Pride Month: Mzansi celebs who are out loud and proud [photos]

Pride Month: Mzansi celebs who are out loud and proud [photos]Marc Lottering, Lasizwe, PJ Powers and more: Take a look at nine Mzansi celebs who are part of the LGBTQI community.

by Naledi de Wee

15-10-2022 19:03

in LGBTQIA

Marc Lottering and Lasizwe Dambuza are just two Mzansi celebs who are out loud and proud about their sexuality. Images via Instagram @marc_lottering @lasizwe

Some of South Africa's celebrities have been proud and out loud about being queer. Here are nine SA celebs that are proud of representing the LGBTQI community! The list includes the likes of PJ Powers, Thandiswa Mazwai, Lasziwe Dambuza and Toya Delazy.

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ALSO READ: History in the making: Chris Pappas will be SA's first openly gay mayor

SOMIZI MHLONGO Somizi might be one of South Africa's most popular LGBTQI celebrities. The television personality is an openly gay man who is not afraid to bring it. The former Idols SA judge always stuns in flamboyant outfits.

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A post shared by Somizi (@somizi)

-- PJ POWERS Award-winning musician PJ Powers has been the voice behind some of South Africa's biggest songs including You're So Good To Me, Jabulani and There is Answer.

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In 2014 she told MambaOnline that she's always assumed that the public has been aware of her sexuality.

Oh, the whole world knows that I am gay. But I don't walk about screaming I am what I am' .

I don't like to define myself by my sexuality but when I walk into a room with my girlfriend, people ko know that we are a couple.

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A post shared by PJ Powers Thandeka (@thepjpowers)

-- MARC LOTTERING Stand-up comedian Marc Lottering is an openly gay man. In an interview with OkayAfrica, he shared that while he was at a show, one of the directors he worked with persuaded him to come out casually in a show. Although his manager fought against it, the 53-year-old comedian did it anyway.

When I did make reference in the show as to me being gay, it was almost like a moment of boredom from the audience, because they were like, We know. Are you really thinking about announcing this? We know you're gay. You dress well, you smell great. Obviously, you are not straight.'

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A post shared by Marc Lottering (@marc_lottering)

-- SADE GILIBERTI Actor and television presenter Sade Giliberti is also a part of the LGBTQI community. In a lengthy Instagram post, Giliberti shared that was forced to come out to her father when she was 19 years old after being outed by her journalist.

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There was a possibility that this could have ruined my career'. My father featured the same thing, more so he feared for my safety, she wrote.

She currently lives with her partner Chan in London.

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A post shared by Sade Giliberti (@sadegiliberti)

-- THANDISWA MAZWAI In a 2020 tweet, singer-songwriter Thandiswa Mazwai revealed that she stopped dating men 14 years ago. Men are nice and everything but women are such more. I'm sure you will agree.

The biggest part of that story is the fact that my partner is who I'm really co-parenting with. She has been so selfless and committed and loving.

When I realised I was gay, I hated the word. I knew it meant I was different and at the time I didn't know any other gay people except myself. Very confusing time, the Ingoma songstress wrote.

I stopped dating men about 14yrs ago. Men are nice and everything but women are so much more. I'm sure you will agree https://t.co/KRYQ7lpxwF

KingTha (@thandiswamazwai) April 28, 2020

The biggest part of that story is the fact that my partner is who I'm really co-parenting with. She has been so selfless and committed and loving. https://t.co/RVND4shAPf

KingTha (@thandiswamazwai) April 28, 2020

LASIZWE DAMBUZA Flamboyant social media personality Lasizwe Dambuza is also an openly gay man. Speaking to Sowetan in 2017, he revealed that he lost friends at school because they thought he was romantically interested in them.

The star shared that the entertainment industry was not very welcoming because of his sexuality.

If it's not my gayness, it's my age. People like what I did but will not hire because of sexuality.

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A post shared by Lasizwe Dambuza (@lasizwe)

-- LETOYA MAKHENE-PULUMO Letoya Makene-Pulumo married her wife Lebo Pulumo-Makhene in December 2020. The two celebrated their one-year six-month anniversary in August.

Speaking on her relationship with Lebo she said that she was told by many that sharing the news would ruin her career.

I tried to imagine myself in this secret relationship' and the complexities of not being able to really be me and to proudly love this amazing soul by my side.

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A post shared by Letoya Makhene-Pulumo (@letoyamakhenep)

-- TOYA DELAZY Toya Delazy has always been open about her sexuality. In an interview with City Press, she expressed that she told her grandfather (Inkata Freedom Party (IFP) founder Mangosuthu Buthelezi) that she hated dresses.

That was the first time I was allowed to go to church wearing pants and everyone just got over it, she explained.

The London-based muso married long-term partner Allison Ally Chaig in an intimate ceremony in 2021. The two welcomed their first child together earlier this year.

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A post shared by Toya Delazy (@toyadelazy)

-- SIMPHIWE DANA Simphiwe Dana is one of South Africa's most popular singers. In a series of now-deleted tweets posted in 2020, she came out as a member of the LGBTQI community as gay saying she had been holding it in forever.

I know coming out means Africa will block me. But, after a lot of thinking, I'm okay with it. I'm marrying a wo

LINK:	https://www.thesouthafrican.com/culture/lgbtqia/pride-month-lgbtqi-sou...
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