So as you all know my hometown has birthed the country’s first drag king troupe –Bros B4 Ho’s earlier this year. If you’re not in the loop, click here. Show your love every Thursday at Bubbles Bar.
If you’re looking for something to do after work tomorrow night (Fri 3 Aug) and you’re in Cape Town CBD, Keketso Sisa Fatyela has organised the very first Rainbow Chill Party.
Head there any time from 6pm until late…rumour has it the beers and ciders will be going for R12 and shooters as low as R5.
Address: Monate Lounge 96 Long St, Cape Town
FREE ENTRY
All the details here.
Zanele Muholi is most certainly in my book South Africa’s most acclaimed visual activist. “Her work gives public life to a community, its joys, traumas, fights and daily existence.” She is at the forefront,if not the only, photographer documenting the LGBTI community with her focus fixed on hate crimes such as corrective rape. Her work is invaluable.
The exhibition Mo(u)rning will showcase many elements of her work seen for the first time.This will include several photographic series and her multiple award-winning documentary Difficult Love. “She uses the power of visual material, offered by photographs and film, to affirm existing realities and expose truths and the cruel aspects of 21st century South African society where loving can be dangerous. The exhibition opened today and will run until 1 September.
Stevenson Gallery
Buchanan Building, 160 Sir Lowry Road, Woodstock, Cape Town
Mon – Fri, 9am – 5pm, Saturday 10am – 1pm
MY OUT IN AFRICA GAY & LESBIAN FILM FESTIVAL PICKS
Firstly I thank Nodi and the rest of the Out In Africa team for always delivering. Happy 19th Birthday! The festival starts tomorrow at Nu Metro Cinemas in Cape Town (V&A Waterfront) and Joburg (Hyde Park) and runs until 5 August.
NUMBER 1: I AM WOMAN
“Meet Funeka Soldaat, intersex community activist and founder of Freegender (movement) who came to Khayelitsha in Cape Town, in search of a better life. What must it have been like to live as an out and proud lesbian thirty years ago, and to have travelled that journey right until today? This soldier, the meaning of her surname, leads the war against hate crimes in the township. She is a mentor and role model to many.
NUMBER 2: CLOUDBURST
Starring Olympia Dukakis (Moonstruck) and Brenda Fricker ( My Left Foot) is a multi-award winning story about an aging lesbian couple who take to the road when one is committed to a nursing home. Vintage butch / femme, potentially heart wrenching.
NUMBER 3: STUD LIFE
This promises to be sheer eye candy. The story of JJ – a young butch and her best gay best friend Seb. Modern day love story witch a kick-ass soundtrack.
So, I’m back. Funny story – I was abducted by vampire lesbian aliens and taken to their planet. They intended to conduct reproductive experiments! Scary stuff! Fortunately pity was bestowed on me and I narrowly escaped with the assistance of an inhabitant who has to remain nameless for reasons I am sure you can imagine. I am writing this during my adjustment period. Take a journey with me as I acclimatise back into my reality.
I live in my hometown and the biggest plus of this is living relatively close to my loved ones. Close enough to share a life and far enough to limit surprise visits. I come from a long line of warrior women heading up the family tree. So it’s safe to say I was born to live well. Throughout my life my mother and younger sister have been my rock. Sharing all my insanities and in some ways creating them, an inseparable tripod. They are my powerhouse and a life without them is unimaginable. I know and understand them as I do myself. From our tragic start I believe with and through them I am moving towards the life I design.
My mother, happily re-married to a wonderful man is softer now. I see this in the way she cares for him and when the family grandchildren are around. She is finally ready to embrace that side of herself. Her former self has died. This woman who I see before me is free.
Then there’s my sister – my oldest best friend and perfect opposite. We are sea and shore, ebbing and flowing through life’s tides. No 1 fan & worst critique rolled into one. I have the joy and honour of being part of her life, watching her fulfill her biggest role as she now has her own family. And I get to be aunt to four amazing children! 🙂 Who I love and adore and always feel I can never see enough of! When I am feeling out-of-sorts I always know it’s my family I’m missing.
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On a neverending highway with the top down. That’s how my life is with K. I first saw her end of 2003. We had a mutual friend who invited her to a girls’ night I use to run. I noticed her on arrivaI and couldn’t wait to be introduced to her. I don’t know what I thought would happen but the introduction would never be enough. I spent the rest of the night wanting to be near her. The bubble was popped the moment I saw her leave, realising the woman with her was her lover. I decided not to agonise over this and push her right out of my mind. This would be short-lived.
Fast forward to the city’s Pride Parade the following year. There she was standing on the side. All I could do in my sailor suit is salute, whilst praying to run into her later.
