. RegardsKevin Kriedemann+27 83 556 2346
[email protected]http://kevinlikes.com
Kaleidoscope Youth Network has partnered with South African human rights and social justice and interest bodies to oppose the apartheid Israel state, particularly with regard to aspects of 'pinkwashing' - please support national initiatives. More information on IAW: Israeli Apartheid Week (IAW) is an annual international series of events held in cities and campuses across the globe ( www.apartheidweek.org). IAW aims to contribute to the chorus of international opposition to Israeli apartheid and to bolster support for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign in accordance with the demands outlined in the July 2005 call from Palestinian civil society: full equality for Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel, an end to the occupation and colonization of all Arab lands – including the Golan Heights, the Occupied West Bank with East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip – as well as the dismantling the Wall, and the protection of Palestinian refugees’ right to return to their homes and properties as stipulated in U.N. resolution 194. The week’s events will include lectures, multimedia events, cultural performances, film screenings, demonstrations, and more.
_1 February 2012Announcement: Transitioning Africa Gender DynamiX (GDX) and the Support Initiative for People with atypical sexual Development (SIPD) have taken their collaboration in the Exchange Programmes in 2010 and 2011 a step further and, together with Transgender and Intersex Africa (TIA), will concentrate its efforts mainly on advocacy in Sub-Saharan Africa. Forming the tripartite will further solidify and strengthen their work in Africa and a specific mission and vision for the new partnership has been formulated. The main focus of this new entity is to support a growing transgender and intersex movement and to engage regionally in advocacy for the human rights of transgender and intersex people. While forming a platform for all regional work of the three organisations, Transitioning Africa is not a new NGO but will remain a formal partnership of the three organisations and thus retain autonomy locally and regionally and the capacity for its activities will be provided by the three organisations in the implementation of its activities, such as capacity building workshops, advocacy support to other organisations, exchange programmes and mentorships. The vision of Transitioning Africa is to see a strong transgender and intersex movement in Sub-Saharan Africa, based on human rights principles, while the mission is to strive for gender recognition within social movements in Africa. It aims to build transgender and intersex leadership and capacity, by supporting both individual transgender and intersex activists, as well as transgender and intersex organisations on the continent. The mission further states that Transitioning Africa will advocate for transgender and intersex issues within regional and international platforms, directly, and support local advocacy efforts when invited. It will also aim to document the history of the transgender and intersex movement in Africa. An Advisory Committee advise Transitioning Africa on its work. This Committee will consist of 6 members, including the Directors of the 3 partner organisations. Three members will be recruited strategically to bring in knowledge and/or skills for the benefit of Transitioning Africa. More organisational information below: Gender DynamiX, founded 2005, was the first organisation in South Africa and Africa which specifically advocates for transgender individuals. GDX provides resources and information about transgender, transsexual and gender non-conforming individuals and seeks to promote awareness within mainstream society by means of educating and empowering people from diverse communities, including government departments, service providers, medical professionals, journalists, academia and refugees. GDX also reaches out to parents, partners, children, co-workers and people who journey alongside trans people. Support initiative for People with atypical sex Development, was founded in 2007 by Julius Kaggwa, a Ugandan intersex activist. This Human Rights organisation is the only intersex health and rights organisation in Uganda and the East African region that specifically addresses the human rights of intersex people and provides reliable and objective information on the plight of intersex and gender non-conforming persons in Uganda. SIPD advocates, mediates and provides services for intersex people throughout Uganda. Their objectives are to advance intersex people’s rights through national legislation. A primary goal of SIPD is to end the stigma and secrecy surrounding intersex people, affording them freedom of choice and decision regarding their gender identity. Transgender and Intersex Africa is an organisation that has been initiated by black transgender individuals to focus on black transgender and intersex issues in South Africa in 2010 and was funded in 2011 by mama cash. Our aim is to break the silence and stop ignorance about the existence of the black Transgender and Intersex community in South Africa especially in the rural areas and black townships. TIA also want to bring the knowledge of applicable terminologies and a better understanding of the condition, however not dismissing the indigenous knowledge of African transgender and intersex identity. The founder, Tebogo Nkoana worked previously at Gender DynamiX and was an Exchange Programme participant. For more information please contact Julius Kaggwa, Director of SIPD [email protected] Tebogo Nkoana, Director of TIA [email protected] Liesl Theron, Director of GDX [email protected]
_1 FEBRUARY 2012Triangle Project is relieved that the 4 men convicted of murder of Zoliswa Nkonyana have finally been sentenced. The sentence delivered by Magistrate Whatten, acknowledged that Zoliswa was murdered because “she exercised her right to live openly as a lesbian” and that the murder “was driven by hatred and intolerance”. The Magistrate considered this to be an aggravating factor in sentencing. Magistrate Whatten also referred to the report and testimony of Triangle Project and stated that this had comprehensively set out the impact of the murder of Zoliswa on the LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex) community and gave great insight into discrimination faced by LGBTI persons. Today, even after taking into account that the accused were under 18 years of age at the time of the murder, the Magistrate passed a substantial sentence of 18 years (with 4 of these years suspended for 5 years). On the question of whether justice has been served, Triangle Project shares the sentiments of Magistrate Whatten who stated that “the court could only attempt to restore a sense of justice” and that Zoliswa could never be returned to her family. The sentence has however set an important precedent in the South African Criminal Justice System by acknowledging hatred and intolerance based on sexual orientation as an aggravating factor. Triangle Project acknowledges the crucial role played by the State prosecutors in the outcome of the trial. We also acknowledge all the activists who have mobilised in support of justice in this trial. For further information and / or comment, contact Jill Henderson ([email protected]) or Jayne Arnott ([email protected]) at Tel: 021 448 3812.
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