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Cape Town Pride

The History of Pride

By Cape Town Pride

Cape Town Pride has grown in leaps and bounds since it became a regular event, but the significance of Pride is not always understood by many people who attend Pride. Many do not actually know about the origins of this annual celebration.

We have to go back 55 years. In the early-morning hours of Saturday, June 28, 1969, members of the New York City Police Department raided the Stonewall Inn, a mafia-run gay bar in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village neighbourhood. While such raids were not uncommon at NYC gay bars at the time, what was unique on this night is that the patrons had decided to fight back. Angered by police harassment and social discrimination, the events of that night ignited six days of protests, known as the Stonewall Uprising, and galvanised the gay rights movement. By the time the Stonewall Riots ended on July 2, 1969, the gay rights movement went from being a fringe issue largely ignored by politicians and the media to front-page news worldwide.

The first Pride marches started the following year, on June 28, 1970, to commemorate the riots and demonstrate for equal rights. In New York, organisers dubbed their event the Christopher Street Liberation Day March. The same day as the NYC march, Los Angeles held a “Christopher Street West” celebration on Hollywood Boulevard that drew thousands. There were also two small marches in San Francisco and Chicago. These one-day celebrations eventually evolved into a full month of LGBTQ pride.

In time, that celebration came to be simply known as the Gay Pride Parade. According to activist Craig Schoonmaker, “I authored the word ‘pride’ for gay pride … [my] first thought was ‘Gay Power.’ I didn’t like that, so proposed gay pride. There’s very little chance for people in the world to have power. People did not have power then; even now, we only have some. But anyone can have pride in themselves, and that would make them happier as people, and produce the movement likely to produce change.”

On 1 July 1972, the first Pride march in the UK was organised by the Gay Liberation Front and Campaign for Homosexual Equality. The next year more cities in the United States and Europe began celebrating Pride. Today Pride is celebrated in hundreds of cities worldwide. In the Southern Hemisphere Pride celebrations tend not to be in June, but in the summer months. In South Africa, Pride is currently celebrated in Johannesburg,

Cape Town, Pretoria, Soweto, Ekhuruleni, Durban, Kimberly, Nelson Mandela Bay, Bloemfontein, Knysna, Delft, Hanover, Mahikeng, Hermanus and Worcester.

The roots of Pride in South Africa trace back to apartheid, when discrimination and persecution plagued marginalised communities, including the LGBTQ+ community. In the face of oppression, activists and allies began organising and mobilising to demand equality and acceptance. It was during this time that the first Pride marches emerged globally, serving as a symbolic platform to express visibility, solidarity and resilience.

The first Pride in South Africa was held on October 13, 1990. It was the first Pride event on the African continent, organised by the Gay and Lesbian Organisation of the Witwatersrand (GLOW). Being gay or lesbian was illegal at the time, and it was also an anti-Apartheid protest. It coincided with the emerging Pride movement globally, serving as a symbolic platform to express visibility, solidarity and resilience. The march was a pivotal moment in South Africa’s LGBTQ+ rights movement. It eventually led to the inclusion of an equality clause in the South African constitution in 1996.

Johannesburg Pride, 1990

“With this march, gays and lesbians are entering the struggle for a democratic South Africa where everybody has equal rights and everyone is protected by the law: black and white; men and women, gay and straight.”

– Simon Nkoli, Johannesburg Pride, 1990

Johannesburg Pride, 1990

Johannesburg Pride, 1990

The speech made by activist Simon Nkoli, one of the organisers, at South Africa’s first Gay Pride March in 1990 was a significant moment in the Gay Movement of this country. “This is what I say to my comrades in the struggle when they ask why I waste time fighting for moffies. This is what I say to gay men and lesbians who ask me why I spend so much time struggling against apartheid when I should be fighting for gay rights. I am black and I am gay. I cannot separate the two parts of me into secondary or primary struggles. They will be all one struggle. In South Africa I am oppressed because I am a black man, and I am oppressed because I am gay. So, when I fight for my freedom, I must fight against both oppressions. All those who believe in a democratic South Africa must fight against all oppression, all intolerance, all injustice. With this march, gays and lesbians are entering the struggle for a democratic South Africa where everybody has equal rights and everyone is protected by the law: black and white; men and women, gay and straight.”

