MAMBA TOP 20 NEWS STORIES OF 2013

The news this year was dominated by a host of international celebrities coming out (locally, our own celebs stayed firmly immune from the phenomenon), incidents of local homophobia, endless Joburg Pride drama and of course more horrific attacks on lesbian women.

Mr Gay South Africa featured often as did the now famous gay “traditional” African wedding and growing concerns about anti-gay policies in Russia. And, of course, who could forget that deluded Nigerian student who “scientifically proved” that gay marriage is wrong.

Here are our 20 most read news articles of 2013.

No 20. WENTWORTH MILLER COMES OUT AS GAY
Following years of rumours about his sexuality (and denials by the star), Prison Break actor Wentworth Miller finally leapt out the closet. He did so through a commendable act of LBGTI activism; publicity refusing an invitation to a Russian film festival because of the country’s anti-gay laws.
Read it here

No 19. NIGERIA DEFENDS ANTI-GAY POLICIES
Nigeria could well become one of the world’s economic powerhouses in years to come. Sadly, it continues to arrest gays and lesbians and to justify and strengthen its backward anti-gay policies, including the appalling Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Bill.
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No 18. WATCH: TOM DALEY COMES OUT AS BI
This one also wasn’t a huge surprise to many of us; Tom has long given off something of ‘gay vibe’ to those in the know. Nevertheless, it’s not every day a young global sex symbol, role model and Olympic sportsman tells the world he’s proudly dating a man. Good on you Tom!
Read it here

No 17. HATE CHURCH: MANDELA IN HELL
An icon to millions, including gays and lesbians, around the world, Nelson Mandela’s death was hijacked by the notoriously anti-gay Westboro Baptist Church. Thankfully, their threats to picket Madiba’s funeral came to naught (it’s likely they wouldn’t have made it out the country in one piece).
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No 16. GAY COUNTRY HUNK TRIED TO TURN STRAIGHT
Many could relate to sexy and openly gay country singing sensation Steve Grand’s confession that he had once struggled with his sexuality and even underwent (unsuccessful, of course) therapy to try to turn himself straight. Grand later disappointed his South African fans by pulling out of a planned local tour at the last minute in November.
Read it here

No 15. SOUTH AFRICAN GAYS KISS IN SUPPORT OF RUSSIAN GAYS
In support of LGBTI Russians, South African lesbians and gays staged two kiss-in protests in Cape Town and Pretoria. While the turnout wasn’t anything to write home about the participants were spirited and up to the task of locking lips for a good cause. A subsequent protest outside the Russian Embassy in Pretoria was a damp (and embarrassing) squib.
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No 14. UNILEVER REJECTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR HOMOPHOBIC FLORA AD
This feeble attempt at a witty advert to promote Flora margarine made local and international headlines, leading to much debate as to whether it constituted homophobia or not. Quinton Bronkhorst followed up with an intelligent take on the advert, which appeared to suggest that having one’s child come out as gay was worse than having a heart attack.
Read it here

No 13. JOBURG PRIDE HEAD ATTACKED
Joburg Pride was one of the most controversial topics of 2013 amongst gay and lesbian Gautengers. The chief organiser of one of city’s Pride events, Kaye Ally, told us that she was repeatedly assaulted and threatened by thugs demanding that she cancel the event. The claims were met with a mixture of disbelief, outrage and sympathy. Ally eventually postponed and moved the Johannesburg Pride event from the city centre to Sandton, citing security concerns.
Read it here

No 12. ANGER OVER JOBURG AND SOWETO PRIDE CLASH
Ally and her Johannesburg Pride event also came under fire after it was initially scheduled to take place on the same day as Soweto Pride. The clash led to a vociferous war of words as Ally refused to move the event. She eventually did at the last minute; claiming that she was forced to do so because of security concerns with the original venue.
Read it here

