The media plays an important role in shaping public understanding of intersex people. While African intersex advocates have long been telling their own stories through books, documentaries and other organisational work, British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) reporting has helped bring some of these voices to international audiences. This article highlights three BBC stories that shed light on the realities, challenges and resilience of intersex people across Africa.

Julius Kaggwa — Uganda

“Becoming Julius: Growing up intersex in Uganda” (2017) is the personal story of Julius Kaggwa, from being raised as Julia to becoming Julius, one of Africa’s leading intersex activists. The piece explores his childhood, stigma, school experiences, identity, the journey into advocacy and the family he has built. It is both deeply narrative and an important story on how intersex advocacy in East Africa began. The story is beautifully illustrated by PositiveNegatives for the Open Society Foundations. Julius Kaggwa is the Founder of Support Initiative for People with Atypical Sex Development (SIPD). You can read the full BBC story here.

Mphatso Sakala — Zambia

The short documentary, “Being intersex: I wanted to be my true self” (2019), produced by BBC Africa’s Life Clinic, explores Mphatso Sakala’s story of disclosing his truth to his childhood friend who became a sister, Miriam. The film explores the emotional impact of secrecy, family expectations, self-discovery and the courage it takes to live openly in a society where intersex people often face misunderstanding and stigma. He shares a deeply personal story of his intersex journey, especially the reality that comes with being different from the rest, being assigned female at birth and eventually embracing their authentic identity. The journey is not about becoming someone else but about living genuinely. Sharing his story publically, Mphatso helps challenge stigma and encourages greater understanding of intersex people in Zambia and across Africa. Mphatso is the Founder and current Executive Director of Intersex Society of Zambia (ISSZ). Watch the BBC documentary:

James Karanja — Kenya

Kenya was the first African country to recognise intersex as a gender category in their 2019 population census. In this BBC article, James Karanja narrates his childhood story as an intersex person born in Kenya unselfishly sharing the struggles of an intersex child and their family and explaining why being counted matters. James was assigned female at birth and raised as Mary because his family and the health care providers were uncertain how to classify his sex. As he grew older, his body developed more typically male characteristics, leaving him to navigate confusion, stigma and rejection within his community. Through self-discovery and advocacy, he embraced his identity as James Karanja and became a leading voice for the intersex rights in Kenya. The timing of the BBC story is significant as it coincided with Kenya’s historic decision to collect data on intersex people during the national census, making the country the first in Africa to do so. For James, this was acknowledgement that intersex people exist and deserve equal access to services, legal protection and public policy. By weaving James’ personal story with Kenya’s landmark census, the BBC demonstrated that behind every policy milestone, there are real people whose lives have been shaped by invisibility and this should no longer be the way forward. Watch the BBC documentary here:

These stories have helped move public conversations beyond myths and misconceptions especially when told right. While no single media outlet can capture the diversity of intersex experiences, because they go way beyond just these stories, responsible journalism can increase understanding, reduce stigma and encourage informed discussions about bodily autonomy and human rights. Continue reading these stories in our archive to experience wider realities of intersex lives. 

This article was written by our Intersex Content Contributor, Delphine Barigye

Valentin (middle name used to protect the activist) is a young Beninese person who was born and raised in Niger. His childhood was marked by stigma, misunderstandings, and many questions related to his experience as an intersex person. For a long time, he tried to understand who he was in a society where differences are often poorly understood. Over time, he learned to accept himself and transform his lived experience into a source of advocacy.

Today, his commitment is to raise public awareness about the reality of intersex people. He wants people to understand that being intersex is not a choice: it is how one is born. Through his testimony and his activism, he works towards greater understanding of human bodily variations, the fight against prejudice, and the respect for the dignity and rights of all intersex people.

To begin simply, could you tell me about yourself?

“My name is Valentin. I was born in Niger and grew up there, although my family origins are from Benin. My parents settled in Niger for professional reasons before I was born, and it is here that I have built my entire life. I am an intersex person, an activist, and the founder of Voie Divine, an organisation that raises awareness about intersex realities in Niger. My commitment was born from my personal experience. For a long time, I lived without truly understanding who I was. I faced stigma, mockery, insults, exclusion, and misunderstanding. Today, I work so that other intersex people can have access to the information, support, and acceptance that I sometimes lacked during my childhood and adolescence.”

When you look back, what are the earliest memories you have of growing up and understanding yourself?

“When I think back to my childhood, what I remember most is a feeling of being different that I could not explain. From a very young age, I noticed that certain things in my life were different from those of other children. I asked myself many questions about who I was, but I could not find answers. At that time, I knew nothing about being intersex. I only knew that there was something I did not understand about my identity and my body. This feeling of not being like others stayed with me throughout much of my childhood.”

