Sheila Barsel, also known as Sheila Lapinsky, passed away in Cape Town on October 31, 2026, at the age of 82. Born in Johannesburg in 1944 into an Orthodox Jewish family, Barsel developed a strong commitment to social justice from an early age. She attended Parktown Girls' High School and later studied sociology at the University of the Witwatersrand, where she became involved in student politics and activism.
Barsel's activism extended to various social movements, including women's rights and LGBTQIA+ liberation. In 1973, she was banned by the apartheid government for five years, but continued to work underground, challenging both apartheid and sexism within the political movements opposing it. She co-founded several organizations, including Rape Crisis, the Lesbian and Gay Association (LILACS), and Lesbians and Gays Against Oppression (LAGO), which later became the Organisation of Lesbian and Gay Activists (OLGA).
Barsel played a crucial role in shaping Johannesburg's first Pride march in 1990, alongside fellow queer liberation pioneers Simon Nkoli and Bev Palesa Ditsie. The march, attended by around 800 people, was a groundbreaking public demonstration for LGBTQIA+ visibility and equality. Her work helped ensure that LGBTQIA+ rights became part of South Africa's democratic transformation, including the National Coalition for Gay and Lesbian Equality's campaign for constitutional protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation.
Throughout her life, Barsel was involved in numerous political and social movements, including the United Democratic Front (UDF), the End Conscription Campaign, and the African National Congress. She also served on the South African Communist Party's Central Committee and Politburo. The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) described Barsel as a "humble, tireless, dedicated and principled activist" who sought nothing more than to serve the nation and expected no rewards.
Barsel's legacy lives on in the constitutional rights she helped secure, the movement she helped shape, and the generations of activists inspired by her courage. The ANC-aligned Equality and Diversity Movement (EDM) paid tribute to Barsel's contribution to LGBTQIA+ liberation, saying she taught them that queer liberation is not an add-on to the revolution, but is the revolution. GALA Queer Archive (GALA) also recognized Barsel's role in building the queer movement and preserving its history.
On International Lesbian Day in October, days before her passing, queer activist Zackie Achmat described Barsel as "a force of nature," recalling her courage during the darkest days of apartheid and her enduring commitment to freedom. He shared a memorable moment from their time traveling to an NCGLE meeting, where she corrected him to "drive queerly and gaily ahead," a lesson that he lives by till this hour.
Sheila Barsel's life bridged the anti-apartheid struggle, feminist activism, and the fight for LGBTQIA+ equality. Her activism contributed to landmark publications documenting LGBTQIA+ life and resistance in South Africa, including Defiant Desire (1994) and Pride: Protest and Celebration (2006). As the queer community mourns her loss, they also celebrate her legacy and the impact she had on their lives and the fight for equality.
Key points
- Sheila Barsel co-founded several organizations, including Rape Crisis, LILACS, and LAGO, to advocate for women's rights and LGBTQIA+ liberation.
- Barsel played a key role in shaping Johannesburg's first Pride march in 1990, a groundbreaking public demonstration for LGBTQIA+ visibility and equality.
- Her legacy lives on in the constitutional rights she helped secure, the movement she helped shape, and the generations of activists inspired by her courage.
