Happy LGBTQIA+ History Month! October is a beautiful month on the LGBTQIA+ calendar.
It’s a month-long celebration of the history of the community, and with the rich history of the battles won over the years, there is always something to celebrate.
Queer acceptance has advanced in leaps and bounds, and while there's still lots of work to be done, celebrating the progress we’ve made is something to raise a glass of champagne to, darling.
This October is special because it marks the 30th anniversary of the first ever Pride March held on the African continent.
That march took place in Johannesburg on October 13, 1990.
This year also marks 25 years since the 4th UN World Conference on Women in Beijing, in which South Africa’s Dr Beverly Palesa Ditsie spoke about the importance of considering LGBTQIA+ rights in the context of human rights.
With that, we decided to celebrate all things African, therefore, giving you our African Pride edition.
This edition focuses on the good, the bad and the ugly of the community, in the African context.
While Ditsie rarely gives interviews, she speaks to Queer+ about her activism, contributions to the community and being one of the organisers of the continent’s first Pride.
We also look at various African queer individuals, who have made it globally and even highlight some firm favourites.
Dr Nyx McLean, in this edition, gives insight into queerphobia and rethinking Pride. Enjoy.
Read the second issue of Queer+ below: