Feather Awards

The Feather Awards are an annual South African awards event that recognises individuals and organisations for their contributions to increasing the visibility, advocacy, and representation of the LGBTQIA+ community and its allies. It's an event that combines red-carpet glamour with a platform for activism and public education.

The awards were started in 2009, by Thami Kotlolo alias Thami Dish, in order to recognise and amplify queer achievements across culture, media, sport and civil-society activism. The founder has described the project as a mix of celebration and social impact where in some years community dialogues and workshops have formed part of the programme.

Purpose and impact

The Feather Awards are more than a celebrity night; they serve as an advocacy vehicle wherein the ceremony aims to spur public dialogue and bring awareness about LGBTQIA+ issues, championing initiatives that promote safety and equality in South Africa. The organisers also use the platform to showcase role models and spotlight campaigns and organisations driving social change.

Categories and signature honours

The categories are an across-the-board set that recognise style, entertainment, media, sport, community initiatives, and activism. Examples of what has been reported to be covered include Best Styled Individual, Hunk/Diva of the Year, Sports Personality, and Best LGBTIQ+ Initiative. The program is dedicated to the Simon Nkoli Award, the prestige honour of the event. It's named after the late activist Simon Nkoli, and it recognises and honours outstanding, transformational contributions to social justice and the LGBTQIA+ community. Facebook +1 Notable honourees and recent editions Past honourees and recipients have included high-profile activists and public figures, and reporting on recent editions names winners and nominees such as Zackie Achmat, Felipe Mazibuko, Zoë Modiga, Lasizwe and Bonang Matheba among those associated with the ceremony in various years. Coverage of the 2024 ceremony lists an array of winners across fashion, music, sport and activism, and confirms the Feather Awards' continued profile in national media.

Photo: The feather Awards SA/Facebook