No 11. MR GAY SOUTH AFRICA RESIGNS
The often controversial Mr Gay South Africa competition was rocked by the shock resignation of the then title-holder Jason Rogers in June, less than two months before the Mr Gay World competition in Belgium. Equally controversial was the decision to have runner-up Steve Williams take his place.
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No 10. KILL GAYS BILL CHAMPION GETS COMMONWEALTH JOB
Political hypocrisy knows no bounds it seems. Many were outraged that Rebecca Kadaga, the woman who championed and ultimately pushed through the Anti-Homosexuality Bill in Uganda, was given a top job in a Commonwealth body that in part addresses human rights issues. Worst of all, South Africa backed her appointment.
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No 9. TRADITIONAL AFRICAN GAY WEDDING GOES INTERNATIONAL
One of our biggest stories of 2013 was the marriage of Tshepo Cameron Modisane and Thoba Calvin Sithole in a traditional African wedding ceremony. The nuptials outraged traditional leaders and generated international headlines, while the couple became role models for many LGBTI Africans.
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No 8. NOW BLOEM GAY MAN VICTIM OF POLICE BRUTALITY
We were shocked by the brutal assault of a gay Bloemfontein man and his brother by a police officer that was captured on camera. While it wasn’t established if the incident had anything to do with Neil Sonnekus’ sexuality it was an appalling display of South African police brutality.
Read it here

No 7. PASTOR: OSCAR’S FALL DUE TO HIS SUPPORT OF GAYS
Despite numerous complaints laid against him with the Human Rights Commission, homophobic Western Cape Pastor Oscar Bougardt continued to promote his personal brand of hatred on Facebook. In February, he stated that Oscar Pistorius’ killing of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp happened because the fallen sports hero was cursed “for openly supporting homosexuals”.
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No 6. JOBURG MAN GAY BASHED OUTSIDE NIGHTCLUB
South Africa’s often ineffective police force was highlighted once again when a gay man was bashed in Rosebank, Johannesburg, and he was unable to convince police officers to intervene. Readers were justifiably furious at the incident.
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No 5. SHOCK AS JOBURG PRIDE SHUTS DOWN
Following the 2012 guerilla protest by One in Nine at Joburg Pride, the organisers of the event seemed to have had enough. In April, they dissolved the organising not-for-profit company (some argued out of spite), leading to competing groups vying for the right to host the event. Months of drama ensued.
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No 4. NEW HORROR LESBIAN HATE MURDER IN JOBURG
The murder of 26-year-old Duduzile Zozo in Thokoza shocked not only the LGBTI community but also the rest of South Africa. It took the discovery of her half-naked body, which had been brutally violated with a toilet brush, to spark wide interest in LGBTI hate crimes in the mainstream media. The killing was broadly condemned and may have pushed the national hate crime task team to become more active, but it was all sadly too late for Duduzile. A 22-year-old man, Lekgoa Lesley Motleleng, was arrested for the crime and will go on trial this year.
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No 3. NEW OLYMPIC HEAD URGED TO HEED HUMAN RIGHTS
Thomas Bach’s appointment as the new International Olympic Committee (IOC) president came amidst growing controversy around Russia hosting the Winter Olympic Games this year. Activists took the opportunity to urge him to enforce the human rights principles enshrined in the Olympic Charter; principles that have been ignored by the IOC whenever convenient.
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No 2. SHOCK AS JOBURG PRIDE POSTPONED
The Joburg Pride drama seemed to have no end last year. And after months of debates, allegations and insults, organiser Kaye Ally shocked us all by postponing and moving the much-hyped “back to our roots” event from Newtown to Sandton, a week before it was set to take place. While Ally insisted this was for security reasons, the event and the organisers took a battering and lost credibility among some in the community. The Sandton event was successfully held a month later but with a smaller turnout than in previous years.
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No 1. STUDENT “SCIENTIFICALLY PROVES” GAY MARRIAGE IS WRONG…
In our 12 year history no other article has generated as many comments as this one. University of Lagos post graduate student Chibuihem Amalaha’s absurd claims were only eclipsed by Nigeria’s This Day newspaper’s willingness to publish them. Amalaha was ridiculed around the world and his nursery school understanding of science let to the university distancing itself from his “research,” which it called “puerile and pseudo-scientific”.
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