{"id":151,"date":"2026-10-27T13:29:09","date_gmt":"2026-10-27T13:29:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/avgi-queer-carnival.wowi3mail.co.za\/?page_id=151"},"modified":"2026-11-06T13:49:33","modified_gmt":"2026-11-06T13:49:33","slug":"home","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/queercarnival.co.za\/","title":{"rendered":"Home"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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SASHA AND GRASP PRESENTS<\/p>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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A Queer Carnival of Ideas<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Where sexology and psychoanalysis enter the fray,\u00a0 slow dance, wrestle, and keep on talking.<\/span><\/p>

15 to 19 February 2027 \u00b7 Johannesburg \u00b7 With Dr Avgi Saketopoulou.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Book Your Place<\/a><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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See The Week<\/a><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Carnival Countdown<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Who is part of the conversation<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Line-Up<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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It\u2019s with great pleasure and excitement we announce the Queer Carnival line up of speakers, presenters, performers, and provocateurs\u2026<\/p>

(this is just a taster, there are more to come\u2026and we will make a detailed programme available soon)<\/span><\/i><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Dr Avgi Saketopoulou<\/p><\/div>

Originally from Cyprus and Greece, Dr Avgi Saketopoulou is a psychoanalyst currently working in NYC. Her research interests include trauma, sexuality, and their entanglements; aesthetic experience; queer and trans life; race and racialization; and how whiteness is pleated through otherwise neutral-appearing <\/span>therapeutic concepts.<\/span><\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Prof Sally Swartz<\/p><\/div>

Emeritus Associate Professor Sally Swartz is a practicing psychoanalytic psychotherapist. She has a particular interest in the field of relational psychoanalytic theory. Recent papers have had decolonisation of mind as a central focus. She has published widely in the areas of history of psychiatry, colonialism and relational psychoanalytic practice.<\/span><\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Dr Bev Ditsie<\/p><\/div>

Dr Bev Ditsie is an award-winning filmmaker, internationally recognised human rights advocate, and pioneering queer activist. In 1990, she became the first openly lesbian speaker to address the United Nations. With decades of experience in global LGBTQIA+ movement-building, she is also a respected cultural leader and storyteller.<\/span><\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Michael Benn - Event Host<\/span><\/span><\/p><\/div>

Michael Benn is a clinical psychologist and psychoanalyst based in Johannesburg, with more than 30 years in practice. He runs GRASP (Groups for the Reading and Study of Psychoanalysis) and founded an international online psychoanalytic community that now numbers over 250000 members. Michael is passionate about psychoanalytic thinking as a way of interrupting the destructive patterns we keep repeating -\u00a0 in ourselves and our societies.<\/span><\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Nicole Ditsie<\/p><\/div>

Nicole is a certified yoga teacher, kink educator, professional Dominatrix, somatic practitioner and trauma-sensitive facilitator. A gifted space-holder and process guide, she creates bespoke wellness and kink education experiences for a range of audiences and industries, including NGOs, filmmakers, festivals, conferences and beyond.<\/span><\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Avri Spilka - Event Host<\/span><\/span><\/p><\/div>

Avri is a Counselling Psychologist in private practice in Johannesburg and co-director of the Southern African Sexual Health Association (SASHA). Her background spans (photo)journalism, advocacy and activism, community psychology, and sexology. Her greatest pleasure, provocation and praxis continue to be her family and children; a daily reminder and inspiration to work toward justice for all families. <\/span><\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Dr Bruce Laing - Event Host<\/span><\/span><\/p><\/div>

Bruce Laing is a clinical psychologist and senior psychoanalytic candidate with SAPA\/IPSO and works in private practice in Cape Town. He has presented at numerous conferences both locally and internationally and has taught psychoanalytic <\/span>theory to both GRASP and the SAPI College.<\/span><\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Kelly Bild - Event Host<\/span><\/span><\/p><\/div>

Kelly Bild is a psychoanalyst and clinical psychologist, and part of GRASP\u2019s core working group. She has been actively involved in addressing systemic challenges related to mental healthcare and gender-based violence. Her clinical roots are in work against gender-based violence. As a member of the Rape Crisis Cape Town management committee, she helped draft the clauses of what became the Domestic Violence Act of 1998, and she later became director of POWA (People Opposing Women Abuse).<\/span><\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Elliott Kotze - Event Host<\/span><\/span><\/p><\/div>

Elliott Kotze is a counselling psychologist in private practice, where he spends most of his time working with queer, trans, and\/or neurodivergent adolescents and young adults. Elliott is the president of the South African Sexual Health Association where he gets to geek out about sex and pleasure with other professionals in the field.<\/span><\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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House of Ditsie<\/p><\/div>

House of Ditsie is a Johannesburg-based, black woman-owned, queer-led social enterprise dedicated to holistic wellbeing and social transformation.<\/span><\/p>

They design and facilitate integrated mind\u2013body\u2013spirit programmes that focus on narrative justice and wellness, by centering nervous system regulation, sustainable wellbeing, burnout prevention, embodied self-leadership, authenticity and identity integration.<\/span><\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Johannesburg Queer Chorus<\/p><\/div>

The Johannesburg Queer Chorus is a choir for greater Johannesburg\u2019s LGBTQIA+ community and their friends.<\/span><\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Who is part of the conversation<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Line-Up<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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It\u2019s with great pleasure and excitement we announce the Queer Carnival line up of speakers, presenters, performers, and provocateurs\u2026<\/p>

(this is just a taster, there are more to come\u2026and we will make a detailed programme available soon)<\/span><\/i><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Dr Avgi Saketopoulou<\/p><\/div>

