The streets of Sandton Central in Johannesburg came alive on Saturday as the city celebrated the 35th anniversary of Johannesburg Pride with a vibrant march.
Initially launched in 1990 as a daring call for equality, the annual Pride parade has grown into a spirited celebration of identity, love, and freedom. This year’s march continued its legacy of advocacy for LGBTQIA+ rights, promoting social justice and inclusion both in South Africa and across the African continent.
Founder of Pride of Africa, Kaye Ally, highlighted the pressing issues still facing the LGBTQIA+ community. Speaking with Reuters, Ally pointed out that “33 out of 54 countries in the continent still have severe anti-LGBT laws,” underscoring the importance of events like Johannesburg Pride.
Reflecting on the movement’s progress, Ally noted, “If you look at everything that we’ve stood for the last 35 years, that still requires a call to action. It’s a long milestone, it’s a good milestone in a sense from a South African perspective we have quite a lot of policies in place, that protect the LGBT community, not always implemented 100% but that’s the human element. But when you look at Africa, 33 out of 54 countries still have severe anti-LGBT laws, which says the activation like Johannesburg pride is very important.”
Participants expressed their hopes that the event would foster love and acceptance, with some urging the LGBTQIA+ community to “keep on fighting and stand together,” especially in regions where homophobia remains widespread.
