- Title: South Africa's LGBT community come together for black, queer ball
- Date: 9th August 2019
- Summary: JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA (RECENT) (REUTERS) ***WARNING: CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** VARIOUS OF CO-FOUNDER AND MOTHER OF HOUSE OF DIAMONDS, TREYON MOOSA, GETTING DRESSED MOOSA FIXING HIS BRACELETS MORE OF MOOSA GETTING READY HOUSE MEMBER PUTTING ON AN EARRING FOR MOOSA MOOSA WALKING ON THE RUNWAY PERFORMER, JESSE KHOI WALKING ON THE RUNWAY AUDIENCE CLAPPING PERFORMER, JESSE KHOI, WALKING ON THE RUNWAY JUDGES GIVING SCORES (SOUNDBITE) (English) CO-FOUNDER AND MOTHER OF HOUSE OF DIAMONDS, TREYON MOOSA, SAYING: "How this ball came about essentially was we found that there was really no space in Johannesburg for queer, black, femme, gender nonconforming, trans bodies to just go out and have fun and feel safe. Without having toilet issues, without having bouncer issues, without having are you a man, are you a woman issues? Just a space where we come and just be I think queer." AUDIENCE WATCHING PERFORMER FROM THE HOUSE OF DIAMONDS ON CATWALK MORE OF AUDIENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) PERFORMER, JESSSE KHOI, SAYING: "The importance of the ball for me is that we're giving visibility to queer people and specifically people who don't respond or specifically assign themselves to any specific gender or expression of gender. Which is I think such a beautiful part of what this is all doing. So that's why I love this." (SOUNDBITE) (English) PERFORMER, LERATO MBANGENI, SAYING: "Any space that celebrates queer black culture must be held as a sacred thing. Everybody must try to get as involved as possible, to support where they can, to be a part of where they can, because this community in South Africa especially is put through so much." PERFORMER FROM HOUSE OF DIAMONDS AUDIENCE CELEBRATING (SOUNDBITE) (English) CO-FOUNDER AND MOTHER OF HOUSE OF DIAMONDS, TREYON MOOSA, SAYING "What the ball does is it creates a place where you almost are a part of a celebrated family. So the entire- bells and whistles, the runway and the themes, are all just a package to say come out, we see you, you are valid." PERFORMER PERFORMING
- Embargoed: 23rd August 2019 12:23
- Keywords: LGBT safe space paegent ball
- Location: JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA
- City: JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA
- Country: South Africa
- Topics: Living / Lifestyle,Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA001ARHWBPZ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: People from the LGBTQ community in Johannesburg came together in the city's first official black queer ball recently, an event which organisers said was meant to create a safe space for people in their community.
"We found that there was really no space in Johannesburg, in the city for queer black femme gender non-conforming trans bodies, to just go out and have fun and feel safe without having toilet issues, without having bouncer issues, without having, 'are you a man are you a woman,' issues. Just a space where we can come and be...queer," said Treyvon Moosa, co-founder of Le Grand Ball, who started the ball with Mandima Qunta.
The ball was themed "The Winter Fantasy" and was a pageant where participants of four houses consisting of four members and a house mother, competed in different categories such as "African Royalty" and "Skothanas" -- a South African take on street style, in front of an enthusiastic crowd.
"Any space that celebrates queer black culture must be held as a sacred thing. Everybody must try to get as involved as possible, to support where they can, to be a part of where they can, because this community in South Africa especially is put through so much," said performer Lerato Mbangeni.
South Africa's constitution outlaws discrimination based on sexual orientation, and it's the only country in Africa that has legalised same-sex marriage. However, members of the LGBTQ community continue to face challenges, including homophobic violence as well as high rates of HIV/AIDS infection.
(Production: Shafiek Tassiem, Onke Ngcuka) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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