Several groups came together for different events around the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia 2014, in the Motswana capital, Gaborone. Actions included a one-day queer theatre festival, a press conference and panel discussion, poem recitals, song, dance and storytelling, as well as a march and candlelight vigil.

Various groups come together for diverse IDAHOT 2014 series

The Botswana Network On Ethics, Law and HIV/AIDS (BONELA), Lesbians, Gays and Bisexuals of Botswana (LEGABIBO) and Rainbow Identity Association (RIA), and their partners, commemorated IDAHOT 2014 through various activities spread through three days – as outlined in their press release, published ahead of the day:

“Day one of the commemorations will start with a press conference and followed by a panel discussion under the theme ‘Is Botswana a Homo-transphobic Country, Perspective from affected communities).’ The second day will be a night of spoken word against Homophobia and Transphobia on the 16th of May (from 1800hrs) at Thapong Arts Centre (opposite Village Clinic) at Village, Gaborone. It is at this space that the LGBTIQs will express themselves artistically through poem recitals, song, dance and storytelling. The last day will be celebrated by having a power march from Game City Supermall to Kgale Hill at 0800am. Once at the hill, a candlelight vigil will be conducted and multi-lingual prayers will be recited by different attendants. The festivities will continue from 1400hrs with an Expression show held at Somarelo Tikologo Ecological Park.”

First “Queer Shorts” series held in Gaborone

Katlego K Kol-Kes staged her 3rd IDAHO event in Gaborone, Botswana, on May 17 2014. The Queer Shorts Showcase is posited to be an annual event, and 2014 marked the inaugural staging. Featuring 5 short productions by Katlego K Kol-Kes, Queer Shorts Showcase, expressed LGBT themes through various means. Kol-Kes was joined by 3 other directors from Gaborone with the sole mission of addressing the 2014 IDAHO theme: Freedom of Expression.

The productions were all between 10 and 15 minutes long. These productions are: Under My Roof (Institutionalised Homophobia), Horses, Rivers, Mountains, Men (Discovery/Coming Out), Butchered (Romantic Drama), A Real Woman (Defining a Trans* reality), and Sakeng (Male Privilege and Responsibility). With a company of 20, comprised of dancers and actors, the inaugural Queer Shorts Showcase promises to be an enlightening and entertaining evening of theatre and activism.

Queer Shorts Poster

Media coverage

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Synopsis of BUTCHered

Theatrical maven and crowd-pulling actress Tracey is celebrating her 30th birthday by hosting a dinner at her and her girlfriend’s apartment in the heart of Gaborone. The guest-list, kept particularly short, features: Frankie- a Television producer and Filmmaker, Thai- an Herbalist, Leo- Tracey’s best friend and Lawyer, and Deb- Tracey’s girlfriend, a Household Product Engineer. What is set to be an intimate dinner evolves into a claustrophobic affair when Sam, Tracey’s ex-girlfriend, appears and a trip down memory lane unlocks doors to secrets & lies and friends turn on one another in a fight for survival. Where is the line between betrayal and protection?

Art Exhibition

The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in South Africa, also reports that a dedicated art exhibition took place to mark the Day.

Speakers addressed such issues as self-stigmatization and societal stigmatization, discrimination and sexual diversity in the workplace, and called for the LGBT community to “awaken” and take the movement to greater heights.

After the forum, activists visited the Minister of Labour and Home Affairs to promote training for staff from the Labour Department on sexual orientation.

A dance work entitled “Keledi” [Tear], written, choreographed and performed by Kalvin K Kol-Kes, was also held on May 17. It was a solo work that was aimed at ensuring that Botswana had the opportunity to communicate without fear of segregation and discrimination.