GALA has produced “Eyes Wide Open” as part of our HIV outreach programme.
This comic follows the production of the play “Coming Out Again” in which ...
CHIVES (GALA) AR N IA SB LE D AN Y A G THE tory Arc hive Trust t of the South African His An independent projec
Africa tein 2017, Gauteng, South P.O. Box 31719, Braamfon
[email protected] ail: E-m • 83 -17 : +27 11 717 Tel +27 11 717-4239 • Fax urg . et, Braamfontein , Johannesb Web: www.gala.wits.ac.za Co rner, 11-17 Jorissen Stre Phy sica l add (ad min .): 705
Uni ver sity
Dear Friends
our HIV Wide Open” as part of s ye “E ed uc od pr s e ha GALA ws the production of th llo fo ic m co is Th e. m alities outreach program people of different sexu ich wh in n” ai Ag ut O is comic play “Coming HIV and disclosure. Th nd ou ar es nc rie pe le. ex share their d affected young peop an ed ct fe in I BT LG th s was workshopped wi nt stages in the comic’ re ffe di at ck ba ed fe They also provided development. the silence rtant because it breaks po im is ic m co is th at We feel th sexualities. We hope it nt re ffe di d an V HI , I’s gether around issues of ST d that you will read it to an n sio us sc di r fo rm ue over time. provides a platfo ersation that will contin nv co a t ar st d an ds with your frien l teachers, organisationa to ic m co is th ow sh s may We encourage you to h or HIV/AIDS. School ut yo th wi g in rk wo ne urage leaders and anyo ation classes. We enco nt rie O fe Li in ce ur t so use this as a re act us to enquire abou nt co to rs he ot d an ls ita resource centres, hosp copies. ory the LGBTI HIV oral hist r fo d we ie rv te in be to ) 717-1963 If you would like 717-4239 or Paul (011 ) 11 (0 si Bu t ac nt co project, please at GALA. Cheers Ruth Morgan Director GALA
hbishop Emeritus , Desmond M Tutu Arc Biko, Justice Edwin Cameron chmidt, M Pickover, N ins Kle H , on) ers irp GALA PA TR ONS: Mr cha y put (De d Rei G ), son Ntsebeza (Chairper ell, R Saleh, N Stott. SAHA TRUSTEES: D s, J de la Ha rpe, M Pow C Rassool, L Ca llinico
Published by The Gay and Lesbian Archives of South Africa (GALA) Contact:
[email protected] • www.gala.wits.ac.za Phone: +27 (11) 717-4239 • Fax: +27 (11) 717-1783 Research and scriptwriting by André Croucamp (
[email protected]). Project management by Neil Verlaque-Napper of StoryWorks (
[email protected]) and Deborah Walter of CMFD Productions (
[email protected]). Storyboard by Andre Croucamp, Neil VerlaqueNapper, Anthony Dalton and Corne van der Merwe. Artwork by Anthony Dalton and Corné van der Merwe (
[email protected]). Our sincere thanks to the following for input and guidance: Busi Kheswa, Anthony Manion, John Meletse, Ruth Morgan and Paul Mokgethi of GALA; Steve Letsike and Toni Kruger of Out LGBT Well-being; Tonya Graham and Kebarileng Sebetoane of CMFD Productions; Mary Louw of Forum for the Empowerment of Women; Thuli Madi and Mashilo Mnisi of Behind The Mask; Jason Wessenaar of the Centre for the Study of Aids, University of Pretoria; and Sean Lotriet.
Have you ever had one of those weeks where everything you do just seems to get you into more and more trouble...? Eric?! It’s 2 o’clock in the morning!
Thembi, I’ve just had a romantic disaster. I need to talk. I got kicked out of Molefi’s house.
We were sure Molefi’s brother was asleep.
I wanted to see what I was doing. I lit a match to take a good look...
Molefi’s brother freaked out, and before I knew it I was forcibly removed.
I’m not out at home... No one will give me space...
