A father's perspective sheds light on the clash between tradition and inclusion in South Africa's evolving society, in reference to the furore over flying the Pride Flag at Bishops Diocesan College for a few days a year.
Bishops Diocesan College, much like the rest of South Africa, is grappling with another divisive issue that feels impossible to resolve.
The school flies three flags: the national flag, the school flag, and a third pole that rotates between St George's flag and a variety of flags for causes Bishops thinks its boys should pause and consider.
In 2021, Bishops matric Paul Malherbe founded Bishops Pride. The matric class of 2020 had demanded the society be established in a memorandum handed over to the school at the height of the Black Lives Matter protests. The college and school executive immediately supported the initiative.
In subsequent years the Student Representative Forum (SRF) has voted against the flying of the Pride flag. In spite of the multiple votes against the flag and multiple letters of appeal sent to the school, Bishops has continued to fly it for two days a year during Pride Week. As one would expect, many who dislike the flag feel unheard.
