JUNE Column - EXIT

For the past two years Durban has not been the most entertaining City when it comes to the LGBTI events, whilst JHB and Cape Town was known to be the best on putting great shows such as PRIDE and beauty pageants that got audiences talking.

Last year in June Durban hosted a comeback event ‘DURBAN PRIDE, I Am’ to shine again and put Durbanites back on the map. ‘DURBAN PRIDE’ was a weeklong festival with different entertaining events such as Miss Durban Pride and The KZN LGBTI Fashion Show which after them being such a success, they will be held again this year end of June. Regardless of the results by the judges, a few of the queens realized their potential performing in pageants and other competitions and took a big step forward to realize other opportunities in the entertainment industry. One of the finalists for Miss Durban Pride and Miss Gay Durban 2011, Diva Cadach in the picture, who has it all a queen ever dreams of to make it through but never wins any pageants she participates in. She wowed the audiences at The JHB Fashion Week 2012 on the runway with series pink lingerie and was the first drag queen to share The JHB Fashion Week runway with female models.  She believes Durban has it all but the platform to showcase it is simply not there. ‘Durban entertainment is too artificial with one and the same events happening every time but now I see it is actually getting better with some new productions being implemented’ Says Diva Cadach who is a local version of Tyra Banks in South Africa. She has a successful mobile Make Up business and is a bridal gowns boutique manager.

Diva Cadach - JHB Fashion Week

A Durban based entertainment Productions Company also hosted a successful Drag Spectacular where eight Durban’s best drag artist showcased their talent through cabaret and did what they love to earn for a living.  A few more LGBTI entertainment activities are taking place in Durban and the people behind it want nothing but the best! Durbanites are perfectionist and its audience wants what’s oozes ‘fierceness’. One of the most successful straight fag hags in the industry believes that LGBTI entertainment in Durban can also be used to curb and fight homophobia, hate crimes and also to educate people of all cultures. ‘I love how the people in Mississipi do it, it flawless and sometimes you cannot tell it is a man in drag, Durban LGBTI people can also use the same approach to reach to a larger amount of people as they have already started with such great entertaining events even for us straight people’ said a male fag hag from Chesterville.

While Durbanites are excited about these events happening right, left and centre, The Lounge, the well known Gay Club in Durban on 126 Stamford Hill is undergoing renovations to bring about a complete new look.  This will accommodate all kind of events, even some of the Durban Pride festival activities in the future such as Miss Durban Pride and The Lounge Mr Gay Boy. Not just that but also to give the patrons a fresh look and feel of the VIP treatment the cub aims to give them every night when coming for a party. Durban will also be hosting its 2^nd Annual LGBTI Film festival which features short films directed by young Durban LGBTI entertainers and film makers. YL.  

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