Violent Society Blocks South Africa's Lesbians From Fully Celebrating Freedom

Thanduxolo Buti

@Thandz_Buti

I believe that freedom is a right that should be enjoyed by everyone and not only by a select few. As much as South Africa has worked hard in ensuring human rights, but hate crimes and corrective rape seem to overshadow the many achievements and strides made by government. The LGBTI community continues to be robbed of the chance to fully enjoy their right to freedom. As much as there are other reasons to celebrate this month, I can’t help but think of the society that still lives in fear even with nineteen years of freedom.

Last week I met a young handsome lesbian in Thokoza. Mbali has been lesbian all her life and growing up she would only play with boys because for some reason she felt more comfortable around them. Being a lesbian in a township had never been easy for Mbali and faced hate and discrimination daily in her community. As she grew older she became exposed to the ugly side of being a butch lesbian in the township, she would hear of violence and rape towards lesbians. “You know now as much as I am proud of my sexuality, I constantly live in fear. I don’t even trust the boys who are close [to me], my friends anymore because of fear of what they might do to me when no one is around,” she says.

Township Residents Need Introspection to Stop Xenophobic Acts

Lerutla Mochaki

@mochakilm

I heard a story that recently, in Atteridgeville, a group of people were protesting for reasons unknown to me. During the protest march they ended up breaking into a shop owned by a Pakistani immigrant. They raided the man’s shop, stealing the food he sells and some of his profits. The Pakistani shop owner tried to stop them, but there wasn’t much he could do against the large group. The story I was told then proceeded to how the food was being sold for half price on the streets of the Pretoria township and locals were buying it too, without asking any questions.

As the narrative of the story was continuing in the township, it was clear that some were in total support of the act and were justifying it by saying the shop is owned by foreigners. It’s strange that black South Africans, some of whom lost their family members to apartheid, discriminate against others because they look and sound different. This is a country that saw a lot of bloodshed because of discrimination that made others lesser citizens because they looked different from the race considering itself more superior. Xenophobia is exactly that – it’s just that the race once considered inferior is claiming superiority over others. This time it’s not skin colour or skin tone being used, but nationality.