Cape Town Pride is the second longest running Pride event in South Africa. The first Pride March in Cape Town was held in 1993 and was organised by activists including Theresa Raizenberg, Midi Achmat, Zackie Achmat, Jack Lewis, and Bassie Nelson under the auspices of ABIGALE (Association of Bisexuals, Gays and Lesbians). 550 people marched from District 6. The March stopped in Adderly St for a Kiss-In. Next stop was Parliament were participants chanted slogans in support of gay rights. The March ended in De Waal Park where speeches were made, after which a party with live entertainment ensued. Albie Sachs, speaking on behalf of the ANC, declared the park a “liberated area “for all Capetonians, where homophobia and race discrimination had been banished. Edwin Cameron spoke about the implications of the inclusion of a prohibition of discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation clause in the Bill of Rights. Simon Nkoli spoke on behalf of GLOW (Gays and Lesbians of the Witwatersrand), and Bassie Nelson for ABIGALE.

First Pride March in Cape Town 1993

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First Pride March in Cape Town 1993

However, the first pride held under the auspices of the Cape Town Pride Festival was celebrated in December 2001. The following year Pride merged with the Mother City Queer Project (MCQP) but reverted to an independent event after that. No Pride event was held in 2003. In 2004, the timing of the Festival was moved to February, which is the height of the summer season in the Western Cape. In its two decades of existence, Cape Town Pride has evolved from a small Pride March with an afterparty in the streets of de Waterkant to an annual three-week Festival, culminating in the Cape Town Pride Parade and Mardi Gras, attended by thousands of local and international LGBTIQ+ community members and allies.

As Pride Month has grown in popularity across the globe, criticism of the events has grown, too. Many believe that the original ethos of Pride has been lost. Some believe that Pride is too political, other that it is not political enough. But Pride is what you make it. Pride can be both a Party and a Protest! For many a young queer person, attending Pride is often their first overt political act of their life. Pride events are often vital protests against repression and isolation in places such as Serbia, Turkey and Russia, where Pride parades have been met with antigay violence. Growing homo-prejudice and transphobia, which accompany the growth of far-right movements in Europe and North America highlights the oppression the LGBTQ+ community still faces globally. In Africa, 30 of the 54 states in the African Union outlaw homosexuality.

Pride celebrations have evolved beyond mere parades and festivities; they have become a platform for education, awareness and advocacy. In Cape Town, there is an increasing emphasis on promoting inclusivity, representation and intersectionality. Pride events serve as a reminder of how far the LGBTQ+ community has come while acknowledging that the struggle for equality is far from over for many.

While South Africa has made significant strides towards LGBTQ+ equality, many individuals still face discrimination, violence and prejudice due to their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Hate crimes, stigma and social barriers persist, and the struggle for acceptance continues.

Pride is not only a celebration but also a call to action to address these ongoing challenges and work towards a more inclusive society.

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Johannesburg Pride, 2018

Images and archival information about the 1993 Cape Town Pride March courtesy of ABIGALE Collection, GALA Queer Archive.

The Pride Survival Guide

By Cape Town Pride

Tips to help you have a wonderful day.

 

For many of us, Pride is the highlight of the year and we can go a bit overboard. But hey, it’s our day to be whoever we want to be, protest or celebrate or both. So whether you want to liberate your inner drag, release the bear, unfetter your Sapphic yearnings, break down the closet doors, be Out and Proud and Queer, here’s how to do it safely while still having loads of fun. Let nobody rain on your Parade!

 

Try to get enough sleep the night before. You know it’s going to be a long day

If you are going to march in the Parade, wear comfortable shoes. It’s 2km from de Waterkant to Green Point Track.

Please let the official parade of vehicles, floats and registered organisations proceed first. You may join the parade after they have gone by.

Pay attention to the City of Cape Town’s Law Enforcement officials and Pride Parade Marshals, who will be wearing yellow T-shirts with ‘Marshal’ printed in red on both sides. They are there for your safety. Please stay within the confines of the Parade.

Wear a hat, unless you have on a magnificent headdress, which will probably do the trick too. It’s always very hot, and as the saying goes, only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun, unless you’re a queen at the Pride Parade. A parasol can also work.

Sunscreen is a must on the Parade and at the Mardi Gras, especially if you’re gonna show off what your Mama gave you. You don’t want to display a farmer’s tan later at the club.

