LGBT rights in South Africa

===Religion===
Prominent religious leaders have voiced their support for the South African LGBT community. In the [[Anglican Church of Southern Africa]], the late [[Archbishop Emeritus]] of Cape Town [[Desmond Tutu]] was, and the current [[Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town|Archbishop of Cape Town]], [[Thabo Makgoba]], and Dr. [[Allan Boesak]] of the [[Uniting Reformed Church]] are vocal supporters of gay rights in South Africa.<ref>{{cite news|title=Archbishop Tutu 'would not worship a homophobic God'| newspaper=[[BBC News]] |date=26 July 2013|access-date=28 July 2013|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-23464694}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.4him.co.za/pol/abgay.htm |title=Boesak Supports Gay Marriages |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061015192013/http://www.4him.co.za/pol/abgay.htm |archive-date=15 October 2006 |date=1 November 2006 |url-status=dead |access-date=25 February 2017}}</ref>

The [[Dutch Reformed Church]] has ruled that gay members should not be discriminated against and can hold positions within the church. However, much criticism of the church still exists; in 2008 a court ruled against a church congregation for firing a gay musician; the issue provoked much uproar from the gay community and within liberal circles.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.freethinker.co.uk/2008/08/29/whoo-hoo-dutch-reformed-church-must-pay-damages-to-gay-musician/|title=The Freethinker - The voice of atheism since 1881 » Whoo-hoo! Dutch Reformed Church must pay damages to gay musician|access-date=26 January 2017|archive-date=1 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181001193946/http://freethinker.co.uk/2008/08/29/whoo-hoo-dutch-reformed-church-must-pay-damages-to-gay-musician/|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2015, the church decided to bless same-sex relationships and allow gay ministers and clergy (who are not required to be celibate). The decision was reversed in 2016, but reinstated in 2019.