South Africa’s queer stories come out of the closet

Renaldo Schwarp hated being gay. As he navigated different periods in his life, one common narrative followed him – being openly out would make everything tougher. 

When it comes to LGBTQ+ rights, South Africa’s Constitution is one of the most progressive in the world. But reality plays out like the law of the land doesn’t exist. “What do you say to people who tell you the fight is over, but you hear stories of violence against your people everyday?” Schwarp asks. Refusing to be pushed back into the closet, he’s chosen to educate his persecutors instead. 

Schwarp recently took to safe spaces to document diverse stories from across the queer spectrum. With a multifarious collection of narratives, he produced a four-part Afrikaans documentary, Skeef, which aired on Netwerk24. This raw archive unpacks what it’s like to live as a modern queer person in South Africa. The layered politics of the LGBTQ+ world come into focus while Schwarp reveals the beauty of each person’s life. “By hearing someone else’s experience it brings us closer and opens the door to understanding,” Schwarp says.

The stories that accompany these faces have the potential to educate those who misunderstand this community. “There are so many underground scenes where queer people express themselves,” Schwarp says. “But it’s time our experiences become public.” As a television personality and radio presenter, he has the platform to make this happen. Together with the voices of South Africa’s LGBTQ+ community, Schwarp is teaching us the true significance of the rainbow flag.   

Footage from Skeef and the GALA Archives were used in the creation of this film

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