When it comes to issues of gender and sexuality it's usually no one's business what one is. So when Ntsiki Mazwai tweeted the tweet below regarding the late Akhumzi Jezile, it sent a lot of heads rolling.
Of course, the interpretations of the tweet came flooding in. Ranging from the logical
Being part of the LGBT community does not make one gay, if that is the logic behind these response then we should rethink our thinking... understanding the mandate of such a community(revolution) can translate to being part of this movement.
— Mr. Ditjobotla 2018/19🇿🇦 (@iamAdriaan_M) April 29, 2018
To the more serious.
Me being part of the LGBT community myself, I would have hated it if someone did that, outing me without concent.
— Son of the soil (@Lwando_ngalo) April 29, 2018
And even more serious.
She's basically outting him. I didn't know he was gay. Tsiki uyithathaphi dali.
— ♥kҽŋҽɩɭwҽ♥ (@mmakhumoetsile) May 1, 2018
Of course, people wouldn't be blamed if they thought it was just Ntsiki being Ntsiki. One could look at it from the innocent side: she was probably referring to Akhumzi's allyship and he was indeed a heterosexual male or the more serious side: her outing someone without their consent especially after their passing. Some people thought it was the latter.
Khona ukba ebeyigay why eteta ngaye ngku angazokwazi ukuzipendulele hayi marn ntsiki yeka uAkhumzi apumle ngoxolo
— Culolethu (@Alunamnda1) April 29, 2018
I love u, but your statement is not right mxm he never come out why r u doing this? U want attention
— Lindokuhle (@lindelws1) April 30, 2018
What do you think was her intention with her 'wording' of the tweet? Even if it was open to interpretation, was it right to even plant the seed of possibility in people's minds about Akhumzi when he couldn't state facts for himself?
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Main image credit: instagram.com/miss_ntsiki_mazwai