Hydrate. Hydrate. Hydrate! And no, tequila is not the answer. Bring water if you are marching. Remember to throw your empty bottle in a bin. No alcohol is permitted on the Parade. You can drink as much Jagermeister as you like later at the Mardi Gras.

Look after your phone and wallet. It can be hard when you are wearing nothing more than a G-string. For the less flamboyant, wear something with zips or button-up pockets, or put them in your front pockets.

 

Free passage on golden arrow bus services on Pride Day. If you live near a Golden Arrow bus route you can travel to the CBD for FREE on Saturday 1 March, on presentation of a ticket to the Cape Town Pride Mardi Gras.Free rides from 8:30AM to 8PM on existing bus routes. There is limited service on a Saturday, especially after 5:30PM. There will be no extra services scheduled after 8PM.

 

Don’t check that dating app every three minutes. There are thousands of fabulous queer people all around you. Go and talk to them. It’s Pride, everyone’s a little more approachable than usual

Be nice. Leave your Fashion Photo RuView comments at home. It’s our day for self-expression however we chose to do so, so nobody needs judgement. We get enough of that on a daily basis from the rest of society.

Don’t feel up a drag queen’s boobs or bum and don’t touch their hair. It’s just rude.

Pick up some free condoms and lube or find out about PrEP at one of the public health tents that will be at the Mardi Gras.

If you are going to take recreational drugs, do it safely. It’s not a good idea to mix with alcohol. Stay with friends you trust and if you feel unwell, there is a first aid unit at the Mardi Gras. Take care; you don’t want to end the day in cells or in casualty.

Get an Uber home or jump on a bus. There’s a MyCiti terminus just opposite the stadium.

 

Above all, have a wonderful day! Happy Pride!

The 2025 Cape Town Pride Parade departs at the intersection of Alfred and Prestwich Streets at 11am on Saturday 1 March, starting at the intersection of Alfred and Prestwich Streets in de Waterkant at 11am. The Pride Mardi Gras follows at Green Point Track straight after.

 

Please note that tickets are only available online. NO tickets will be available for sale at the venue.

Cape Town Pride Magazine 2025

By Cape Town Pride

Explore the 2025 edition of the Cape Town Pride Magazine for information on all the events happening this season.

First time in Africa: Cape Town Pride to host WorldPride in 2028

By Cape Town Pride

We are delighted and excited to announce that Cape Town Pride has won the bid to host WorldPride in 2028. This is the first time a WorldPride will be held in Africa.

Cape Town Pride beat fellow bidder Guadalajara Pride, Mexico, after the bid was presented to members of InterPride at the 42nd Annual General Meeting & World Conference which was held from 23 to 27 October 2024 in Medellín, Colombia. The membership met to network, share knowledge, attend workshops and caucuses, and take care of InterPride’s business. This included awarding the license for WorldPride, a global event organized by a full member organization. Out of the 500 eligible voters, 198 ballots were submitted. 53% voted in favour of Cape Town Pride. 44% voted in favour of Guadalajara Pride. Three percent (3%) of the voters abstained.

InterPride Co-Presidents Ymania Brown, Hadi Damien, and Rahul Upadhyay commented: “We congratulate Cape Town Pride for winning the license to host WorldPride in 2028. We look forward to supporting them to deliver their bid, which promises to be a strong and impactful WorldPride. We also congratulate Guadalajara Pride for an excellent application.”

Cape Town Pride CEO Tommy Patterson said, “We are thrilled at the news and for this support shown by our world LGBTI+ family. The team did a wonderful job, and we all forged great friendships and allies from Pride groups from all over the globe”.

Cllr Roberto Quintas, who represented the City of Cape Town, said; “It was an incredible privilege to be a part of the World Pride Cape Town 2028 Bid Team in Medellin, Colombia, in October. This means a lot for the many LGBTQIA+ people without a voice, and who live in fear of persecution, prosecution and worse in the region and on the continent. We are thrilled to announce that we “brought it home” and that our Mother City, on the southernmost tip of Africa, will be hosting this global event in four years’ time.”

WorldPride is an international event that features a human rights conference, an arts and culture program, social events, as well as a march to highlight LGBT realities across the world. It gathers Pride organizers, local and international speakers, artists, activists, politicians and participants across all walks of life.