What I remember most from the girls’ after party later that day was her pressing down my ear so I could hear her over the crowd. Her warm breath on my face. Over the months to come we would start our journey. I become lost in her in every word, every encounter, every kiss, every touch. I lived for these moments – playing hippies in the sun, always stealing time. Believing the world outside was as blissfully unaware of us as I was of it.
We’ve said goodbye at least a dozen times. To the point there wasn’t much to say anymore, or anything new to add. The year is 2009, Good Friday. This time felt different and I knew it as her car pulled up. Life as I knew it spiraled out from this point. Think of all the things that can add stress to your life and that pretty much sums up the next six months of my life. By September I was back home with the folks, defeated. No matter from which angle I reflect on that time, it was always time to go home then.
Less than two months later K was home from abroad. By New Year’s Eve it became clear the door had never been closed between us and this time was ours. I remember being away in the north of the country for a potential work opportunity. UNBEARABLE!
Now here we are more than two and half years later and I’m sneakily watching her practice her first self choreographed burlesque piece to the sounds of Lovage. And I know for the first time in my life I am exactly where I am supposed to be.
“Love is the ultimate outlaw. It just won’t adhere to any rules. The most any of us can do is to sign on as its accomplice. Instead of vowing to honour and obey, maybe we should swear to aid and abet. That would mean that security is out of the question. The words “make” and “stay” become inappropriate. My love for you has no strings attached. I love you for free.” – Tom Robbins (Something she sent me 5 November 2009)
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On a winter’s day like today, whistling wind, rain gushing on the panoramic windows overlooking the city, I love to listen to old records. When it comes to music, I’m an old soul with very little love for modern music. Maybe it has something to do with music being my first love and the impact of the music I grew up with. I’ve spent most of my adult life searching for music, surrounding myself with it. This is truly where I can be ME. I am always plugged into music with a 24/7 dj living in my brain.
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My city is beautiful and when I want to get away from the madness I retreat to Kalk Bay. This little fisherman’s village has managed to remain true to its origins whilst embracing the times. If you’re ever in the city it’s a must. As a day trip or stay over, there is so much to soak up. There’s a little guesthouse we love, Chartfield. My lady and I recommend what we call “The Captain’s Cabin” – the only loft room with a view of the harbour from the balcony. It’s perfect for a dirty weekend away.
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SHOES! I love shoes! Butch and bulky that look like they’ll never be worn down. I stroll through the men’s department of any store drooling for the next great buy. In 1999 en route to NYC I stopped over in Milan and most of my time I was head down looking at people’s shoes. Lucky for me K has a shoe fetish and I get to enjoy many, many treats of the feminine kind.
There you have it, my top 5 favourite things. Pivotal to my existence and happiness! 😉
A few months ago we wondered if Cape Town had any drag kings and we had an intimate gathering/pow-wow/drinks with friends at home to talk about the possibly of a culture of drag kings being cultivated in the city/village of our Mother City.
We have a thriving drag queen culture (hey Jujubee even came down to judge one of our drag queen pageants last year). Cape Town’s first drag bar was the Brunswick Bar that was around only in the mid-90s and working behind the bar there just happened to be my first job, fresh out of school.
But drag kings. Lets just say that drag kings are unheard of round these here parts.
Ok, so some of the buddies we had over were open to performing and those who were sceptical were of the thinking that: Yes, I a lesbian but that doesn’t translate into me wanting to be a male impersonator!
BUT
Since then we’ve seen the birth of St Dude, who goes by the tagline of Cape Town’s smoothest live rapping drag king. He writes his own lyrics and now has a regular Friday night slot at Cape Town’s only drag bar – Bubbles.
St Dude - "Cape Town's smoothest live rapping drag king"
Our one and only Johnny Deep, who was the poster king for our original call for drag kings, has since graced us with an act that is backed up a voice so unique and talented it is breathtaking.
Johnny Deep
Then we had a one-night-only spoof Barry ‘Jas Right’ White act by Yvette Fredericks who shed her homemade fat suit afterwards to break out some moves as Chris Brown in a rendition of Deuces.
Barry 'Jas Right' White
Daniel Fox also got in touch to say we should expect a comeback show soon.
NOW…St Dude is looking to form a troupe! If you’re in Cape Town on 1 April (haha, no really) and think that this could be up your alley, you can discuss the idea with him at this gathering.
Drag kings have a rich and fascinating history:
Click on the pic to see more pics from the same era.
Hetty King (real name: Winifred Emms)
Olive Thomas in a man's suit.
Supermodel Christy Turlington butching it up.
Wouldn’t it be awesome for this legacy to re/born in Cape Town and for you to be part of it, whether through supporting the acts or getting on stage yourself?
Janine and Kelly
TheButchLife 