As a child, how did you experience your body, your identity, and the way people around you responded to you?

“My childhood was marked by many questions about my body and my identity. I felt different without being able to explain why. I was simply looking to be accepted like other children, but this was not always easy. The way others looked at me had a significant impact on me. Some people saw me as different, and this sometimes resulted in mockery, insults, or rejection. As a child, I did not understand why this was happening to me. These experiences sometimes affected my confidence and pushed me to search for more answers about my identity.”

Were there moments in your early life that confused you, or made you feel different before you had words for it?

“Yes, several moments deeply marked my childhood and adolescence. Some memories remain particularly painful. I remember that some people tried to forcibly check what was underneath my clothes or underwear because they had doubts or questions about my body. These situations were extremely humiliating and traumatic for me. I did not understand why I had to go through this. I also remember being pointed at, insulted, or publicly identified as someone different. On several occasions, I experienced physical or verbal violence because of this difference that others perceived. Some people would hit me or mistreat me because they did not understand who I was. At that time, I did not yet have the words to describe what I was experiencing. I only felt confusion, sadness, and sometimes loneliness. These experiences deeply influenced my life journey.”

Who were the most important people around you growing up and how did they shape how you saw yourself?

“The most important people in my life were members of my family. Despite the difficulties I experienced outside, I was fortunate to have a family that accepted me as I am. Their love, support, and presence allowed me to continue moving forward even during difficult moments. They helped me understand that my value did not depend on the opinions or judgments of others. Without their support, it would have been much more difficult for me to face the discrimination and violence I experienced.”

At what point did you begin to understand that your experience had a name or meaning beyond your personal story?

“I began to truly understand my experience in 2023. For many years, I only knew that I was different, but I did not understand why. I had many questions that no one seemed able to answer. I then began my own research to understand who I really was. It was through this research that I discovered intersex variations. For the first time, I found information that matched my lived experience. I also started watching videos, listening to testimonies, and reading stories from intersex people from different countries. By listening to their experiences, I recognised myself in many of their stories. This helped me understand that I was not alone and that other people were living realities similar to mine. This discovery gave meaning to many experiences I had lived through since childhood but had never been able to explain.”

How did that discovery affect you emotionally at the time? Was it a moment of clarity, struggle, fear, or something else?

“This discovery represented a major turning point in my life. At first, I felt an immense sense of relief. After years of questioning, I had finally found answers. Understanding who I was brought me an inner peace that I had never experienced before. At the same time, this discovery made me reflect on all the difficulties I had gone through: the humiliations, insults, violence, and discrimination. It was painful, but it also helped me understand that these experiences did not define my worth. From the day I understood who I truly was, I developed greater confidence in myself. I stopped being ashamed of my difference. Today, I walk with my head held high. I am no longer afraid of other people’s opinions or judgments. On the contrary, this discovery gave me the strength to affirm myself, defend my rights, and transform my personal experience into a commitment to support others. It was this awareness that led me to create Voie Divine. Through this organisation, I want to enable other intersex people to find the information, support, and understanding that took me so many years to obtain.”

How did your identity as an intersex person influence that journey in any way?

“While growing up, I did not know that I was an intersex person, but I felt that I was different from others. For a long time, I searched to understand who I truly was. It was through my own research that I discovered my intersex variation. This reality influenced my life journey, especially because I experienced stigma, insults, mockery, and rejection from primary school through university. Despite these difficulties, I was fortunate to have a family that accepted me as I am.”

When you think of “home” now, what does it mean to you?

“For me, ‘home’ is above all a place where I feel accepted, respected, and safe. It is also the place where my family, my points of reference, and the people who support me are found. Although my family origins are from Benin, Niger is the country where I grew up and where I built my identity. Therefore, this is where I truly feel at home.”

Activism & Leadership Journey

When did you first begin to see yourself as an activist, not just someone living your own experience?

“I truly began to see myself as an activist in 2023, after discovering my intersex variation. Before that, I was mainly on a personal journey of understanding myself, without considering myself as an engaged advocate or activist. It was when I understood that my experience was not isolated and that other intersex people were living similar realities that I felt the need to take action. The creation of Voie Divine marked the concrete beginning of my activism, with the objective of raising awareness, providing information, and supporting intersex people in Niger.”

What does leadership mean to you in this context?

“For me, leadership is not about directing others, but about serving, listening, and opening pathways for understanding. It is the ability to transform a personal experience into collective action to improve the lives of others. In my context, leadership also means having the courage to speak about a subject that is highly taboo, carrying the voices of people who are often invisible, and creating a space where they can be recognised and respected. It is a commitment that requires responsibility, humility, and perseverance.”

