The Coalition of African Lesbians (CAL) Feminist Institute in Maputo, Mozambique invited Gender DynamiX (GDX) to do a presentation on “Understanding Transgender” on 26 February 2008. This request was a result of the raised interest in trans understanding in Africa after the ARC International conference just two months prior.

GDX decided to diversify the newly established trans representation in the region by inviting the activists who recently came out as trans to personally represent the trans voice at the meeting. At this stage, these activists were masculine identifying trans persons only. Tensions were heightened in this feminist space, as these trans activists all previously identified as lesbians, and most often took leadership roles in their respective countries’ organisations, so the issue of their assumed male privilege caused much debate.

This CAL meeting was very important for the African trans movement because many saw it as the first meeting of feminists and lesbians in which trans activists and trans issues were prominent. It was the first meeting in Africa where trans activists rejected the perception of lesbians and feminists in Africa that the decision to transition was a way of seeking male privilege.