The next WorldPride takes place from 17 May to 8 June 2025, in Washington DC, USA, followed by WorldPride Amsterdam, in The Netherlands, from 31 July to 8 August 2026

Past WorldPride editions have taken place in Rome (2000), Jerusalem (2006), London (2012), Toronto (2014), Madrid (2017), NYC (2019), Copenhagen (2021), and Sydney (2023).

 

         

 

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About InterPride:

InterPride is the international organization that brings together 548 Pride organizers from 76 countries across the world to network, share knowledge, and maximize impact. To this goal, Pride organizers design InterPride’s structure, programs, and initiatives to better support them at the local, regional, and global levels. InterPride also owns the label WorldPride, which the membership licenses to a member organization through a direct vote.

Cape Town Pride Festival Director, Wentzel Ryan live Good Hope FM

By Cape Town Pride

Good Hope FM present, Kyeezi, speaks to Cape Town Pride Festival Director, Wentzel Ryan LIVE on The Great Drive show about Cape Town Pride’s 2024 March and Mardi Gras Festival.

This is Cape Town’s loudest, boldest and most beautiful event showcasing the LGBTQI+ community, and will be taking place at the GreenPoint track on Saturday, 2 March 2024 from 11 a.m.

Good Hope FM will be broadcasting live from the event, with Rinaldo Felaar from the Hit 30 doing a live crossing from the street parade between 11h00 and 12h00 , The Matinee with Garth B hitting the airwaves between 12h00 and 15h00, and The Weekend Special with Carissa Cupido bringing the vibe between 15h00 and- 18h00

Belgium celebrates openness to diversity with landmark wall mural in Cape Town

By Cape Town Pride

Major street artwork titled Embracing Openness is creation of local artist Ellena Lourens

Belgium has today proudly unveiled in Cape Town a landmark street artwork- an inspiring wall mural to celebrate openness and diversity in the lead up to world-famous Cape Town Pride and as part of Belgium’s call to the world to embrace openness to diversity. Located in the city centre, Embracing Openness is the work of South African artist Elléna Lourens, renowned for her vibrant wall murals and distinct artistic style.

Embracing Openness has been commissioned by the FPS Chancellery of the Prime Minister of Belgium, in collaboration with the Consulate General of Belgium in Cape Town against the backdrop of this year’s International Public Art Festival (IPAF). The work is part of Belgium’s ongoing campaign which invites societies to embrace openness so all can benefit from the virtues of an open, tolerant, and inclusive society which can ensure progress and prosperity for all; values shared by both Belgium and South Africa.

“We are extremely proud to have unveiled this incredibly creative work. The choice of a wall mural was a logical one for us because street-art is highly engaging form of art public spaces and so it’s the ideal platform for this important message,” explained Mathias Bogaert, Consul General of Belgium in Cape Town, “From the moment of conceptualisation, Elléna knew exactly the openness message we wanted to convey. Embracing Openness echoes the spirit of Belgium as home to diverse communities and cultures for whom this value is key to progress.”

Lourens’ unique image embodies themes of love, unity, understanding, and acceptance. The artist’s use of her signature vibrant palette and subtle interplay of shapes are conceived to offer passersby a warm embrace and to provide them an opportunity for a celebration of diversity and for reflection on the struggles for openness.

“For me this commission connected strongly with my approach to art, I wanted to create something impactful yet warm so striking but not intimidating, to communicate what it feels like to embrace openness. The location means it will be visible to all celebrating pride”, commented Elléna Lourens, “Embracing Openness is very much about all the vibrancy of our cultures, by representing the diversity in two ways, in terms of love but also by offering a diversity of perspectives”.

Together, Belgium and South Africa are diversity pioneers. Last year, Belgium celebrated the twentieth anniversary of the legalisation of same-sex marriage, Belgium being the second country in the world to take this step. In the same pioneering spirit, South Africa was the first country on the continent to do the same.

The Embracing Openness mural is located at Alfred street, back of BP station, Greenpoint, Cape Town, 8001.

 

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About the artist

South African artist Elléna Lourens began working on personal and collaborative creative projects while in school. Since then, she has further pursued illustration, street art, painting and embroidery. Her style lends itself to the past in its representation of ancient symbols, patterns and colour schemes, while voicing an intuitively current aesthetic that resonates and seeks to redefine emotional iconography. She has immersed herself in the creative world. Working alongside established artists as well as furthering her own practice.

