12
K
\4)AA^d^^At To4(/f^4^^
by Daniel Cothran
I left my post as LAMBDAs managing editor to study
abroad last semester on UNC s Honors Semester in Cape Town
program. As part of the program, students interned with an or
ganization involved in development. I chose the Treatment Ac
tion Campaign (TAC), South Africa’s largest non-governmen
tal organization. Among many other roles, TAC advocates for
the government rollout of antiretroviral medication and runs a
treatment literacy project to raise the com
munity’s consciousness of HIV and its treat
ments. I opted to work in Khayelitsha (ky-
el-eet-cha), a sprawling township of nearly
one million people, the majority of whom
live in serviced shacks. With the country’s
highest incidence of crimes, a high propor
tion of violent crime, and widespread con
servative views on masculinity and women’s
roles, it is difficult to imagine Khayelitsha
as LGBTIQ-friendly. For the most part, it’s
not. As well as hearing stories about women
who were raped or murdered because they
were lesbians, I also saw instances of harass
ment and partner-abuse on the minibus
taxi. However, a few of my experiences
relating to LGBTIQ issues were positive.
My first, and most powerful expe
rience around LGBTIQ issues was meeting
Athini (silent h), who came to the TAC of
fice to have his resumd typed and printed.
His painted fingernails and vivacity caused
me to suspect he might be gay, but no one
spoke about his identity. Afraid that he was closeted or that I
was misinterpreting his actions, I didn’t want to bring the issue
up with him. Then one day while we were talking, he said, “I
want to tell you something, but I need to write it down.” The
paper read: ‘Tam a gay.” “That’s not a surprise,” I told him, and
then I spoke of my involvement with LAMBDA and my work
as an ally, letting him know I appreciated the trust he placed in