Lumka Stemela, Nyanga East, Cape Town

“To be counted as equal citizens in our country, we black lesbians need to make ourselves visible in whatever way we can. We need to resist prejudice in all its forms especially when it displaces us because of our sexual orientation and gender expression.” -Zanele Muholi Through the photographs from the series “Faces & Phases, ” activist and artist Zanele Muholi represents a group of African lesbian women with distinct styles and attitudes. The documentation is direct and intimate, challenging historical representations of African women as exotic or hyper-feminine in order to redefine stereotypes of gender and sexuality, and raise the profile of gay and transgender individuals in black communities.