Masa Diamond is a chartered accountant (CA), but in 2020, she got her big break as a digital content creator. Diamond, who grew up in the township of Zwide in Gqeberha, spoke to MatieMedia’s Asive Mabula about her journey as a transgender woman… and how she juggles her passion for content creation with a full-time corporate job.
Chartered accountant and digital content creator, Masa Diamond, has worked with over 20 brands, both nationally and internationally acclaimed. PHOTO: Supplied/Masa Diamond
“Everyone thinks it’s this mastermind thing I planned, but it’s purely coincidence,” says Masa Diamond referring to how her online name and brand came about.
Diamond, a fashion, lifestyle and travel content creator, is dressed for an influencer event right after this interview.
“It was around 2014, back in varsity around the time Rihanna had just released her song ‘Diamonds’, and my best friend at the time would refer to me as his little diamond,” explains Diamond. “I asked him why and he said it was because I love beautiful things and I am destined for those beautiful things. So, it makes sense.”
Diamond, born Masawandile Tom, in Zwide, a township in Gqeberha, says the meaning of Masa in Arabic is also diamond. It was therefore an affirmation of the name.
Diamond’s childhood, as a visibly queer child in the township, is one that was not easy, she says. Having been accepted to do her BCom accounting science degree at Nelson Mandela University (NMU), Diamond knew this was an opportunity for her to leave.
“The townships are not a safe space for queer bodies in general. Even worse when you are a trans non-binary girl who is going through that phase of finding yourself,” says Diamond.
Having spent most of her school holidays in Summerstrand, studying at NMU, Diamond used this time to do well in her degree.
“I actually was using the time to be productive. But first and foremost it was because I didn’t want to give up my life in Summerstrand and go back to trying to fit in in Zwide,” explains Diamond.
Having had a supportive family, Diamond’s immediate family provided her with the “safe space and affirmation that the world outside does not give to queer people”. She describes her mother and sister as her “rocks, defenders and cheerleaders”.
Losing a parent
Whilst doing her final year of articles in 2020, Diamond lost one of her cheerleaders; her father.
“I don’t think it’s something you can just wake up and get used to. It’s an ongoing thing and it was just all so sudden, because it felt like I had lost this voice of reason and confirmation,” says Diamond.
Diamond’s father had dreamt of being a CA himself, but having grown up during apartheid South Africa, that was not possible.
“It was always our dream to go through this whole journey,” says Diamond, thinking back to how she and her dad bonded over this dream.
Diamond’s dad had suffered a stroke in 2017, and couldn’t speak after that. According to Diamond, there was a delay in him reacting to things.
“I knew what the outcome would be, and the stroke in 2017 gave me that head start in the grieving process. But it still did not help. It was still painful,” says Diamond, referring to the eventual loss of her father two years ago.
A love for content creation
Having grown up loving beautiful things, Diamond got the courage to produce those beautiful things as she grew older. “I was lucky enough that it happened at the stage whereby the whole digital creation age was at its peak,” says Diamond.
In March 2020, while most people were at home due to heavy Covid-19 lockdown restrictions, Diamond’s career as a content creator was taking off.
“I was fighting against adversity, and it was also around the time my first ever wig got delivered,” says Diamond. “I remember just looking at it and thinking something deep is happening here. It is more than just buying a wig. And I could feel the significance of it,” explains Diamond.
It was a watershed time for Diamond, both in terms of her work, and as a trans non-binary person.
“People always ask me how I manage a 9 to 5 CA corporate job and being a content creator. Uhm, firstly, I’m trans. That gives me superpowers that go beyond human abilities. I swear that’s the real answer,” says Diamond.
Masa Diamond in her element doing a sponsored post for Nivea South Africa. PHOTO: Supplied/Masa Diamond
Because of the nature of progression of society in terms of inclusivity, Diamond has had to compromise when going into the workplace.
“Corporate South Africa is not the most welcoming and safest space for bodies like mine,” she says, with reference to whether she can go to work in a wig and fully express who she is. “There is a compromise that I have to make.”
Working from home has been her biggest saving grace, she says.
Looking ahead
While Diamond’s focus in content creation has mostly been her Instagram feed, she says the next step is to move to Youtube as her followers really enjoy her Instagram television vlogs.
“That is 100% the priority right now. But the most important thing is that it’s done right. I am consulting with people that I really trust, and I want it to be done right,” explains Diamond.
Diamond’s friend and stylist, Fantasy, says that she styles and also makes some of Masa’s clothes. These are items that Diamond envisions for the events she attends and campaigns she does, and that may not be available in clothing stores.
“Dressing her is an addition to making her feel celebrated as my friend,” says Fantasy, adding that it also means having support as a fashion designer.
Diamond has worked with brands such as Cotton ON, UCOOK, Suzuki and various hotels.
“I go to the beach, not only because it is one of my favourite places. But I go to the beach to serve fashion while remaining dry,” says Masa Diamond, who loves creating Instagram reels at the beach. PHOTO: Supplied/Masa Diamond
A dream come true
Diamond reflects on her rise as a content creator back in 2020.
Like a true internet sensation, with around 2000 Instagram followers at the time, Diamond was approached by a public relations (PR) manager from Zimbali Resort in Durban. Little did Diamond know that this was the beginning of bigger things.
“I got an email from this lady, who managed PR at Zimbali Resort, saying she has loved my content since she could remember […] and she wants to fly me out to Zimbali for a week to create content for them,” says Diamond. “I remember thinking that this woman was going to come back and say she was lying.”
Indeed, in February 2020, flight tickets were finalised and Diamond was off to create content in a different province with her friend and fellow digital content creator, Azee Green.
“I had just connected with Azee Green, we became friends through Twitter […] I thought it would make sense to have her come on the trip with me so she can guide me,” explains Diamond.
It seemed strange to Diamond at first that a fashion campaign was not her first campaign since she loves clothes. However, travelling was not so far off from her interests.
“When Cotton ON reached out to me [in 2021], I thought finally,” says Diamond.
“That’s always been where I’ve extended my creativity and what I couldn’t say through my mouth,” says Diamond about landing agreements in the fashion space. Today, she has 14 600 followers on Instagram.
“It’s still wild to me that there are people who are actually putting currency and money into the work and content that I produce,” says Diamond.
Creating content does not feel like work for Diamond. Instead, it is her ideal way of unwinding “and experiencing something so different”.
“I am actively doing things that are aligning me more to my purpose.”