17th Feather Awards: Rifeloe Jane, Jojo Robinson and Natasha Vermaak lead the nominee line-up

Contributions made by the queer community and allies will once again be celebrated at the 17th annual Feather Awards.

The awards will be held on Thursday, November 6, at a new location, under the theme, "Pause, Look, and Listen to your Heart".

This year’s structure has been refined to amplify both legacy and rising stars.

Nominees will be honoured for their profound impact, while the remaining awards will be hotly contested by a list of contenders who have lit up our screens, airwaves and social media feeds over the past year.

Some of the honorary recipients include "Grace" hitmaker Busiswa, who will receive the coveted Fag Hag of the Year award, and choreographer Lee-che Janecke, also known as Litchi Hov, will be honoured with the Role Model of the Year award. 

The awards will also see this year's fierce and fabulous nominees go head to head in categories such as Hunk of the Year, Diva Extraordinaire of the Year and Hot Chick of the Year, among others.

In this spectacular night of recognition and revelry, Troy Malange will go up against FreshbyCaddy and Prince Beez for the Hunk of the Year award, while Natasha Vermaak (Joubert), Luyanda Zuma and Caylene will compete for the Hot Chick of the Year award.

Lilian Dube, Kefilwe Mabote and "The Real Housewives of Durban" reality TV star Jojo Robinson will battle it out for the Diva Extraordinaire of the Year award.

Nominees of the Sports Personality of the Year award include Banyana Banyana captain Refiloe Jane, goalkeeper Andile Dlamini and South African hockey player Dirkie Chamberlin. 

"While we love the glamour and the fashion, the Feather Awards have always been the heartbeat of a movement. In a time where the global environment for queer people is increasingly challenging, our role in fostering crucial dialogue, driving awareness, and advocating for tangible policy change is more vital than ever," said co-founder Thami Dish.

Thami added: "We are a platform that doesn't just celebrate; we agitate, educate, and work towards a safer and more equitable South Africa for all."

Below is a full list of the nominees:

Hunk of the Year

Troy Malange

FreshbyCaddy

Prince Beez

Diva Extraordinaire of the Year

Lilian Dube

Kefilwe Mabote

Jojo Robinson

Hot Chick of the Year

Natasha Joubert

Luyanda Zuma

Caylene 

Social Media Personality of the Year

Zaca Dominic

Shoun B

Thobi Mashitiso

Best Styled Individual

Kagiso Mogola

Mordecai

Mawhoo

Sports Personality of the Year

Refiloe Jane

Andile Dlamini

Dirkie Chamberlin

Musician of the Year

Nkosazana Daughter

Craig Lucas

Mawhoo

Fag Hag of the Year

Busiswa (Honorary Recipient)

Role Model of the Year

Lee-che Janecke (Honorary Recipient)

Media Award of the Year

Netflix (Honorary Recipient)

Best LGBTIQ+ Initiative in the Public Sector

The Prevention and Combating of Hate Crimes and Hate Speech Bill (Honorary Recipient) 

Global Feather of the Year

Jacqueline Kasha (Uganda) 

Best LGBTIQ+ Youth Movement

Zandile Mabaso (Honorary Recipient)

Best LGBTIQ+ Initiative in the Private Sector

Nedbank #PrideAtWork (Honorary Recipient)

African Feather of the Year

John Meletsi

Simon Nkoli Award

Luiz De Barros