With a focus on bullying in schools and misinformation around the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Intersex (LGBTQI+) community, the Gqeberha Pride Festival was launched on Wednesday, hand-in-hand with the second series of the Pride Film Festival.
The launch took place at the Masifunde Learner Development centre in Walmer.
The film fest, in partnership with the Eastern Cape Film Festival and Sunshine Cinema, screened the documentary, Call Me Kuchu.
Gqeberha Pride Festival spokesperson Mbulelo Xinana said the festival was a build-up to its GQ Schools Pride Festival where they will march from the New Brighton police station to Ithembelihle Comprehensive School on Friday from 8am-10am.
The GQ Pride Festival will take place in a park next to the Engen garage in KwaMagxaki on Saturday between 10am and 5pm.
The first pride film series was held on November 19, where organisers focused on high school pupils, predominantly at Ithembelihle and Newell High in New Brighton.
“Through a study conducted by social workers who visited various schools to identify the problems, it was found that members of the LGBTQI+ community were the most vulnerable when it came to bullying — not only by their peers, but teachers as well,” Xinana said.
“We felt it was important to call on the departments of education and social development to help sensitise the community.
“One of the objectives through our interactions with learners was to help them be comfortable with who they are, and not to be judged or mocked, thereby creating a safer space in schools.”
Eastern Cape Film Festival director Nceba Mqolomba said the film industry in the Eastern Cape was still in its infancy and he encouraged members of the gay community to tell their stories though film.
HeraldLIVE