21 avril 2013

4月21日 南ア:ズールー民族伝統形式で同性婚 Le premier mariage homosexuel traditionnel Zoulou en Afrique du Sud


le dimanche 21 avril 2013
8時、快晴、23℃、70%。カタンガ晴れ。
昨日は15時半から雷を伴った驟雨。一時止んでから17時半には豪雨。滝の如し。

ネット契約が明日月曜日に切れるとメイルが入った。学習効果がVodacomのサーヴィスにあらわれたのか。そうあって欲しい。しかし、まぁ、期待薄。
8時、ネット、不具合。DLdownload)が旨くいかない。不通と同じだ。日曜日。15時、回復の兆しなし。
17時半、ネット回復。奇跡かね。

南アで先住民ズールーのカップルが46日結婚式を挙げた。チェポ・モディサネTshepo Modisaneさんとソバ・シソレThoba Sitholeさん。二人とも27歳、但し同性、青年男子同士の結婚だった。チェポさんはツワナ民族でシソレさんがズールー民族だが、式はズールーの伝統に則ってとり行われた。南アでは2006年の家族法改正以来ゲイ・カップルの結婚が認められている。アフリカで最も先進的な制度である。丁度、フランスでも民法を改正して同性婚を認めようとしているが、反対する国民の声も多い。
チェポさんたちは家族を形成するために結婚するのだそうだ。養子をとるには結婚しないと難しいのだろう。相思相愛なのは結構であるが、僕は時間が経ってこの結婚が間違いで離婚するということになったらどうするのだろうと思う。親権はどちらが行使するのか、円満に分かれることができるのだろうか。本人はかまわない。子供はどうなるのかと心配する。
同性愛は死刑だとする国もアフリカにはある。南アでもゲイ・カップルは奇異の目で見られるだけでなく、排斥の対象になりやすいらしい。チェポさんは、ゲイ排斥の考えをアフリカに持ち込んだのは西欧植民地主義者たちであるという。しかし、逆に、同性婚を認めだしたのも、オランダやベルギー、スペインなど西欧先進国で、ネオ植民地主義者の国々ではないか。
結婚は契約であると思うから、基本的に自由であるべきで、従って性の問題(ヘテロ、ゲイなど)を考慮しなくてもいいはず。契約は神との契約でもあるし本人同士の契約でもある。契約であるからには継続も破棄もある。伴った責任もとらねばならない。

チェポ(左)とソバさん
スールー民族の結婚式

Le premier mariage homosexuel traditionnel Zoulou en Afrique du Sud

Tshepo Modisane et Thoba Sithole se sont mariés devant près de 200 invités. Alors qu’en France le gouvernement vient de voter en faveur du mariage gay et de l’accès à l’adoption pour les couples homosexuels, l’Afrique du Sud vient de célébrer ce qui serait le premier mariage traditionnel gay.

Les deux hommes se sont en effet mariés selon un rite zoulou, entièrement vêtus de costumes traditionnels. A 27 ans tous les deux, Tshepo Modisane et Thoba Sithole ont choisi de célébrer leur union comme le faisaient leurs ancêtres.

Le mariage homosexuel est légal en Afrique du Sud depuis 2006 et le pays est généralement considéré comme le plus avancé du continent africain en matière de droits civils et en particulier sur ​​les questions LGBT, et ce malgré la réalité de la discrimination et de la violence généralisée contre les gays et trans. (La France n’en échappe pas non plus).

Tshepo, est audit manager tandis que Thoba est un spécialiste en informatique. Ils envisagent d’adopter des enfants : « Il est important que nous ayons des enfants […] la famille est importante pour nous ».

Ils aimeraient que leur exemple puisse inspirer les personnes de leur pays qui ont du mal « à se réconcilier avec leur sexualité ».

La famille de Tshepo Modisane et Thoba Sithole a soutenu leur union. Un bel exemple de réconciliation sociale, familiale et culturelle que la presse nationale et internationale a justement largement diffusé.

(関連英文記事、英語)
Thu, 14 February 2013
A Gay African Love Story
Thoba Sithole and Tshepo Modisane
On a continent where homosexuality is often seen as foreign and unnatural Tshepo Cameron Modisane and Thoba Calvin Sithole are loudly proclaiming their love for each other. Meet this proudly gay and engaged-to-marry couple who're determined to live and love freely.

The now 27-year-old men first met and became friends while studying in Durban but lost touch after Tshepo returned to Joburg. Thoba, who is originally from KZN, later moved to Gauteng in 2011.

They then bumped into each other at the Sunninghill Virgin Active gym, reigniting their friendship and becoming gym partners; supporting and motivating each other in their workouts. "We were helping each other with weights, training exercises and eating health plans," explains Tshepo.

