by TINTSWALO BALOYI
JOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) – AVON Justine has condemned the rape crimes meted out to members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex (LGBTQI+) community in South Africa.
The multinational cosmetics, skin care, fragrance and personal care company has lined up activities for Pride Month to reaffirm its support for the LGBTQI+ community.
In a bid to highlight the plight of members of the LGBTQI+ community who face wanton discrimination, Avon Group CEO, Angela Cretu, will commemorate Pride Month on June 9 where Judge Edwin Cameron, an HIV/Aids and gay-rights activist, will deliver the keynote address.
This event will be the highlight of a month-long campaign against LGBTQ injustice as the company takes to celebrating Pride along with employees, representatives and consultants over the month of June.
Along with Judge Cameron’s delivery of the keynote address, Avon Justine has committed to making a monetary donation to his charity of choice – Guild Cottage Children’s Home – in the hope of being able to use this Pride initiative to not only support the LGBTQIA+ community.
“The celebration of Pride Month gives expression to our mantra that a better world for women is a better world for all,” said Mafahle Mareletse, Managing Director, Avon Justine.
“At Avon, we believe in beauty democracy, which is underpinned by the ethos of inclusive beauty that is open to all. We subscribe to the conviction that everyone is equal and therefore should be treated as such. Pride Month speaks to the self-affirmation of women. It is about replacing shame and stigma with dignity, equality and a celebration of diversity.”
Mareletse called upon representatives and employees to pledge their support to minority groups during Pride Month and beyond.
“The celebration of Pride Month mirrors the values of Avon and speaks to the activist stand that we have taken to use the power of beauty to drive positive change and make the world a better and safer place for women.”
In addition to hosting a virtual Pride event, Avon Justine will also host a Pride Career Week to be broadcast on video sharing platform, Vimeo, on June 16 and 17.
Pride Month is celebrated annually throughout the world in the month of June to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall riots, the uprising that marked the beginning of a movement to outlaw discriminatory laws and practices against the LGBTQIA+ community.
– CAJ News