PAINTING MOTHER CITY PINK

Miss Cape Town Pride Zhang Zilin and Miss Cape Town Pride Bradley Benjamin took all the limelight at the event held at Jospeh stone auditorium in Athlone, Cape Town on 26 February 2011. Photo by Zanele Muholi

Getting bigger and better each year, the theme for this year’s Cape Town Pride is Love our Diversity, which according to organisers puts focus on the diversity sexualITY, “a culture that cannot simply be unified under the word gay.”

Gareth Dallas, Pride Festival Director said invited the entire lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer community of Cape Town and beyond, to come in their numbers to support the Cape Town Pride 2011.

“We have an exciting programme, and this is the one time where we can be visible, I urge everyone to come and be visible”, said Sharon Jackson, Deputy Director of Out In African Film Festival and board member of Cape Town Pride said

Founded in 2001, Cape Town Pride has formed a number of partnerships with other LGBTI organisations and companies, and through these alliances, it has been able to organise events which enrich the Pride Festival.

Out in Africa Film Festival, On Broadway and Gap Leisure are some of the organisations that Pride has partnered with this year, to present what promises to be a festival that Cape Town will be proud of.

“The fringe events [taking place in the running to and after the pride parade] provide much needed focus on the cultures within the gay community. For example, the Mr and Miss Cape Town Pride Pageant provides the drag community an opportunity to grow and develop their skills competitively. Fringe events like these help grow segments of our diverse community. It is not a massive surprise that the best drag queens in South Africa come from Cape Town”, Dallas explained.

This year’s line-up seems to entice all tastes since it includes a film premier, the Pride Pageant, Mr and Miss Gay Pride, Pink Ball, Red Party [which brings together 17 clubs in and around Cape Town], a day at Mzolis and the annual Pride Parade.

Cape Town Pride 2011 seems to have done away with the stereotype of Pride marches often perceived as just another reason to party.

“One of the issues that we are squarely addressing this year is corrective rape. Through our active involvement in Lulekisizwe and facilitating Melanie Nathan’s trip to South Africa, we have taken a stand about an issue that needs to be addressed”, said Dallas.

He added, “The success of the Cape Town Pride Festival depends on the support of the communities of Cape Town. We have the support of the City administration, Pride has the support of a number of businesses and some members of the LGBTI community – but to be the success we can be, Pride needs your support, gay or straight. Information about the Pride events is on the Pride website – www.capetownpride.org or alternatively contact us on 021 820 4554 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 021 820 4554 end_of_the_skype_highlighting – so save the dates of all the events you are going to support. And at the very least, show up to watch the Pride Parade through the streets of Green Point and Sea Point! Watch the press for details and keep an eye on the Pride website”