GOOD Statement by Brett Herron,
GOOD Secretary-General
31 October 2024
By the end of the year, more people will have voted in national elections around the world in 2024 than ever in history, with citizens of 64 nations having gone to the polls.
Increasing levels of Identity politics have been a prominent feature of many of these contests, including South Africa’s general election in May.
The Oxford English Dictionary describes identity politics as: “A tendency for people of a particular religion, ethnic group, social background, etc., to form exclusive political alliances, moving away from traditional broad-based party politics.”
In the US, it’s possible that the President returned to the White House next week will have done so on a wave of anti-immigration and anti-trans rhetoric.
In Africa, 19 nations held presidential or general elections in 2024. This followed a year, 2023, described by Amnesty International as characterised by the increasing weaponisation of legal systems discriminating against LGBTQI+ individuals on the continent. Thirty-one African countries still criminalise consensual same-sex sexual activity.
South Africa’s Constitution enshrines LGBTQIA+ rights, but the lived experiences of many still falls short of these ideals.
Pride Month serves as a powerful reminder of the work still before us to achieve true equality.
As Pride Month draws to a close, the GOOD Party recommits itself, beyond policies that protect LGBTQIA+ rights on paper, to creating real, equitable conditions in society.
We recognise that LGBTQIA+ rights are integral to the broader fight for social justice and equality, and recommit ourselves to building a country where everyone – irrespective of identity or orientation – can live without fear, with dignity, as equally valued members of our one society, the South African nation.
It’s no coincidence that South Africa’s first Pride March – led by prominent activists including Simon Nkoli and Beverley Ditsie, in Johannesburg – was held 34 years ago, the same year that apartheid leaders finally caved in to pressure against its policies of hatred, discrimination and exploitation.
That march was about more than queer oppression; it was a call for universal equality, underscoring that LGBTQIA+ rights are fundamental human rights.
Liberation beckoned, and was duly ushered in four years later, but freedom from discrimination for all South Africans remains a work in progress.
GOOD’s commitment to LGBTQIA+ rights align with its core values of fairness, justice, and dignity.
Our policies prioritise fighting discrimination, enhancing access to healthcare, and fostering inclusive public spaces. We advocate for comprehensive education that challenges homophobia and transphobia, and for stronger legal protections against hate crimes.
We say, it shouldn’t matter whether you identify as White or Black, Zulu or Coloured, Christian or Muslim, or gay or straight or trans. Together, let us turn principles into action and build justice for all.
Media enquiries:
Brett Herron, GOOD: Secretary-General
Cell: 0825183264
Email: bretth@forgood.org.za
Samantha Jackson, GOOD: Media Manager
Cell: 083 5509875
Email: samantha@forgood.org.za