More than a month: why Pride reporting must go beyond visibility

Every June, rainbows appear across social media timelines and shopfronts. But at Quote This Woman+, we know that Pride is more than a campaign moment,  it’s a call to action. It’s a reminder that queer lives are political, vulnerable, powerful, and always worth quoting,  all year round.

Pride traces its roots to resistance. The first Pride march in 1970 honoured the Stonewall Uprising,  when Black and Latinx trans people and gender non-conforming individuals refused to be criminalised for simply existing. It wasn’t a celebration. It was a revolt against erasure.

Fast forward 56 years, and the struggle is far from over. In countries across Africa, anti-LGBTQIA+ laws are tightening. Religious fundamentalism is on the rise. In South Africa, with our progressive Constitution, LGBTQIA+ people continue to face violence, exclusion, and institutional silence.

And when media coverage is seasonal, stereotypical, or superficial, it reinforces that silence.

At Quote This Woman+, we champion queer voices as experts, leaders, and storytellers in their own right. 

Our Voices Fellowship foregrounds media training and visibility work that affirms: representation matters, but transformation matters more.

As 2024/2025 Voices Fellow Nosi Marumo, founder of Mzansi Queer Radio, puts it:

“Pride is not just a celebration; it’s a declaration, of love that refuses silence, of identity that defies erasure, and of people who live boldly, beautifully, and unapologetically.”

This year, we’ve seen how structural violence continues to target LGBTQIA+ communities. From parliamentary debates that undermine queer rights, to schools that fail to affirm queer learners, the message is clear: we cannot afford to reduce Pride to a feel-good moment.

Ndlovu, a Voices Fellow and long-time grassroots organiser, reminds us of the power of speaking up:

“Rights are won only by those who make their voices heard.”

And we’d add, rights are also protected by those who choose to listen and amplify.

From hosting inclusive sports tournaments to creating community-led support networks, activists like Javas are building visibility and solidarity from the ground up. Journalists and editors must meet this energy with ethical, sustained media coverage.

Because without intentional amplification, queer voices are too often left out of the conversations that most affect their lives.

So here’s our ask to our media family:

Don’t pack away your Pride coverage on 1 July.
Queer joy, queer rage, queer organising, queer lives,  they continue all year. Let’s ensure our journalism does too.
Let’s report with care.
Let’s quote experts from the QW+ database – by starting a focus on women+ sources, journalism becomes more nuanced.

 Let’s hold space for stories that disrupt, affirm, and resist.

Because Pride isn’t a trend. It’s a fight for justice.

Wendy Papo is the Quote this Woman+ Database and communication manager.