What have been some of the risks or fears you have had to navigate?

“The risks are multiple and connected to the social and cultural context of Niger. The first is the strong stigma surrounding intersex variations, which remain very little known and often misunderstood. People engaged on this issue are sometimes automatically associated with the LGBT community, which leads to social judgment and prejudice. In this context, even though no law directly criminalises certain identities, social perceptions remain very negative. This can make awareness work difficult and limit opportunities for public action or official recognition. There is also a constant fear of being misunderstood, rejected, or reduced to a single label, whereas the work being carried out is primarily about human rights, dignity, and raising awareness about intersex variations.”

What keeps you going on difficult days?

“My main motivation comes from my own experience. I grew up without understanding who I was, living through confusion, stigma, and sometimes violence. I do not want other intersex people to go through the same suffering in silence. In 2023, I began connecting with international and regional organisations working on intersex issues. These encounters greatly strengthened my commitment. I particularly collaborated with AIM (African Intersex Movement), led by Obioma, as well as CIA, led by Loé Petit in France. These organisations supported me greatly in building my activist journey and in strengthening the structure of Voie Divine. AIM allowed me to participate in a research committee on intersex people in West Africa. As part of this work, we were invited to Nigeria for training on research methods and approaches adapted to intersex realities. This experience was very educational and helped me better structure my activism. Today, my motivation also comes from the belief that every person deserves to be informed, respected, and recognised in their human dignity. Every step forward, even a small one, represents a victory for the intersex community and for the awareness work we carry out through Voie Divine.”

Voie Divine

At what point did Voie Divine begin to take shape in your mind or in your life?

“Voie Divine began to take shape in 2023, shortly after my discovery of intersex variations. For many years, I had lived with questions about my identity without truly understanding what I was experiencing. In 2023, through my personal research, I finally discovered intersex variations and understood who I truly was. This discovery marked a turning point in my life. I began watching videos, reading testimonies, and following the journeys of other intersex people around the world. For the first time, I recognised myself in the experiences of others. I understood that I was not alone and that what I was experiencing had a name. At the same time, I realised that in Niger, very few people knew about this reality. I began asking myself how many other people were living in silence, confusion, or suffering without access to information. It was at this moment that the idea of creating an awareness-raising organisation began to emerge.”

Was there a specific moment, experience, or frustration that pushed you to create it?

“Yes. My personal journey was the main motivation behind the creation of Voie Divine. Since childhood, I had faced difficult situations. I experienced insults, mockery, stigma, and rejection because of my difference. Some people even tried to forcibly check what was underneath my clothes because they did not understand my body. I was also a victim of physical violence simply because I was perceived as different. For a long time, I had no explanation for what I was experiencing. When I discovered intersex variations, I understood how essential information is. I then promised myself that other people should not have to spend as many years as I did searching for answers about their identity. I decided to create Voie Divine in order to provide information to intersex people, raise awareness in society, and create a space where people concerned could come together, share their experiences, and support one another.”

Why the name “Voie Divine”—what meaning does it carry for you?

“The name “Voie Divine” reflects the fundamental values of our organisation. The word “Voie” (Path) symbolises the fact that we all have different paths in life. Every person is born with their own story, reality, and journey. Some people are born with particular characteristics, such as intersex variations, which influence their life experiences. This word therefore represents the different paths that each person takes to understand themselves, accept themselves, and find their place in society. The word “Divine” refers to faith. It expresses my belief that, despite our differences, we are all creations of God and made in His image. We do not choose the characteristics with which we are born. For this reason, every person deserves respect, dignity, and acceptance. Through this name, we want to share a message of hope, respect, and recognition of the value of every human being.”

When you first started, what did you imagine it would become?

“When I started, I primarily imagined a space for information and awareness raising. I wanted intersex people to have access to the information that I myself had struggled so much to find. I also hoped to create a community capable of bringing together intersex people in Niger so that they could exchange, share their experiences, and support each other. I dreamed of an organisation that would contribute to reducing prejudice, raising awareness among families, and promoting respect for the rights of intersex people. Even today, I hope to see Voie Divine become a recognised organisation that works with communities, institutions, and partners to improve understanding of intersex variations in Niger.”

What were those early days like when Voie Divine was just beginning?

“Voie Divine was officially created on 2 June 2023 in Niger, only a few months after my discovery of intersex variations. The beginnings were modest. We had few resources, but we had a lot of motivation. We started by sharing information, raising awareness among those around us, and organising awareness activities. Little by little, we began making our mission known and drawing attention to a reality that remains largely unknown in the country. Since the beginning, we have particularly focused on awareness activities in order to make the voices of intersex people heard and promote a better understanding of their realities.”

