
LGBT+ PRIDE MONTH 2019 : Q & A WITH SAREL AND QUINTON
The month of June was chosen as LGBT Pride Month to commemorate the Stonewall riots, which occurred at the end of June 1969. As a result, many pride events are held during this month to recognize the impact LGBT people have had in the world. For Joburgers, October is Pride Month here in Gauteng, and according to Wiki, it was first held in South Africa on the 13th October 1990. The event was initiated and organised by GLOW, the Gay and Lesbian Organisation of the Witwatersrand (GLOW) that was founded by gay anti-apartheid activist Simon Nkoli in 1988.
We did a Pride feature back in 2017, and this year we’re back and featuring Sarel and Quinton.
If you, the reader, know of any other inspirational LGBT+ individuals or your own story we could feature contact us.
Thank you for sharing your story so candidly. In their own words …

Sarel (L) Quinton (R)
TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELVES? THE BLOG AND WHY YOU STARTED IT?
Quinton has just turned 40. I’m 38. Yup, we are both in that stage of our lives where we have to keep our hair short to hide the grey hairs that keep popping out every day. Quinton is a Customer Service Manager at an international company based in Jet Park and I am a National Finance and Insurance Manager, also for an international Truck dealer, based in Edenvale. We stay in Krugersdorp and have to face the amazing traffic for 2 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the evening. We overcame the traffic by taking the decision to make more of an effort to actually talk to each other more during this time. Something that we find, a lot of couples don’t do anymore. Now we have four hours a day to talk to each other.
In March 2019, we started GaloreSA. It was always a passion for both of us to attend events and functions, but we never had a real platform where we could share our experiences with people. Thus, we created our Twitter handle in March and shortly after that we created our Instagram and Facebook profiles. What we realised, is that all these social media platforms are very limited when it comes to information sharing, hence we began our blog www.galoresa.com. Our blog you might say gave us the wings to fly! We love sharing full media press releases to all our site visitors. We had a crazy 29000 hits in our first month and are so grateful for the unbelievable support that the public is giving us. Collett Dawson is the reason we are here today. She was the first person who gave us “media tickets” to an event, and since then we are growing day after day.
AT WHAT AGE DID YOU EACH REALIZE/ACCEPT THAT YOU WERE GAY?
I was in primary school. We don’t believe in the fact that you decide that you are gay. We are born this way. We are also both Christians, and being gay created a lot of internal struggle with religion, as the Bible says it’s wrong. We know that God has a bigger plan with our lives, and also that He doesn’t make mishaps. He made us this way and all we have to do was accept it.
WHEN YOU CAME OUT TO FAMILY AND FRIENDS, WERE THEY ACCEPTING OF YOU? IF ACCEPTING OR NOT, HOW DID THIS MAKE YOU FEEL? DID IT MATTER TO YOU HOW THEY FELT?
Quinton had it easy. He came out to his mom when he was 20. She was disappointed at first, but she accepted who her son is pretty quickly. He never shared it with his dad as his parents are divorced. His friends were very accepting of him when he came out and supported him all the way. I(Sarel) on the other hand, had a whole different story. So different that my mom was admitted to hospital for sleep therapy to deal with the fact that her son is gay. It took my folks about 8 months to make peace with it. Today, I’m thrilled to share that we are best friends! They love me to bits, I love them to bits. They have accepted Quinton like their own son. The biggest fear we both had when we were young, was “what will the public say“. You cannot walk hand-in-hand in public, and when you do, you always get looks from the wannabe and judging Christian people. Our religion and our belief in God might be stronger than a lot of people and to judge someone is not what He wants.
“Where you are right now, at this specific second, is exactly where you are meant to be. Accept it and embrace this moment.” – Sarel
YOU MAY HAVE SEEM ON SOCIAL MEDIA HOW GARETH THOMAS WAS FORCED TO SHARE HIS HIV STATUS PUBLICLY. THIS HAPPENS REGULARLY IN THE LGBT+ COMMUNITY. WHAT INFLUENCED YOUR COMING OUT, WAS IT A DECISION YOU TOOK OF YOUR OWN ACCORD OR WERE YOU “ENCOURAGED” TO COME OUT FOR WHATEVER REASON?
We were tired of living a lie, and acting like “straighties” throughout school just so as not to be teased or object ourselves to be bullied after school. So yes, we both dated girls in school as a facade. I dated a very nice girl, but I never had sex or smooched a girl in my whole life. I used her as a screen to hide my authentic self from my parents and ultimately from myself. Quinton also dated girls, and he had a full-on sexual relationship while in his straight relationships. You can only lie so much to yourself and to lie to someone who really loves you, like our girlfriends, is just wrong. After a while we both decided that lies and deceit and living a secret life, is not was not part of who we are, or what our principles are about. Truth and honesty must prevail, and we both decided back when we were young, that we cannot keep on living this secret life and hurt people in the process.
HOW DID YOU TWO MEET? WAS IT LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT?
