On Friday, 11 June 2010, The Forum for Empowerment of Women (FEW) showed a live screening of a first match of the FIFA World Cup between Bafana Bafana and Mexico at Entabeni Gaydor in Soweto, where lesbians and gays gathered to watch the game of soccer.

The event also aimed to revive the spirits of FEW’s lesbian soccer team, The Chosen FEW as they will be attending the VIII Gay games tournament in Germany.

More than 50 people attended this event in support of Bafana Bafana, blowing their vuvuzela’s to a historic goal scored by Siphiwe Tshabalala in a game that ended with a draw.

“It is an honor to attend this event and I would like to thank FEW and Entabeni Gaydor for creating this platform for us as the LGBTI community” said Tumi Mkhumba, one of the attendants and a member of Chosen FEW.

Mkhuma added “We come from different locations where a lot of hate crimes and discrimination occur, the space provided made us feel free and it also gave us an opportunity to watch soccer as a team which motivated us as we will be leaving for the  VIII Gay Game tournament” Mkhumba concluded.

On the other hand Thato Ndaba who also attended the screening commended on the turnout of the event stating, “it has shown that LGBTI people are also part of this country since they came in droves, wearing their soccer gear to support Bafana Bafana.”

“For the love of soccer and our country we are here to show the world that we have potential as a country and as individuals we can unite and be one” Ndaba said. 

Speaking for FEW, Dikeledi Sibanda said “It was a successful event, the turnout was good, people showed their support for the national team. We were feeling it! Thanks to the organisers who did a good job, inviting lesbians from different townships.”

Asked if the LGBTI community can expect more screenings of this nature organised by FEW Sibanda said “We would like to plan another event but due to financial problems and the work that we have to do at the moment, preparing the Chosen FEW for the trip to Germany next month, we cannot. But we can collaborate or partner with people who want to organise.”

Now all eyes are on the game between Bafana Bafana and Uruguay tomorrow 16 June, which coincides with Youth Day.

This is a day where the country remembers young people who were killed by the police under the apartheid government as they marched against segregation and the use of Afrikaans as a medium of instruction on 16 June 1976.

FEW salutes those who lost their lives in the struggle for liberation, as we continue the battle for recognition of LGBTI rights, we draw strength from the courage they showed in those years.