Getting to grips with issues...
The time we have spent with the Upstarers has proven to be fascinating. Why? Well, one reason was the topics that the team have chosen to tackle in the Yung Amplified show.
For example, in one of our brainstorm sessions, there was their interest in the subject of homosexuality... Xabiso and Thandile stated explicitly that they do not approve of gay people. Xabiso wanted the upcoming show to focus exclusively on "amagays”, as he put it.
Shireen was present at this session and she asked the team why they wanted to talk about this topic. Surely, she said, homosexuality is just a normal part of our lives. She told the group that her sister is lesbian and married to another woman. All jaws dropped and the room was silent (well, for like three seconds). But Shireen's comments seemed to have sparked the fire. Everybody began speaking about what they know and think they know about being gay. We were rather shocked! By this we mean that if someone who is homosexual walked into the room at that very moment - or if one of the Upstart team was in fact gay, they would have been deeply wounded!! .
These are some of the questions that they wanted answers to:
“We want to know more about the gays and ask them how it feels.”
“How do they deal with getting teased?”
“Do their parents know that they are gay?”
“Why are they gay?”
For us as the two university students there, this moment was an eye opener. We suddenly understood that the each of the Upstarters bring with them the ideas, assumptions and values that are dominant in their own communities. We were struck by how sheltered these youngsters seem to be when it came to a topic such as this one. Maybe it has to do with the fact that, within their own home and school environments, they are surrounded by people who largely share one world view, and sometimes this view can be quite narrowly defined.
We tend to forget that, in a university environment, we are exposed to people from many walks of life, who acknowledge their differences publically. This means that we have some hope of understanding difference – such as the variety of ways in which people experience sexual orientation. The Upstarters, on the other hand, come from environments in which such diversity is often not so visible – not just in terms of sexuality, but also race, culture and ethnicity. When you socialise with people who all seem to share one identity for most of your high school life, then it is no wonder that you want to meet people who claim to be different – for example, people who are openly homosexual. What might sound like an inappropriate and offensive request has to do with the fact that their young minds are seeking to explore new worlds and step outside their comfort zones.
Well, the preparation for that particular show really paid off. The show was beyond amazing! And the team surprisingly managed to put their curiosity across in a mature and non-offensive way.The chairperson of LGBTI S'fisokuhle Xulu was a guest on the show, and tried his best to explain some aspects of homosexuality. He even told the team his personal story about identifying as gay and how his family reacted to it! This was clearly an informative and eye opening experience for many of the Upstarters.
But not all of them! Two of the boys seemed uninclined to be part of the conversation. There was that moment when we found ourselves dragging them away from the newsroom where they were lounging around, into the room adjacent to the broadcast studio, where they could listen to the show.
We have noted that some of the Upstarters lose interest in this way, when they are not presenting in the studio. Part of us wants them to learn more and all participate in a meaningful way. But the other half understands the fact that for them, Upstart is an after school club. It is supposed to be a fun learning experience, rather than a serious space of knowledge attainment.
Our time spent with Upstart and the Yung Amplified team has been a rewarding experience. We have discussed topics as diverse as stereotypes, human rights, gender and sugar daddies. The only consistent theme has been the variety of opinions expressed. We can see that the Upstarters are not always able to separate themselves from their personal beliefs and value systems when engaging in discussions. And that’s alright. There’s a lot to be learnt when you confront difference - but there things that young people share, despite the differences between them. The Upstarters have taught a simple but an essential truth about interacting with other people and that is - we don’t have to agree, but we have to respect each other’s opinions. Everyone's truth is of equal importance.