 

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About Belgium

Located in the heart of Europe, Belgium is a highly developed nation of over 11.5 million people with a reputation for innovation, hard work, partnership, and multilingualism. Strategically located between Germany, the Netherlands, France, and Luxembourg, and only a stone’s throw from the UK, it lies at the centre of the richest and most densely populated area in Europe. A member of the European Union, Belgium enjoys full access to the world’s most advanced single market and customs zone which ensures extensive frictionless trade.

Belgium boasts a highly developed transport infrastructure, including the second largest seaport in Europe . Belgium is home to world-leading research and innovation facilities, multi-national corporations, and artisanal businesses supported by the investor-centric approach of public services.

About embracing openness

Embracing openness is a country branding campaign launched by Belgium in May 2023. The goal of the campaign is to improve the awareness and reputation of Belgium globally as a country open for innovation, partnerships, and diversity.

Belgium is a staunch believer in the power of openness for innovation to tackle today’s and tomorrow’s challenges. Even when other countries decide to go about it alone. Notable Belgian pioneering industries that are celebrated by the campaign include green tech (offshore wind & green hydrogen), pharmaceuticals, academical research, and others.

Belgium’s openness for innovation is flanked by its openness for partnerships and diversity. Belgium’s capital Brussels is the second most diverse city in the world and home to the largest diplomatic community globally. Belgium is also a proud member and host to a wide range of international organizations, with Brussels as the home of many European institutions.

With the Embracing Openness campaign, Belgium seeks to spread a positive message of openness on the international scene. To embrace innovation, partnerships, and diversity as drivers for a prosperous and sustainable future.

The Embracing Openness campaign is currently visible on social media, at Brussels Airport, and at diplomatic events worldwide. For more information, see:

Embracing openness in cape town

To celebrate openness in South Africa the FPS Chancellery of the Prime Minister of Belgium, in collaboration with the Consulate General of Belgium in Cape Town, created a custom mural to celebrate Belgian and South African openness for diversity. Belgium was the second country worldwide to legalise same-sex marriage for couples, South Africa the fifth.

Located in the city centre of Cape Town, the mural is the work of South African artist Elléna Lourens, renowned for her vibrant wall murals.

The Embracing Openness mural is located on the Pride Wall at the back of BP station at Alfred street, Greenpoint, Cape Town, 8001. It was formally unveiled to the world on Sunday 18 February, in advance of the Cape Town Pride on March 2nd 2024.

Contact

Lies Deneys

Economic and Public Diplomacy Attaché

Consulate General of Belgium in South Africa

liesbeth.deneys@diplobel.fed.be

 

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About Baz-Art

Baz-Art is a non-profit organisation established in 2016, which focuses on producing art in public spaces and creating opportunities for street artists.

We believe that art speaks louder and allows for impactful storytelling. Our vision is to grow a greater consciousness and awareness of the powerful impact of urban art and public placemaking , as well as the potential of the creative sector in Africa.  When using art as a storytelling tool, the sky is our only limit.

Social media platforms:

Instagram @bazart_official

Facebook Baz-Art

Youtube Baz-Art

About IPAF 2024

Baz-Art believes that Art should be accessible to all. Public art and placemaking can be used as a development strategy for job creation, tourism stimulation and heritage celebration. With the 8th edition of the International Public Arts Festival, their goal was to focus on: public placemaking and ground-breaking public artworks while generating economic development.

This year’s theme “CoACT | CoLLAB,” focused on creative collaboration across various disciplines, sectors, and cultures; strengthening ties and forging connection through communal action.

The heart of the festival was Company’s Garden where they curated a holistic experience for their visitors including workshops, food & drink vendors and a chill zone. It was also the starting point for guided street art tours through Cape Town CBD, allowing people to see and experience street art murals from 2024 and 2023.

We invited the public to explore the city and its creativity over the festival period; experiencing new and thought-provoking public art pieces, all created through artistic collaboration.

Social media platforms:

Instagram @ipaf_festival_sa

Facebook Ipaf festival sa

 

Contact for Baz-Art & IPAF

Kathleen Pretorius

Cape Town Pride Magazine 2024

By Cape Town Pride

Explore the 2024 edition of the Cape Town Pride Magazine for information on all the events happening this season.

