Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
Born free, killed by hate - the price of being gay in South Africa
Source: BBC
Born free, killed by hate - the price of being gay in South Africa
By James Fletcher
BBC News, South Africa
7 April 2016 Magazine
South Africa's constitution was the first in the world to protect people from discrimination because of their sexual orientation. The country was also the first in Africa to legalise same-sex marriage. But after a spate of murders, gay people say more needs to be done to stop hate crimes.
Betty Melamu sits on a brown leather sofa in her living room in the township of Evaton, just south of Johannesburg. She's cradling a framed picture of her daughter Motshidisi Pascalina, known as Pasca.
[font size=1]-snip-[/font]
But the laughter and happy memories are fleeting, and sadness is etched in her thin, drawn face. Pasca was a lesbian, something her family knew and accepted. She had just turned 21 and completed her final high school exams when she went to a party in December.
"I don't know what happened after the party," says Melamu. "But she didn't come back."
Two days later Pasca's body was found in a field in a neighbouring township. She had been beaten and mutilated. At the morgue her family couldn't recognise her face and could only identify her by a tattoo on her leg.
[font size=1]-snip-[/font]
By James Fletcher
BBC News, South Africa
7 April 2016 Magazine
South Africa's constitution was the first in the world to protect people from discrimination because of their sexual orientation. The country was also the first in Africa to legalise same-sex marriage. But after a spate of murders, gay people say more needs to be done to stop hate crimes.
Betty Melamu sits on a brown leather sofa in her living room in the township of Evaton, just south of Johannesburg. She's cradling a framed picture of her daughter Motshidisi Pascalina, known as Pasca.
[font size=1]-snip-[/font]
But the laughter and happy memories are fleeting, and sadness is etched in her thin, drawn face. Pasca was a lesbian, something her family knew and accepted. She had just turned 21 and completed her final high school exams when she went to a party in December.
"I don't know what happened after the party," says Melamu. "But she didn't come back."
Two days later Pasca's body was found in a field in a neighbouring township. She had been beaten and mutilated. At the morgue her family couldn't recognise her face and could only identify her by a tattoo on her leg.
[font size=1]-snip-[/font]
Read more: http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-35967725
2 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
= new reply since forum marked as read
