We at Transracial are big on benevolence — which is why we’re particulary pleased with some of the more tangential activities surrounding tomorrow’s Gay/Lesbian Pride parade here in Johannesburg.
Since the end of last month, South Africa’s biggest city has been celebrating a few weeks of Pride activities — which sadly got some bad press when posters for the recent GLBT film festival were torn down by homo-haters.
But, the locals are moving on — and tomorrow sees the 20th annual Pride parade in Jo-Burg’s park-filled zoo.
Sounds fun.
What we particularly find impressive is the fact that parade organizers — who are clearly big on “inclusiveness” in this still fragmented society — are not just welcoming poorer revelers to the events, they’re actually making the effort to get them there!
As was both advertised in major GLBT websites and in The Star, one of South Africa’s largest daily newspapers, Pride organizers are sending busses to get folks from outlying townships to the event.
Indeed, free transport will be available from areas throughout Soweto and other economically-challenged (read: Black) towns to ferry anyone who wants to the city center to enjoy the events.
Busses will pick people up in the morning, and then deliver them back home in time for dinner.
It’s a welcome example of Pride Parade-makers actually taking inclusiveness seriously — and one we back in American could take a cue from.
Especially considering THIS shameful gaff during June’s San Francisco Pride event.
So right on!
[...] As you may recall, we at Transracial just returned from a fun-filled month in Southern Africa — taking in the color and culture of South Africa and Mozambique where we were stoked to attend the annual Gay Pride events. [...]