Caster Semenya to get married to girlfriend - pays Lobola

[DarthFishy]

Caster Semenya is getting married to her girlfriend and has sent her parents to pay Lebola (esssentially a bride price).

http://www.sport24.co.za/OtherSport/Athletics/South-Africa/Caster-pays-lobola-for-wife-20140512

I think its an interesting question to deal with when something like gay marriage comes up against traditional marriage practices, like Lebola. A lot of the more bigoted in my nation now see this as proof that Semenya is indeed actually male, though I suspect it's more to do with who earns more money in the relationship.

What is especially interesting for me is traditionally it is the parents that make the payments and arrangements, so it appears both sets of parents are happy with the situation. Good on all of them!

 

[MikeG]

Great that the poor girl has some good news in her life. She's had a really tough time.

Pity that any society still has a "bride price" system, but hey, SA was always a country where the weirdest juxtapositions of ancient and modern happen.

 

[DarthFishy]

Yeah I agree about the Lebola system and in general the weirdness of life in SA.

I suppose that is one of the reasons I enjoy living here

I find it interesting to compare the legal and the more everyday reactions to homosexuality in South Africa to places like the US.

It appears to me (and this is mostly opinion) that publicly politicians and other public figures in the US will be more outspoken against homosexual marriage than their counterparts in SA, the actual level of homophobia and violence against homosexuals is worse in South Africa.

 

[cwalner]

It appears to me (and this is mostly opinion) that publicly politicians and other public figures in the US will be more outspoken against homosexual marriage than their counterparts in SA, the actual level of homophobia and violence against homosexuals is worse in South Africa.

This first is probably a reaction to the second.

The US has turned the corner on public opinion, so those that still oppose homosexuality are getting louder.

If, as you say (and I have no reason to doubt you), public opinion in SA is still predominantly anti-gay, there is not much sense of a need for the anti-gay to publicly make a case.