IN MEMORIAM: Keith Coventry AKA Kitty van Cartier de la Poof

By Cape Town Pride

by Evan Tsouroulis

In October 2023, Keith Coventry, the backbone of the Cape Town Pride organisation, passed away unexpectedly. He was perhaps not as well-known as Tommy Patterson, the CEO of Cape Town Pride and his husband of over 40 years, as he was happy to be in the background and was quite shy until he got to know you. But once he was comfortable with you, he could be flamboyant and a bit extra. Sometimes his persona a party girl hid his intelligence and his commitment to LGBTIQ+ rights.

I met Kitty in Harare in the early 90s when he and Tommy moved back to Zimbabwe. Kitty is how he was introduced to me and that’s what I always called him, although I was told to refer to him as Keith in front of his mother. Well, that didn’t last long. At first, we tiptoed around each other, each one unsure of what to make of the other. But we slowly became friendly, as I was a guest at Tommy’s and Keith’s legendary New Years Eve costume parties, and they used to attend salons at my home. After a while we became firm friends. After we all moved to Cape Town in the mid-2000s, we worked together on a couple of projects. In 2010, Tommy, Kitty and I started up OUT Africa Magazine, of which I was editor for a few years, and most recently we worked closely together at Cape Town Pride. Of course, we sometimes had a difference of opinion, but it was always a pleasure to work with him. He got things done even though in the case of Pride he got very frustrated at the level of bureaucracy he had to endure when submitting applications for event permits and liquor licences. But he had his way of dealing with it and did so without complaint. It is only now that he is not here that we have come to realise how much he did to keep Pride running.

Apart from the two projects where we worked together, I have to mention that Kitty was a Trolley Dolley with South African Airways in the early 80s. He absolutely loved it and would probably still be doing it had Tommy not said, “It’s SAA or me”! Thereafter, he worked with Tommy in their publishing business as well as other notable ventures. In the 80s they owned Club 58 in Johannesburg, and then the Backroom Bar in Cape Town in the 2000s. I recently discovered that he founded the first gay publication in South Africa called Coming Out, which pre-dated EXIT newspaper.

Kitty was fantastic storyteller often regaling us with hilarious stories of gay life in the Rhodesian army and in Johannesburg in the 80s. He loved the theatre, Barbra, Liza and the usual suspects, travelling, reading, entertaining, his personal trainer, his spaniels, over-tipping his favourite bartender at Crew Bar. He enjoyed his life which he left too soon.  Of course, I’m sad he’s gone, but when I think of him, I cannot help but smile.

Thinking About Coming Out During Pride?

By Cape Town Pride

Coming out is a process of understanding, accepting, and valuing your sexual orientation/identity. It involves both exploring your identity and sharing your identity with others. Coming out can be a gradual process or one that is very sudden. The first step usually involves coming out to yourself, often with a realisation that feelings you’ve had for some time make sense if you can define them as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or queer.

Coming out can be a very difficult process. Our society strongly enforces codes of behaviour regarding sexual orientation and gender identity, and most people receive the message that they must be heterosexual and act according to society’s definition of their gender. For gay, lesbian, and bisexual persons, there may be a sense of being different or of not fitting into the roles expected of you by your family, friends, workplace or greater society. Coming out involves facing societal responses and attitudes toward LGBTQ people. You may feel ashamed, isolated, and afraid.

Although coming out can be difficult, it can also be a very liberating and freeing process. You may feel like you can finally be authentic and true to who you are. You may find a whole community of people like you and feel supported and inspired. Even if it’s scary to think about coming out to others, sometimes the reward can be worth the challenge that coming out entails.

Individuals do not move through the coming out process at the same speed. The process is very personal. It happens in different ways and occurs at different ages for different people. Some people are aware of their sexual identity at an early age, and others arrive at this awareness after many years. Coming out is a continuing, sometimes lifelong, process.

Once you accept that you’re lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer, you can decide to be out to others or to stay “in the closet.” You are the only person who can decide when and how it is safe to come out. You may decide to come out in one part of your life and not in another. For example, some people are out to their families but in the closet at work; some people are out at school but in the closet with their families.