Well, I will answer for both of us here… 🙂 (Sarel)
Quinton befriended me on Facebook about two years before we met. I was very happy in a relationship, as he was too. My partner broke up with me for a reason I only found out afterwards and of course, Facebook needs to know about it. I met a friend and we went to go watch Lord of the Dance one evening at Montecasino. I received a comment on my Facebook post from Quinton, “Enjoy the show”! Hehehe…After that it was fireworks! Love, at first sight, is not even the wording to use. When we met, we both knew that this was dynamite. We’ve been together for nearly 5 years now, and we’re both still very much in love with each other.
ARE YOU MARRIED, ENGAGED OR COUPLED UP? ARE THERE PLANS TO ADD A CHILD OR TWO TO GROW THE FAMILY?
We got engaged Christmas Eve 2016. Marriage plans are on the cards for sure. We have been talking about having a child for two years now, so watch this space…
IF YOU PLAN TO HAVE CHILDREN, WILL IT BE VIA SURROGATE OR ADOPTION?
We are still weighing up our options on this. It’s such a huge decision, but ultimately I know we will be amazing parents for a child. To be totally honest, I’m actually too scared as I know will be spoiling that child rotten!
“Work hard every day and you will reap the rewards.” – Quinton
WHAT DO YOU TWO DO IN YOUR SPARE TIME?
Our spare time is all about playing catch up, me(Sarel) on TV Shows and Quinton loves Reality TV. He can binge watch for hours. I, on the other hand, I’m a perfectionist. I keep myself busy cleaning house, redecorating, etc. There is always something to do in your home.
DO YOU PREFER TO EAT IN OR EAT OUT? CHICKEN OR BEEF? PIZZA OR SALAD? FINE DINING OR TAKEOUT?
There is nothing better and more wholesome than a home-cooked meal. Preferably we eat in, but we are on the road for so many hours daily, that sometimes it’s just impossible to get home after 7 and still make dinner. We then opt for takeaways either Chinese or Pizza. Weekends are for spoils and that’s when will visit a favourite restaurant and enjoy their offerings.
HOW DO YOU BALANCE LIFE, WORK AND SOCIAL COMMITMENTS?
Balancing life, work and social commitments that is where our challenge is. Since GaloreSA started, we really don’t have much of a private life anymore. We receive so many invitations to events, functions and launches, that we sometimes have to decline some of the invites. Just last week we had to decline three invites as we are already booked for weekends. The hardest part is saying “no thank you” to daytime events as we both at our normal day time jobs. We do make time for everything. Sundays are normally our day together. This is the day we will just lie in the sun next to the pool, or watch TV together. There is a fine line between work and social life, but for now, this line doesn’t exist in our lives. We keep on going, keep on pushing…..Success is all about hard work and perseverance. Never ever give up!
IF YOU HAD A “DAY PASS” WHICH CELEBRITY CRUSH (LOCALLY) WOULD YOU USE IT ON?
Quinton would choose Willem Botha. He loves this guy! Willem is a true example of hard work pays off. He is an Afrikaans singer, photographer and presenter, and of so freaking as well! – (Sarel are you sure he’s Quinton’s day pass 🙂 )
I would choose Jay from the group Eden. This guy is awesome! Having three kids, a wife and also manages to balance his social life with his very busy schedule, he is such a role model for me.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE SOMEONE DEALING WITH THE ACCEPTANCE OF THEIR OWN SEXUALITY AND THAT OF FAMILY/SOCIETY?
Our advice to anyone still trying to accept their sexuality….Don’t hide away from who you really are. Don’t lie to yourself, and especially don’t lie to the people you love. Some cultures have it hard to accept a gay person, but at the end of the day, YOU need to be happy. You need to live your life without hiding away. You need to realise it’s about YOU. Accept the way you are. Accept the fact that you like guys. Don’t ever feel offended with society calling you a “moffie“. We are moffies and we are proud moffies! We are who we are. I am what I am…I am my own special creation! Remember that. Life is too short to live a life full of unhappiness. Always do your best to be the real you. Be the person you want to be. Be the best you can be! Always remember the gay society is not always as people sketch it out to be. There can be real love between two men. We are living walking proof of that. It’s not about going to clubs, using drugs, getting drunk and waking up in someone’s bed. The straight society also has these types of individuals in it, so nothing strange about having the same type of individuals in the gay society as well.
That said, don’t do things to prove to people you are cool and in the process destroy your life.
Don’t do drugs! It’s not worth it!
Don’t have unprotected sex with strangers. Always get yourself tested and your partner too! Be careful, and embrace every moment of living the real you, and always respect your family. No matter what they say or do, you will always be the son of your mom or dad. They might not take it lightly should you come out, but in the end, they will accept you. Just keep on making them proud, even if you are gay. Proof to them what we believe in. Proof to them that love cannot ever be wrong. The love between two girls or two guys, remains love.
Love is Love! If LOVE is wrong, then there is something seriously wrong with this world.
Fine Sarel and Quinton via their Social Media handles :
https://www.facebook.com/Galoresa/