[PICS & VIDEO] Delft struts for LGBT plight
For the first time in Delft, the LGBTQ+ community took to the streets united on Friday and held a pride parade under the theme, ‘My Body My Business, Stop Gender Based Violence Against The LGBTQIA+ Community’.
Organiser Jackye Majawie, a transgender woman from Voorbrug, says they wanted to raise awareness about gender-based violence against the LGBTQIA+ community.
She started her organisation, Majawie Safe Space, in 2016 after being a victim of GBV and rape. She wants her community to be more supportive of LGBTQIA+ victims.
“There are always programmes happening for GBV against women and children but what about us, we are never part of that conversation and we, too, face gender-based violence because I am a survivor of rape and abuse,” she says.
“When I report these kinds of activities happening in my personal life alongside my brothers and sisters, then people are not taking us seriously and they think we are drama queens or dramatic; those are the words used to describe us as victims.
“Therefore, I want to spread the word to the community so they can also know that we face the same violence that any other woman faces in our country.”
The parade was joined by many queens such as reigning LGBT Miss Cape Peninsula, Emogen Moore. Afterwards, they went to the Delft Civic Centre where organisations gave educational talks and motivational speeches.
Jonathan Jantjies, aka Luvlot Monroe, opened his creche known as Luvalot Angels Educare two years ago. He says his family disowned him because of his sexuality.
“For me, it is heartwarming to hear learners as young as six years old say that there is nothing wrong having a boyfriend as a boy. I never taught them that because it is not part of the curriculum,” he adds.