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Monday, June 7, 2010

Lesbian Footballers clash South African Homophobia

Tumi Mkhuma is viewing me her photo album in the small room she rents in a tough neighbourhood on the eastern outskirts of Johannesburg. "That's me when I was 11 - wearing trousers of course," she says. "I knew I was gay even as a young child."

Tumi has only had sex with a man once. That was last year, when she was dragged from a bar, beaten cataleptic, and then raped. "A month later I got morning sickness - that's how I found out he raped me," she says.

To be poor, and black, and a lesbian in South Africa is to live in danger. "Corrective rapes", beatings and murders are disturbingly common in conservative communities where homophobia remains deeply entrenched.

Last week I was shown the ditch where the body of Eudy Simelane was fearful. She was South Africa's most high-profile victim - an overtly gay, former star of the national women's football team. Her friend, MJ, said Eudy had been raped, tortured and stabbed in 2008. "Homophobia is rising, really rising," she said. "I've been through a lot in this community. I even have wounds in my body from being attacked for being lesbian.""Chosen Few... Chosen Few... Chosen Few." A dozen women are shouting out the name of their football team on a fragment of wasteland just north of Johannesburg's city centre.

Tumi is chief the chant. She's now the striker and observable star of South Africa's only openly lesbian team."We're all lesbians so I feel like I'm with my family. They always put a smile on my face," says Tumi, breaking off from a twice-weekly practice session. "In township teams lesbians are not permitted." We talk about the World Cup. The women have mixed feelings - happy it's coming to South Africa, annoyed that they can't afford tickets, and angry that women's football is not given the same high profile.

After two energetic hours, Tumi takes off her boots and sets off for home. "I always worry. When I'm walking the streets I watch left and right. I'm not just a woman, I'm also lesbian, and there is no fairness here."


The man she says assaulted her is still living in the neighbourhood, and although she's reported him to the police, they have yet to apprehend him. "The police don't take it seriously," she says.

"He's vulnerable me again and says he knows where I live. I don't have any protection. I don't have weapon. I don't have anything. I'm just me. Just me."