‘I am not homophobic’: Sara president opposes ‘forced gay rights’ on children in schools

The president of the South African Rainbow Alliance (Sara) Colleen Makhubele has said she is concerned about gay views being forced on school children.

Sara’s views on sexuality and schools

Makhubele complained about new laws that would confuse school children and force homosexual views on them.

“Sara policy vehemently rejects introduction of transgender and gay propaganda in schools, Sara doesn’t want gay or LGBTQ rights forced on our children at schools through, especially, the BELA BILL. [A] Sara government will introduce Godly principles and prayer back in schools. Our religious beliefs and children’s development is more important than indecency in dress code and gay social issues,” Makhubele said in a statement.

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She said she was also concerned about the dress codes at South African schools.

“The high teenage pregnancy in schools is shocking but not surprising considering that more than 90% of girls in schools wear clothing that indecently exposes thighs and cleavages of young girls. The school dress codes must prohibit clothing items such as halter or strapless tops, skirts or shorts shorter than mid-thigh and bar the exposure of cleavage, breasts, or nipples. The boys dress code must prohibit items such as muscle t-shirts and sagging pants that exposes underwear,” she said.

Makhubele said Sara will introduce new policies  to help school governing bodies to set dress codes. She advocates disciplinary procedures to regulate what students can— and cannot — wear to school to avoid the “current inappropriate dress codes” that often “sexualise particularly black girls” and “criminalise black boys” with sagging indecent pants.

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“Sara is opposing the forced gay rights on children in schools and strongly advocating for promotion of moderate and decent dress code especially in black public schools and Licensing guns to Women and Girls to curb GBV,” she said.

Sara not homophobic

Makhubele said she herself was not homophobic but believed that each individual should chose their own identity without external force.

“Gay people are like all of us and we respect their right. I just believe that certain ideas should not be forced on others. This is why we live in a democracy,” she said.

On the other hand, Kellyn Botha an LGBTQI+ legal researcher said she found Sara’s views on sexuality as being problematic.

“It is a pity to see a party naming itself the Rainbow Alliance would be so blatantly homophobic in its speech and actions,” Botha said.

Botha said Sara needs to reflect on the statements they have made concerning gay people and issues around dress code.