Molefi says I’m too obsessed with disease... but I refuse to have sex in the dark with a new partner. Discharge! Sores! Warts! Who knows what! We’re getting infected and we’re dying because we have sex in the dark.
You need your own place. Check out Flora’s message board...
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I love Fabulous Flora’s hair salon. It’s a safe space for gays and lesbians. Everyone gets teased, especially straight people...
You see babe... the weave will give me that Beyoncé look.
Whatever makes you happy, doll... Hey! What are all these condoms doing here?
Darling boy! They’re our contribution to fighting all those nasty infections you get from sex. You do have sex, don’t you?
Take as many as you like.
If you are anything like me, you’ll need a handfull for just one night of passion.
At least we talk about it. In fact, we use our tongues for all sorts of things. You do know how to use your tongue, don’t you?
Let me show you a safer sex tongue trick with a latex glove that the lesbians taught me.
All you guys ever talk about is sex! Maybe you need to trade in your man for one of my girls. They know how to make a woman happy.
Hey, girlfriend!
Nthabiseng! It’s been too long. Those Jozi city girls steal your heart?
Why don’t you guys come to our party tonight? 2
Nah. They’ve got nothing on us country girls, babe.
I hear those old lesbos are finally tying the knot.
Who’s the new chick? Cute!
Trainee... Hey, Thembi, meet Nthabiseng.
Ja, thanks to our amazing Constitution and the new law... We’re celebrating their decision tonight. I know you don’t like hospitals, but you have to get that cough seen to.
Let me come with you to the hospital.
Yo, nice ass, ne?
I know. I’m just so tired of fighting my HIV... All the pills!
You need a free flow of communication.
And here is the bride... and the bride!
How long have they been together?
I’ll be fine.
Don’t think you can read each other’s minds.
20 years. How did they manage to stay together for so long?
3
I know what we’re going to be doing in the early hours of this morning!
Now remember, darlings... safer sex! Wash in a weak solution of bleach between sharing, and use with a condom every time.
Oow... presents!
We don’t like to admit it, but many lesbians get infected through unprotected sex with men and through sexual abuse by men.
I didn’t think it was possible to get infected through the things lesbians do.
There are also many sexually transmitted infections, like herpes, hepatitis and genital warts, that can be spread through lesbian sexual activities.
I didn’t forget you guys. I’ve got some presents for everyone!
Where did you get all this information? What the hell is LGBTI?
LGBTI stands for all people who are not heterosexual – Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transsexual or Intersex. We all face the same struggles and should stick together.
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If you are LGBTI you might want to RSVP to every SMS ASAP, but you should rather DIY and stay free of HIV until you find your own VIP.
I see you’re getting on with our Mpho...
Ja, but he’s like really quiet, hey? Just my luck! And he’s so cute...
Hellooo! Eric, Mpho’s Deaf! Hey, Mpho. Would you like me to interpret for you?
So experiment! He’s Deaf, not an alien!
Why don’t you guys come with me to the Jozi Pride March in September?
You are very brave to risk being seen as a lesbian out there.
I don’t think I want my parents to see me on TV.
Mpho says that he likes to think of the day he became a gay activist as his second coming out.
By morning we were all so tired, but we couldn’t stop talking. 5
A place of my own... free at last... free, as it would turn out, to make a fool of myself.
So what’s up with you and Nthabiseng?
I am so glad I have my own place. Hey, look who’s coming!
Nothing... yet. Gotta go.
Hey, Molefi!
You still insisting on a condom. Don’t you trust me?
So we’re actually going to do it this time?
Yes.
So you’re Molefi... I’ll leave you guys in peace... without an audience.
You are so focused on the dangers of sex. Look at me. Does it look like I have some disease? I have a pamphlet here somewhere where they list all the diseases you can get from sex.
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It’s not about trust. We should be safe.
You can’t see whether a person has HIV by looking at them. And there are lots of sexually transmitted infections that don’t show any signs. I’ll leave you to your medical books. I’m out of here.
If you really cared for me you wouldn’t let fear stand in our way.
You think I’m being irrational, but I’m not...
