Pride Month is a time for those who identify as LGBTQ and their supporters to celebrate and bring awareness to the community, and Given Baloyi is one of the people amplifying his voice on their behalf.
The Metro FM producer and reality TV star is on a mission to highlight the importance of queer representation on platforms.
On BET Africa reality series Unstoppable Thabooty, Given details his love life and what the dating game is like for a young, black, gay man.
“It’s important for media platforms to include as many queer personalities and characters on their shows as this a way of reversing the many narratives that have dehumanised the LGBTQ+ community in the past,” he tells TshisaLIVE.
Baloyi produces the station’s midmorning show, Break Away with Khutso Theledi, and shares daily motivational and inspirational messages through the BreakAwayNote feature, which he shares on social media platforms.
“I believe people are seeking positive messages that reinforce self-care and self-love and that’s why I’m so passionate about this.
“I can’t begin to describe how important it is for a marginalised group like the queer community to see themselves represented on screen and the radio in major ways. Growing up there wasn’t a lot of that and I’m glad that the tides are changing when it comes to this. However, I feel that more can still be done to break barriers and not only make members of the LGBTQ+ community feel normal but also to get the wider community to recognise and celebrate the existence of queer people in a positive manner.”
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