Rainbow Girls
South Africa, 2012 & 2022
In 2012, I attended the Miss Lesbian beauty pageant in the Khayelitsha township of Cape Town, South Africa, where I created a series of portraits for my project, Rainbow Girls. A decade later, I teamed up with Velisa ‘Vee’ Jara, a filmmaker and former Miss Lesbian contestant from Khayelitsha, to invite nine former participants to a 10-year photographic reunion. Over two days, we asked each participant about their personal experiences since we last saw each other, and what, if anything, changed for them over the past ten years.
The Rainbow Girls’ lives had transformed in many ways. Some had become parents and settled down, while others had travelled the world as activists. But in most cases, the dangers they faced as members of South Africa’s LGBTQ community remained the same.
Although South Africa has made some legal advances in LGBTQ protection, including the passage of the Prevention and Combating of Hate Crimes and Hate Speech Act in 2023, LGBTQ communities still face significant challenges, particularly around discrimination and crime. The protections guaranteed by the country’s progressive constitution have yet to deliver the safety and acceptance they promise. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex people in South Africa continue to be disproportionately targeted by violent crime in a country that has one of the highest homicide rates in the world.
Contestant Vee, Miss Lesbian Beauty Pageant, Khayelitsha, 2012.
Contestants Vee (left) and Nana backstage, Miss Lesbian Beauty Pageant, Khayelitsha, 2012.
Vee, Castle of Good Hope, Cape Town, 2022. "During this 10 years I grew up you see. This Vee, the youngest Vee and the innocent Vee and shy Vee, who did not want to stand up for what was happening around me and around my friends, is different now because I was shy before this. I was reluctant to talk but I had to learn to change that in 10 years. "
Siya, Gugulethu, 2012. “I’m 28 years old and I was born and raised in Khayelitsha. I have been volunteering since 2010 at Free Gender, a black lesbian organization based in Khayelitsha. My job is to develop young people’s skills in the community like painting & cooking and also teaching primary school kids. I have a full time job working at a phone company but I make time ‘cause I want to help.”
Contestants getting ready backstage, Miss Lesbian Beauty Pageant, Khayelitsha, 2012.
Siya, Castle of Good Hope, Cape Town, 2022. “The Siya of 10 years ago was angry. She was too disappointed and she felt betrayed. … I changed to be that person I wanted in my life. I became that thing I wanted in my life. I was that shoulder I wanted in my life. I became something that I wanted from other people.”
Terra on Long Street, Cape Town, 2012. “My name is Terra and I got kicked out of the house when I was 16 years old because I’m a lesbian. Up until then I lived a secret lesbian life and living a lie is very difficult; you have to come out and be yourself. I started then living with my grandparents who were very strict and taught me to be disciplined. Life was hard but you always have to remember - if I’m not gonna make it through this - who is going to make it for me?”
A lineup at the Miss Lesbian beauty pageant in Cape Town’s Khayelitsha township in 2012.
Terra, Castle of Good Hope, Cape Town, 2022. “I encourage the LGBTQ community to drive themselves to live a meaningful life. … I would like to say to our parents, allow LGBTQ community members and to allow their children to be what they want to become. You gave birth to them not to live your life, so let them live their lives.”
Visitor, backstage, Miss Lesbian Beauty Pageant, Khayelitsha, SA, 2012.
Terra on Long Street, Cape Town, 2012. “There are people who discriminate and criticise me when I walk down the street with my girlfriend. Community can break people’s heart by being harsh with their presumptions but we all have to fight hate crime otherwise I think we will always be the victim. We have our own freedom and shouldn’t live in fear.”
Contestants Nana (left) and Sino backstage, Miss Lesbian Beauty Pageant, Khayelitsha, 2012. Terra in 2012: “Even though they hate us, rape us and kill us - all we have is love! We love each other and they can’t break us ‘cause we are gonna fight - new generations like us. We are able to respect and love and people here in our community, in our townships need to know this.”
Contestant Sino, Miss Lesbian Beauty Pageant, Khayelitsha, 2012.
Contestants Zintle (left) and Inga Miss Lesbian Beauty Pageant, Khayelitsha, 2012.
Sino, Castle of Good Hope, Cape Town, 2022. “I have been trying, going to the community, street by street, carrying our flags. But, people do not want to listen. … They always say a girl is a girl. A man is a man. A woman must have a relationship with a man.”
Tsidi, backstage during the Miss Lesbian beauty pageant, Khayelitsha, 2012. Tsidi in 2022: "The township we are living in, especially at Mfuleni, it is not safe for us lesbians. The guys there are against us for falling in love with other girls — they think that girls are supposed to fall in love with them. … You have to be vigilant and look after yourself."
Tsidi, Castle of Good Hope, Cape Town, 2022. Tsidi in 2022: "Our own brothers are the ones who are hurting us. The worst part is that the police are doing nothing about it. You can go and report that person, and they’re arrested. But at the end of that week, you meet again the same person who got arrested at the corner. We are still not safe."
Hlomela, backstage, Miss Lesbian beauty pageant, Khayelitsha, 2012. Hlomela in 2022: "If somebody is mistreating or abusing you because you are gay or whatever, speak up. … Go out there and seek help. Do not stay in that situation. When you know you are not happy, when there is someone that’s taking advantage of you, speak up."
Hlomela, Castle of Good Hope, 2022. “I live my life as Hlomela; not Hlomela the lesbian. I say continue living your lives. … Don't let anyone convince you otherwise. You want to be Gay you want to be Straight or Bisexual and Transgender. … Continue with your life. You won't change who you are. … I am not going to change who I am because you rape me or you hate me."
Contestant Inga, Miss Lesbian Beauty Pageant, Khayelitsha, 2012.
Contestant Siphumeze, Miss Lesbian Beauty Pageant, Khayelitsha, 2012.
Terra at home, Gugulethu, 2012. “The name Terra is a butch name and it gives me respect where I live. I’m not safe living in Gugulethu as a black lesbian. I’m not safe in my community. I’m not safe in South Africa and I will never be safe.“
Contestant Nozuko, Miss Lesbian Beauty Pageant, Khayelitsha, 2012. Nozuko in 2022: “Being a lesbian woman in the township is hard. People call you names. You are not being accepted at your own home. Even outside you get treatment like a person who does not exist, or, like an animal. They say to us we are practising Satanism. They do not want to understand that Lesbians are also human. So it is very difficult.”
Zelda, Gugulethu, Cape Town, 2012. “My name is Zelda, I’m 28 years old and I’m a lesbian woman. I’m having problems at home because of my sexual orientation. I’ve not been tolerated for my sexuality and I have never been accepted to live my life freely and I’ve been told to change if i want any support. My parents threw me out of the house and told me to never come back till I change or bring a child as a woman or bring a man of my own to them to witness that I have changed."
From L - R: Nozuko, Thozama, Nana, Zintle, Hlomela; front, Tsidi, Miss Lesbian Beauty Pageant, Khayelitsha, 2012. Siya in 2012: ”The Miss Lesbian beauty pageant is our way of having fun, being happy and expressing ourselves. We are doing this for the younger generations to come.”
Funeka Soldaat, founder of Free Gender, photographed in Langa, 2014