The chemistry between them grew and they soon realised that they were becoming much more than friends. "We finally made it official and were an item,” says Tshepo.

“The great step that we took in our relationship as a gay couple was introducing each other to our families. We are so blessed to have supportive families who care about us. Even though we are gay they still love us."

The relationship strengthened and, one Friday evening at home in June last year, Tshepo proposed to Thoba. He accepted and the couple decided to do things the African way; respecting the traditions and customs associated with marriage.

"We communicated our intentions to get married to both our families as we wanted to have a traditional African ceremony and also have a traditional Western 'fairytale white wedding,’” explains Thoba.

With their families’ support, the couple have set the date of 6 April to have the African ceremony in Thoba’s hometown of Stanger. They expect over 200 guests and the guys will dress in their respective traditional clothing (Tshepo is Tswana and Thoba is Zulu).

“Since we are both men we have decided that neither of us will pay lobolo. The most that we will do is to buy gifts for our parents as a sign of appreciation for raising us,” says Thoba.

They plan to have their white wedding later in the year in Johannesburg as a more intimate ceremony and are determined to have children through a surrogate.

“Family is important to us and that is the number one reason why we want to have children. We also want our children to grow up in an environment where they are loved greatly by both parents who appreciate them,” says Thoba.


The relationship has become something of a cause célèbre in KZN, with a local newspaper celebrating their upcoming nuptials as the area’s first legal gay marriage with a front page feature.

Tshepo says that one of the reasons they’ve chosen to be so open is that they "hope to inspire people out there who are still struggling to come to terms with their sexuality”.

"We see no reason to hide in darkness as if there is something to be ashamed about. Our marriage is largely symbolic and a sign that black gay men can commit and build family through a happy and loving marriage,” he says.

Thoba chimes in that “This is who we are and we are just tired of people judging with no understanding. We are people and entitled to live life to the fullest”.

He adds that as a couple, “we have never felt any negative reaction that was blatant to our face. Most people have largely been supportive and excited about our union”.

They both agree, however, that there is a lack of openly gay role models in South Africa, especially among people of colour. "People are still ashamed because the vast majority of the black community is not accepting of being a homosexual. They see it as largely being a 'Western trend' that is in fashion lately,” says Tshepo.

He goes on to add that he has no problem being seen as a role model. "If our action of getting married and being bold and proud about it is emulated by more members of the LGBTI community who are black, then so be it. If people are inspired by our love and actions and want to do the same to follow in our footsteps then we don’t mind being labelled as ‘role models’ in the LGBTI community.”

Tshepo believes that “More and more members of this community who hold positions of influence need to come out so that people become aware that being a homosexual is not some disorder or curse from God”.

Thoba agrees: “Hiding who we are is what makes people judge us even more and makes them not accept us for who we are. If we can just live life openly then in time people will get used to the idea that gay and lesbian people are part of society and we are here to stay."

They scoff at the widely held notion on the continent that being gay is un-African and somehow brought here by the West.

"We grew up in a township and homosexual people have always been around us even though they were ridiculed by members of the community," says Tshepo, arguing that it’s discrimination, through colonial laws and attitudes, that was imported to Africa.

"Studies by historians and anthropologists have found same-sex relationships to have been in existence in pre-colonial Africa,” he argues. “Most Africans need to stop making excuses for their own fears and embrace that same-sex relations have been happening in Africa since time immemorial.”

They see Valentine's Day as “a wonderful day for celebrating love” but also believe that “each and every day should be Valentine’s Day” between people who love each other. They’ll be marking the day this year by having a romantic dinner for two.

Romance is something that they say helps keep the spark alive in their relationship. “Tshepo is very romantic and not afraid to show his love,” says Thoba.

“I think one of the most romantic things that he has done for me was writing a poem that was dedicated to me which brought tears to my eyes as I knew that it came from the heart. It is the small simple things that matter to me the most.”

Tshepo says that what he most loves about Thoba is "his calm and humble spirit. I love the fact that he takes care of me. I love the fact that he is sexy and I can rely on him as a partner that will always be there for me. His love for me has no begining and no end. We share a common goal and vision about the kind of life and future we want to live in.”

When asked what he most loves about Tshepo, Thoba says that he adores the "fact that he is really smart and wise beyond his age. I love the fact that Tshepo is goal oriented and driven about the future. Not forgetting the fact that I find him extremely sexy - and his six pack stomach as well. Tshepo cares a lot about me. I have experienced his love and it genuinely comes from the heart.”

Tshepo and Thoba are part of a new generation of young gay Africans who are determined to claim an equal space in their communities. Through their actions, words and love for each other these two men express the common humanity we all share. They inspire us to hope and dream that in an ideal world love may indeed conquer all.

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