This Youth Day, as much as we look back on that iconic moment in South Africa’s history that was the 1976 Soweto Uprising, where young men and women defied the apartheid system to fight against injustice, it’s important that we also look at the state in which our youth currently find themselves, especially LGBTQI+ youth. June is also Pride Month, a month dedicated to celebrating and remembering the impact that the LGBTQI+ community has made and the strides that still need to be taken to create a free and safe environment for the LGBTQI+ community. The LGBTQI+ community has come a long way in South Africa, with the country making much progress towards celebrating and recognising its members. As the first African country to legally recognise same-sex unions, South Africa is a beacon of hope on a continent that still punishes same-sex couples harshly, with many LGBTQI+ people fleeing their countries of birth to take up residence in a “free” South Africa.