#Interview #SA | Brenda Fassie, "When I was still married I was also with women."

Following the legalization of gay marriage across America by the Supreme Court last week, many Africans took on the topic of homosexuality once again and expressed their views. Though President Mugabe is harshly opposed to the legalization of homosexuality in Zimbabwe and Kenyans  warn Obama not to bring up gay rights duringhis visit, South Africa was the first African country to legalize same-sex marriage ahead of the recent polemic. In 2003 one of S.A.’s biggest icons, Brenda Fassie, opened up about her life as a lesbian before she died the following year. Over a decade after her tragic death, mambaonline.com re-explored one of the most revealing interviews with the South African superstar.

On being with men:

It’s dangerous (…) for me because they’ve hurt me and with this disease that’s around it’s even better to be with my baby. It just happened just like that, lesbian I am, I’m a lover.

On her life as a lesbian:

I’ve always been a tomboy, I wasn’t aware of it then, I was just a tomboy. In 1979 I came (to Johannesburg) and then I thought I could be a lesbian. I’ve always been with women. When I was still married I was also with women. They knew. People knew. And a lot of people are into it now. They want to join in. They’ve started faking it. It’s nice to be the way I am. It’s not a problem to be so. It’s my life. I think people should concentrate on my music.

On African views of homosexuality:

According to African culture it’s not acceptable but according to nature it’s just nature.

On how it feels when others show interest to her partner

Some women are scared of me, I punch! I didn’t find her for them. They want to get to her through me. I get very, very, very sleazy. Men also want to try and entice her. Then I go ballistic. It happens every time we get out of this house.

About gay people:

They’re the best people on earth! I’ve never seen such polite, loving, caring, honest people. They’re so giving. They’re even better than straight men. And they love their mothers!  

On marriage and kids:

I’ll have a proper marriage one day, we’ll get married. When we decide, we will. As a South African music icon I think I should have my rights given to me. I was thinking of adopting also, we’re just looking. That’s going to keep us together because you never know.

Mambaonline.com