Cape Town Pride is excited to host US based, South African born and qualified, Melanie Nathan. Melanie is an internationally recognised activist,  Executive Editor of www.lezgetreal.com and Marriage Equality USA's International Ambassador to Africa, who is outspoken on LGBTI and women’s rights issues. Her writings about corrective rape have been enormously significant in terms of getting the SA Ministry of Justice to consider legislation. She has worked extensively in the International arena of gay and lesbian asylum; helping asylum seekers around the world. Specifically, she has been leading teams to save Ugandans from being deported to certain harm.

In preparation for her trip to South Africa, Melanie recently had lunch with a few fellow activists in the Castro in San Francisco. Melanie Nathan was sitting with Molly McKay from Marriage Equality USA,  MEUSA Board Director,  Carole Scagnetti,   Matt Baum, Prop  8 activist, John Lewis without Stuart Gaffney,  (Prop 8 Litigants) and Lt Dan Choi. The lunch was about Lt Dan Choi's 30th Birthday, Mel’s advocacy trip to South Africa and the US Department of Justice's decision to refrain from defending DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act) Cases.

A rainbow flag was gifted by the HRC in the Castro and then signed by the activists and is being brought by Melanie Nathan to be gifted to Cape Town Pride - and will be auctioned at the Pink Ball, where she will be the keynote speaker.

The Pink Ball is one of the events in the calendar that specifically focuses on raising funds for the Cape Town Pride Shelter Trust – which is Africa’s first shelter for gay and lesbian people in a time of crisis.

Ref: http://lezgetreal.com/2011/02/sen-dianne-feinstein-commits-to-repeal-doma-while-activists-lunch-in-the-castro/