What does it mean for queer individuals to see themselves on screen, and who decides how their stories are told?
- Queer visibility is rising, but control of stories remains a challenge.
- Panellists argue that outsider narratives still reduce queer lives to stereotypes and trauma.
- The queer is encouraged to tell their own stories, and for audiences to engage more critically with queer content.
At a panel hosted during the Human Rights Festival on March 28, filmmakers, writers, and journalists argued that while queer visibility in South African media has improved, control over those narratives remains contested.
The discussion was organised by documentary filmmaker and narrative justice activist Bev Palesa Ditsie. It brought together creatives, including scriptwriter and director Oratile Mogoje, journalist Matuba Mahlatjie, film writer and activist Mondi Motadi, and reality TV director Olwethu Mlotshwa.
While queer characters appear on screen, panellists stressed that visibility does not equal representation. The panellists emphasized that stories are still often shaped by people outside the community, resulting in portrayals that lean on trauma, stereotypes, or side characters rather than full, complex lives.
“Visibility also comes with vulnerability,” said Mahlatjie. “If it’s not done thoughtfully, then we are vulnerable as queer people.”
These portrayals, the panel argued, do more than misinform audiences as they also shape how queer people see themselves. Narratives that frame queerness as tragic or marginal can discourage self-expression, particularly for those still navigating their identities.
But the issue is not only about creators. Audiences’ response to queer characters determines which stories survive.
Mogoje pointed to a cycle where authentic queer stories struggle to gain traction because they are not always embraced by mainstream viewers. “The biggest culprit is the audience,” he said, sharing that rejection at this level can limit what gets funded and produced.
For queer creatives, this lack of control is deeply felt. “We are not in charge of our own stories,” said Mlotshwa, highlighting the resistance that often meets narratives that challenge dominant or heteronormative perspectives.
Despite these challenges, the panel pointed to emerging alternatives. Platforms such as YouTube help queer storytellers bypass traditional gatekeepers, creating space for more nuanced and self-defined narratives.
30 years into democracy, queer people are no longer invisible on South African screens. But as the discussion made clear, the question is no longer just about being seen; it is about being fairly represented and being in control.
The answer, panellists suggested, lies in shifting power where audiences question the stories that they consume, queer creatives are supported, and space is created for communities to tell their own stories, on their own terms.
FEATURED IMAGE: A photo of panellists engaging in a discussion on queer representation in film, hosted by House of Ditsie. Photo: Bev Ditsie/Supplied
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- Wits Vuvuzela, Being queer in African cultures and traditions, May 2025.
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