Phuti Lekoloane, South Africa’s first openly gay male footballer and a driving force behind the African Pride Games, has shared insights on the urgent need to keep queer-inclusive sport alive in Africa, saying he is “fighting because I know how heavy it is to feel invisible.” “Most people see the l
Phuti Lekoloane, South Africa’s first openly gay male footballer and a driving force behind the African Pride Games, has shared insights on the urgent need to keep queer-inclusive sport alive in Africa, saying he is “fighting because I know how heavy it is to feel invisible.”
“Most people see the loud, fearless version of me,” Lekoloane said. “The one always advocating, always pushing. But what many don’t know is how deeply sensitive I am. I carry every story I hear, every injustice I witness, very personally. I’m not just fighting for visibility, I’m fighting because I know how heavy it is to feel invisible.”
The player, whose organisation, the Phuti Lekoloane Foundation, was honoured with the Best LGBTQI Youth Movement award at the 2023 Feather Awards, followed by the International Award at the Football v Homophobia Awards in Glasgow in March, added: “I came out because I was tired of erasing myself to fit into a space I loved. My journey isn’t just mine—it’s a crack in the wall for others to walk through.”
The LGBTQ+ trailblazer added his roots keep him anchored. “The support I received from my community, especially the Royal House, has been incredible. That alone shows that homophobia is a choice, just like hate. People can choose to love, support, and uplift you.”
And to the next generation, he offers this message: “You don’t have to be loud to be proud. Your journey is valid, even if it’s quiet right now. You are not broken. You are not alone. And you don’t need to shrink to survive. The world may not always understand you, but that doesn’t make your truth any less powerful.”
This year’s African Pride Games—a continental celebration of LGBTQ+ inclusion in sport—will run from 26 September – 27 October at Rabie Ridge Stadium, and sponsorship opportunities remain open. “Even in the face of that reality, we’re pushing forward—because we know what’s at stake,” Lekoloane added.
