South African soap shows lesbian kiss for the first time

One of South Africa’s longest-running soaps has featured its first ever lesbian kiss.

7de Laan, which has screened more than 4,000 episodes since it debuted in 2000, showed Amanda – who is currently imprisoned – kiss Jasmine after opening up about losing her newborn baby.

The programme made headlines last year when viewers saw a gay kiss for the first time, before breaking another barrier by introducing transgender character Genevieve du Pre.

The show featured its first gay kiss last year (7de laan)

In its latest step towards equality, 7de Laan – which is broadcast mainly in Afrikaans, with English subtitles – showed Jasmine visiting Amanda in prison.

Amanda told her that her baby had died, but that she had named the child Jasmine – after “the most beautiful woman and name under the sun.”

The women then embrace and kiss, leading into the end credits.

The women have wanted to be together for years (7de laan)

When the next episode aired a day later, they were still kissing.

They only break off when a guard makes a noise, at which point Amanda tells her: “We’d better not take any chances.”

The pair then argues about Justin, Amanda’s past fiancé, and discuss what happened after she woke up from her coma.

Homosexuality and same-sex marriage are legal in South Africa, but many in the country still face discrimination.

The pastor called the kiss “sick” (oscar peter bougardt/facebook)

In response to the kiss, Western Cape pastor Oscar Bougardt – who has already been found guilty once of using anti-LGBT+ hate speech, wrote on Facebook: “This is how sick the SABC and the producers have become.

• Dec 01

16 TV stars you grew up watching who later came out as LGBTQ+