Originally from Cyprus and Greece, Dr Avgi Saketopoulou is a psychoanalyst currently working in NYC. Her research interests include trauma, sexuality, and their entanglements; aesthetic experience; queer and trans life; race and racialization; and how whiteness is pleated through otherwise neutral-appearing <\/span>therapeutic concepts.<\/span><\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Prof Sally Swartz<\/p><\/div>

Emeritus Associate Professor Sally Swartz is a practicing psychoanalytic psychotherapist. She has a particular interest in the field of relational psychoanalytic theory. Recent papers have had decolonisation of mind as a central focus. She has published widely in the areas of history of psychiatry, colonialism and relational psychoanalytic practice.<\/span><\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Dr Bev Ditsie<\/p><\/div>

Dr Bev Ditsie is an award-winning filmmaker, internationally recognised human rights advocate, and pioneering queer activist. In 1990, she became the first openly lesbian speaker to address the United Nations. With decades of experience in global LGBTQIA+ movement-building, she is also a respected cultural leader and storyteller.<\/span><\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Michael Benn<\/p><\/div>

Michael Benn is a clinical psychologist and psychoanalyst based in Johannesburg, with more than 30 years in practice. He runs GRASP (Groups for the Reading and Study of Psychoanalysis) and founded an international online psychoanalytic community that now numbers over 250000 members. Michael is passionate about psychoanalytic thinking as a way of interrupting the destructive patterns we keep repeating -\u00a0 in ourselves and our societies.<\/span><\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Nicole Ditsie<\/p><\/div>

Nicole is a certified yoga teacher, kink educator, professional Dominatrix, somatic practitioner and trauma-sensitive facilitator. A gifted space-holder and process guide, she creates bespoke wellness and kink education experiences for a range of audiences and industries, including NGOs, filmmakers, festivals, conferences and beyond.<\/span><\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Avri Spilka<\/p><\/div>

Avri is a Counselling Psychologist in private practice in Johannesburg and co-director of the Southern African Sexual Health Association (SASHA). Her background spans (photo)journalism, advocacy and activism, community psychology, and sexology. Her greatest pleasure, provocation and praxis continue to be her family and children; a daily reminder and inspiration to work toward justice for all families. <\/span><\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Dr Bruce Laing<\/p><\/div>

Bruce Laing is a clinical psychologist and senior psychoanalytic candidate with SAPA\/IPSO and works in private practice in Cape Town. He has presented at numerous conferences both locally and internationally and has taught psychoanalytic <\/span>theory to both GRASP and the SAPI College.<\/span><\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Kelly Bild<\/p><\/div>

Kelly Bild is a psychoanalyst and clinical psychologist, and part of GRASP\u2019s core working group. She has been actively involved in addressing systemic challenges related to mental healthcare and gender-based violence. Her clinical roots are in work against gender-based violence. As a member of the Rape Crisis Cape Town management committee, she helped draft the clauses of what became the Domestic Violence Act of 1998, and she later became director of POWA (People Opposing Women Abuse).<\/span><\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Elliott Kotze<\/p><\/div>

Elliott Kotze is a counselling psychologist in private practice, where he spends most of his time working with queer, trans, and\/or neurodivergent adolescents and young adults. Elliott is the president of the South African Sexual Health Association where he gets to geek out about sex and pleasure with other professionals in the field.<\/span><\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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House of Ditsie<\/p><\/div>

House of Ditsie is a Johannesburg-based, black woman-owned, queer-led social enterprise dedicated to holistic wellbeing and social transformation.<\/span><\/p>

They design and facilitate integrated mind\u2013body\u2013spirit programmes that focus on narrative justice and wellness, by centering nervous system regulation, sustainable wellbeing, burnout prevention, embodied self-leadership, authenticity and identity integration.<\/span><\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Johannesburg Queer Chorus<\/p><\/div>

The Johannesburg Queer Chorus is a choir for greater Johannesburg\u2019s LGBTQIA+ community and their friends.<\/span><\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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About the Carnival<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Into the Fray<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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A Queer Carnival of Ideas is a provocation of sexual orthodoxy. It is set at the intersection of psychoanalysis and sexology, two major authorities of the sexual, born of a shared ancestry, yet seldom seated at the same table.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

The Carnival is set to the beat of <\/span>Sexuality Beyond Consent<\/span><\/i>, Dr Avgi Saketopoulou\u2019s landmark book.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

With great excitement, we can confirm that Avgi will join us in Johannesburg, all the way from New York, for a five-day cornucopia of learning, connection, playing and thinking together.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

A Queer Carnival of Ideas brings together psychoanalysis, sexology, activism and the arts in an exploration of sexuality. The aim is to create a genuinely multidisciplinary space in which difficult questions can be explored with curiosity, rigour, creativity, and openness.<\/span><\/p>

SASHA and GRASP have joined forces to bring you a programme that puts psychoanalysis and sexology into dialogue, and Avgi\u2019s work under South African pressures around consent, trauma, race, and queer life.<\/span><\/p>

If your work is in and with the sexual, and you want to delve deeply and queerly into what that means in South Africa today,\u00a0 you\u2019ll be right at home at the Carnival.<\/span><\/p>

Sexologists, psychologists, psychoanalysts and psychotherapists; doctors, nurses, physios and OTs; sex educators and coaches, social workers, bodyworkers, researchers, activists and students: all are welcome. While a background in psychoanalysis and\/or sexology helps, please don\u2019t let a lack of familiarity put you off. We\u2019ll find our way into the material together, whatever your starting point. <\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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