THE SHOT — The front page Die Matie, the newspaper of Stellenbosch University in South Africa, that has the editor’s phone ringing with either praise or admonishment. The two gents were photographed participating in “Kiss in the Avenue,” where participants attempted to set a record for the most couples kissing at a single event; gays from all over joined in the fun. Editor Annelize Kloppers says, “This is the biggest reaction that I’ve had to any story ever.” Wait till you hit the big time.
the shot
What Happens When a South African Student Newspaper Lets Gays Kiss On The Front Page
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Devin
As a South African guy, this picture is really inspirational. Stellenbosch is historically a staunch Afrikaans University, and the Afrikaans culture has always been a stereotypically conservative culture. I realise that in South Africa we have some of the most liberal and equal gay rights in the world, but legislation does not always equate into social equality in any culture. It’s really encouraging to see that homophobia is being broken down across all fronts.
_atlas
Legalized same-sex marriage since 2006 and these idiots are upset over kiss over a STUDENT newspaper?
L.
@_atlas: And let’s not forget, being the first country to ever included equal protection in its very Constitution, a full ten years earlier!
McMike
Wow, that guy is f’n pretty.
News Paper
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News Paper
EttienneF
Oh, please. This was such a non-issue when this happened. I was at SU at the time and the first we (the students) heard about this “controversy”, was when articles like this were published.
While Stellenbosch does have conservative people (both Afrikaans AND English speaking), it is also very liberal. It is the home of the Voëlvry (Free as a Bird) anti-Apartheid movement, afterall.
While some guys from the male residences (our “fraternities”” did complain, the majority did not care. In fact, many people were rather annoyed that it was “front page” news, as if to imply that it is “shocking”.
As Devin says:
“Stellenbosch is historically a staunch Afrikaans University, and the Afrikaans culture has always been a stereotypically conservative culture.”
Yes, stereotypically. There is no such thing as one Afrikaans culture and here in the Cape we are tired of being placed in the same box as the conservative Boer verkramptes.