Six Stages to Coming Out

The Cass Theory, developed by Vivian Cass (1979) is a six-stage model that describes the developmental process individuals go through as they consider and then acquire a homosexual identity. This model includes lesbian, gay and bisexual identities. You may find yourself in one of these stages. Know that what you are experiencing is completely normal and that many others have had similar experiences.
  • Stage 1 – Identity Confusion: You begin to wonder whether you may be homosexual. Along with other thoughts and feelings, you may experience denial and confusion.

  • Stage 2 – Identity Comparison: You accept the possibility that you may be gay and face the social isolation that can occur with this new identity.

  • Stage 3 – Identity Tolerance: Your acceptance of your homosexuality increases, and you begin to tolerate this identity. Although confusion and distress concerning your sexual orientation decreases, you may feel increased isolation and alienation as your self-concept becomes increasingly different from society’s expectations of you. In this stage, you often begin to contact members of the LGB community.

  • Stage 4 – Identity Acceptance: You have resolved most questions concerning your sexual identity and have accepted yourself as homosexual. You have increasing contact with the LGB community

  • Stage 5 – Identity Pride: You begin to feel pride in being part of the LGB community and immerse yourself in LGB culture. In turn, you have less contact with the heterosexual community. Sometimes you may actually feel angry with or reject the heterosexual community.

  • Stage 6 – Identity Synthesis: You integrate your sexual identity with other aspects of yourself so that it is just one part of your whole identity. The anger you may have felt toward the heterosexual community or the intense pride you may have felt in being homosexual decreases, and you can be your whole self with others from both groups. You feel more congruence between your public self and your private self.

Considerations in Coming Out

In coming out to others, consider the following:
  • Pick someone who you feel is very supportive to be the first person you come out to.

  • When you come out, think about what you want to say and choose the time and place carefully based on what will be most safe and supportive.

  • Be prepared for an initially negative reaction from some people. Some individuals need more time than others to come to adjust to what they have heard from you.

  • Don’t give up hope if you don’t initially get the reaction you wanted. Remember that you have the right to be who you are, and to be out and open about all important aspects of your identity including your sexual orientation. In no case is another person’s rejection evidence of your lack of worth or value.

  • If you have already come out to others whom you trust, alert them that you are coming out and make time to talk afterwards about how things went. Find trusted allies who can help you cope with your experiences.

  • Get support and use the resources available to you.

Resources for LGBTQ Students

For gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer people the coming out process can be both difficult and liberating. For most people, it takes time to know who you are. It is okay to be confused or to be uncertain about whether or how to come out. Remember, you are not alone. There are many others with the same questions and concerns that you have. There are also people and organisations that can support or mentor you. It’s important to find the help you need from the resources available to you. Here are some resources that may be helpful.

Online and Written Resources:

One safe means of beginning to come out to yourself is through reading about how others have dealt with similar issues. There are many books and articles available on all facets of LGBTQ life. These can include clinical studies on LGBT people, coming out stories, and resources for allies and families of LGBTQ individuals.

  • A list of general books on LGBTQ issues

  • A list of coming out books for individuals and their families or friends

Other books related to coming out:

  • Now That You Know. Betty Fairchild & Robert Leighton. New York, NY. Harcourt Brace and Jovanovich, 1989.

  • Beyond Acceptance. Carolyn Welch Griffin, Marina J. Wirth & Arthur G. Wirth. New York, NY. St. Martin’s Press, 1997.

  • Straight Parents/Gay Children. Robert A. Bernstein. New York, NY. Thunder’s Mouth Press, 1995.

Online resource for allies friends and family: Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG)

Cape Town Pride Wins The Best Pride in Africa

By Cape Town Pride

InterPride is excited to announce the 1st Annual InterPride Award winners!

Starting in 2021, InterPride launched the annual InterPride Awards granted to individuals and organisations that have significantly impacted our community over the last twelve (12) to twenty-four (24) months. Eight (8) award categories were established, and nominations were accepted from the general public and member organisations. The award includes a cash prize of $100, a certificate of acknowledgement, and a permanent listing on our website. The board of directors reviewed all nominations and decided which individuals or organisations were granted the awards. Of the 138 responses for nominations, InterPride is proud to announce the following winners of this year’s annual awards:

 

Outstanding Member Pride Organisers

Outstanding InterPride Volunteer

  • Emmanuel Temeros

Outstanding InterPride Partner Organization

  • Happy Socks