Drag queens are most welcome at Johannesburg’s 15th Gay Pride march next weekend, despite media rumours to the contrary, the organisers said on Friday.
“Pride 2004 is open to all who wish to attend. Drag queens are an intrinsic part of the [gay] community and we stand by our constitutional right of freedom of expression,” said Sean Lucas, promoter of the event.
Pride 2004 will take place as scheduled on September 25 with the approval of the police, said event organiser Gary Bath.
Metro police had earlier in the week said that drag queens would be prevented from marching, because it is illegal to disguise one’s appearance at a public gathering.
While Johannesburg Metro Police spokesperson Wayne Minnaar would not confirm that police had changed their attitude, he said there would be an “amicable solution so the march can go ahead”.
He said a meeting is scheduled for Monday to confirm all conditions of marching.
This week, South Africa’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered and intersex community voiced its outrage at the news that drag queens at the event would be arrested.
It was not only the drag queens who were affected, said Dawie Nel, the director of OUT, a health organisation of lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transsexuals.
“Drag queens … are the reason that many spectators actually attend the Lesbian and Gay Pride march. Many of them are full-time entertainers and enjoy a large and loyal following.”
Gay alliance wants arrests
Meanwhile, gay and lesbian organisations have condemned a press statement issued by the Gay and Lesbian Alliance (GLA) insisting that police enforce the Regulation of Gatherings Act and arrest drag queens at the march, reported gay website Mambaonline on Friday.
In two press statements, the GLA called on police to either arrest drag queens or not allow the parade to take part at all.
“The GLA will field 80 marchers to identify drag queens. We will then, via our own control room, demand arrest of such drag queens,” the alliance’s press statement said, according to Mambaonline.
The statement continued: “The GLA will never acknowledge drag queens as part of gay culture. The majority of gays and lesbians regard cross-dressers as unwanted elements within our society. These men acting as women harm the general image of gay people.”
The Western-Cape-based GLA is a registered political party that claims to represent gay and lesbian South Africans, but most gay and lesbian community organisations and media do not recognise the organisation as representative.
Evert Knoesen of the Equality Project told Mambaonline that he will be issuing a statement, supported by a number of key organisations, rejecting the GLA’s stance and legitimacy.