Exciting new voices are emerging every day on the internet, and now a new web series exploring the untold stories of South Africa's transgender community gives insight into a world normally relegated to the fringes of mainstream web culture.
The Iranti media organisation has released the first two episodes of the trans web series, which intends to connect LGBTIQ+ storytellers around the continent and widen the all-too-limited stage on which "queer artists can tell queer stories for queer audiences", they say.
"Bruise", the web series' first episode, looks into the mind of Busi, a non-binary trans person struggling with agoraphobia –– the fear of wide-open spaces –– as their former lover, Malusi, pushes them to clean up their act and live life openly and honestly, "despite him not fully understanding the ins and outs of Busi's identity," Iranti says.
"I Rise", named for the eponymous poem by Maya Angelou, is an abstract look into the episode writer, Nigel Patel's heated emotions and frantic thoughts on gender, society, violence, and the place where they all meet, in the wake of a homophobic and transphobic trial in Nigel's homeland, Malawi.
Follow Iranti for the latest developments in the series.