Modern-day society promotes acceptance, where people from different race groups, religious beliefs and sexual orientation can live without fear. But is everyone truly accepted?
In an attempt to reach out to the largely marginalised Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Intersex (LGBTQI) community, the ANC Women’s League (ANCWL) is launching a special desk for them on Friday, January 10.
The aim of the desk is to offer a space for the community’s members to express themselves; while influencing the movement in its articulation, policies and resolutions.
The desk will be launched in Kimberley, just a day before the 2020 celebration of the ANC’s January 8 rally, which will celebrate the 108th anniversary of the ANC’s formation in 1912 in Mangaung.
The league’s secretary-general, Meokgo Matuba, says it was a known fact that the LGBTQI community often faced homophobic attacks in South Africa. She also expresses her concern that in some cases, people are often murdered for their sexual orientation.
Matuba explained that according to a five-year report by the Hate Crimes Working Group, the most discriminated-against group in South Africa are the LGBTQI community.
According to the report, Matuba says 35% of hate crimes reported stem from LGBTQI people. She says this happens despite the protection of LGBTQI community rights in section 9 of the Constitution, which forbids discrimination on the basis of sex, gender or sexual orientation.
In 2017, research by a range of source and contained in the March monthly edition of Fast Facts by the South African Institute of Race Relations; showed that four out of 10 LGBTQI South Africans know of someone who has been murdered for either being lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.
According to State-Sponsored Homophobia, the 13th edition published by the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association March 2019, while South Africa is a leader in its own rights in terms of marriage equality, constitutional rights and legal protection from discrimination for LGBTQI people, there is still much to be done to resolve homophobia.
According to the report, SA has high rates of rape and homophobic crime, perpetrated disproportionately against lesbians of colour in poorer townships.
With this in mind, it seems the ANC is one of the few parties which have such a desk. Matuba explains one of the desk’s functions will be to advocate for safety and security of the LGBTQ sector. It will also look at how police handle cases pertaining to the LGBTQI community.
As the ANCWL focuses on a community which are often seen as outcasts, do you feel this initiative must be brought to other towns? And do you think this is enough to protect the LGBTQI community from homophobic attacks? Share your thoughts and opinions with us in the comment section below.
