This interview is very meaningful to me because when I came across Sipho-Sabo’s Instagram (@batwoman_z), I was struck with how confidently she embraces all aspects of her identity. I admired that and wished I had known someone like her when I was younger. This interview is important because although Sipho-Sabo is in the beginning stages of her career, and will no doubt change the world someday, right now I know there are other queer Black girls who need to hear that it’s OK to fully be yourself, on your own terms.
Read on to learn more about Sipho-Sabo!
Please introduce yourself. What is your name? Where are you located? What are your pronouns and how do you identify?
My name is Sipho-Sabo (it means ‘their gift’ in IsiXhosa, one of South Africa’s official languages). I live in South Africa. My pronouns are she/her and I identify as queer or pansexual.
What area of work are you in and what are some of your interests?
I am an intern doctor, hoping to specialize in plastic and reconstructive surgery. My interest is medicine and not just the scientific side of it but the socio-political-economic aspect of it.
How long have you been in the medical field? How did you know you wanted to enter into that field?
In South Africa, you do internships for two years and this is my second year of internship. I got into medicine because I was exposed to it from an early age. Both my parents are doctors. I also watched to two movies as a kid that kind of sealed the deal for me: “Gothika” and “Beyond Borders”. The former piqued my interest in psychiatry and mental health issues and the latter made me realize that medicine is heavily influenced by the social and political climate of the environment.
Does what you do make you feel like part of a bigger community? If so, what is your biggest/most important contribution to this community, even if it is a work in progress?
I am not sure if I feel part of a bigger community, but what I want to do is to bring back the “human” aspect of medicine. I think doctors are starting to lose that aspect of medical practice. If we want patients to trust us we must also trust and respect their complaints. Doctors do not have all the answers but patients do not want all the answers. People want doctors to hear them and respect them as people and not just patients.
The Glam Femme often seeks to explore the multi-dimensionality of women and femmes of color. It is clear from your social media that you are an unapologetically queer, Black, feminist, and an activist as well as a doctor and a Christian. How do you juggle all of these identities, especially when some would say they all cannot exist in harmony with each other?
I am only now starting to “juggle” these identities with confidence and with an “it is what is” attitude. I come from a very Christian background. My high school career was filled with Bible studies, all night prayers and church camps every holiday. I loved every moment of it and I am so grateful for that childhood. But even then, I could sense that I didn’t quite fit in. I had very radical feminist views even as a young teenager in a small town.
When I went to university in Cape Town I found other people like me. That’s when the struggle started. I realized that my feminism was not really accepted by the church/Christians. I went through a difficult time because I really loved God but I was disheartened because I was convinced that he hated women.
After a few years wrestling with that I realized I was also queer and that was a great relief! I finally understood that I was never meant to be the “perfect Christian wife/woman”. I embraced my queerness fully. My take is, “Sorry, that scripture doesn’t apply to me because I’m too gay for it…”
How do you express the many facets of your identity? For example, it seems that you express your femininity through your awesome sense of fashion. How do you show the world who you are?
I love to express myself through my hair and it draws a lot of unwanted attention. My mom once said for someone who does not want attention, I do a lot of things that draw attention to myself. I tried to psychoanalyze this but I still do not have an explanation. I personally think that I am a boring person and my hair is the only interesting part of me. I also call myself “a lazy femme” because I do the bare minimum to be considered femme.
What struggles related to your intersectional experiences do you face and how do you overcome them?
I definitely struggle with being open and vulnerable with my church community. I have just decided to be a regular churchgoer but to avoid any small intimate church group activities. I have had experiences where I’ve shared my feelings or opinions and have people receive me with shocked faces. This has made me a little withdrawn.
What is your favorite, most effective self-care method?
I avoid information that triggers me. I will not continuously consume information of people dehumanizing minority groups. I am very selective with that! I also love going out of my way to find positive queer content and especially queer content with people of colour. That always cheers me up and gives me hope.
What are you most proud of about yourself and what you have accomplished?
I am proud that I have a teachable spirit. I think I can learn something from every situation and every encounter. I am really proud that I am starting to embrace all of me. This was very difficult for me. I want people to understand that human beings are multifaceted. Yes, I can be a great surgeon with green braids. I can love rock music and also love Bollywood music too. I can be queer and Christian.
What advice would you give other young people who have big dreams for themselves but are still discovering who they are?
Focus. Focus on your dreams and focus on bettering yourself. There is a story in the Bible that I love meditating on. It is of Peter trying to walk on water with Jesus. He only started drowning because he lost focus; he started to worry about the waves instead of just focusing on walking with Jesus. The other thing is, be patient. Things will happen when they are supposed to happen. There is no rush. Be kind to yourself and love yourself fiercely.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
I see myself as a surgeon and a researcher contributing to the world of medicine. I also see myself as a wife and mother, teaching my kids Fleetwood Mac and Michael Jackson songs.