What challenges have you encountered?

“The challenges have been numerous and continue today. The first challenge is that intersex variations remain a very taboo subject in Niger. Many people do not know about this reality or prefer not to talk about it. Prejudices, misconceptions, and stigma make awareness work particularly difficult. Another major challenge concerns the formalisation of the organisation. Currently, Voie Divine continues to operate informally. We have begun steps to obtain official recognition, but we have encountered several obstacles. Some people consider intersex issues to be too sensitive or too delicate to allow the organisation to be formally recognised. This situation limits our possibilities for development and access to certain partnerships or funding opportunities. Financial difficulties are also a considerable challenge. To date, Voie Divine does not have stable funding. We often use our own personal resources to carry out activities. Every first Sunday of the month, we organise awareness activities using our own means. Despite our commitment, the lack of funding greatly limits our ability to reach more people and develop our programmes. Today, Voie Divine suffers greatly from a lack of financial resources, even though the need for information and awareness raising is significant.”

Did you ever doubt whether it would continue?

“Yes, I have had moments when I doubted several times. The financial difficulties, the lack of official recognition, and the many obstacles linked to prejudice can sometimes be discouraging. However, whenever I think about my own journey, the years of confusion I experienced before understanding my identity, and the suffering I went through, I find the motivation to continue. I also think about intersex people who are still living in silence, isolation, or misunderstanding. Knowing that our work can help someone better understand their reality or feel less alone gives me the strength to continue this mission. Despite the challenges, I remain convinced that Voie Divine has an important role to play in raising awareness, providing information, and defending the dignity of intersex people in Niger.”

If we were to understand Voie Divine today through your eyes, what would I see?

“Through my eyes today, we would see a complex reality, between difficulties and hope. On one hand, intersex variations remain very little known in Niger and are strongly surrounded by taboos. When the issue is discussed, it is often misunderstood and interpreted in different ways: some people talk about deformity, abnormality, a curse, or even a spirit depending on their beliefs. This lack of information contributes to strong stigma against intersex people. In this context, many intersex people live in silence and fear. Some hide themselves to avoid family or social rejection. Others have experienced very difficult situations from birth, ranging from abandonment to violence or violations of their dignity. Although these realities are rarely documented, they exist and reflect the vulnerability of intersex people within society. On the other hand, I also see gradual change through awareness raising. People are beginning to ask questions, seek understanding, and reconsider their perceptions. Voie Divine contributes to opening a space for dialogue, information, and recognition, even though the journey is still long.”

Who are the people you are mainly working with?

“Voie Divine is currently mainly carried by me, with the support of a few close people who share the vision of the organisation and accept me in my commitment. We also work through exchanges and collaborations with organisations and networks engaged on intersex issues at regional and international levels. Among them, I can mention the African Intersex Movement (AIM), led by Obioma, and CIA, led by Loé Petit in France. These relationships have played an important role in my activist journey, particularly in terms of training, research, and strengthening my engagement. The organisation is still informal, with a small team based on trust, personal commitment, and the desire to raise awareness.”

What kinds of support or interventions are most needed?

“Voie Divine needs several types of support in order to strengthen and develop its work. The first is financial support. Currently, the organisation operates with very limited resources and relies largely on personal contributions. We organise awareness activities every first Sunday of the month, but they are financed through our own resources, which limits their reach and consistency. The second is institutional support. At present, Voie Divine is not yet formally recognised, particularly because of the sensitivity of the issue within the Nigerien context. The process of formalisation is difficult, which limits opportunities for partnerships and development. There is also a need for capacity strengthening, particularly in awareness raising, research, and advocacy, in order to improve the impact of the work being carried out. Finally, social support is essential to reduce stigma and promote better understanding of intersex variations within society.”

Can you share a moment where you felt the work made a real difference for someone?

“One of the most significant moments in my journey happened during an awareness activity, when we were sharing stories and information about intersex variations. A person approached us and recognised themselves in the experiences that were being described. After several discussions and conversations, this person stated that they were intersex. This moment was very powerful because it showed the direct impact of awareness raising and the importance of creating spaces for listening and information. Sometimes, these spaces allow people to put words to what they have been experiencing silently for a long time. However, a few months later, this person returned and denied being intersex. I understood this situation as a possible consequence of social and family pressure, in a context where intersex variations remain highly stigmatised. This experience deeply affected me. It helped me understand the extent to which social pressure can influence people’s identity and their ability to speak about their experiences. It also showed me how difficult it can be for some people to accept and openly express their reality. Despite this, it strengthened my determination to continue awareness raising and to create safe spaces where people can express themselves freely, without fear or judgment.”

What kind of world are you hoping Voie Divine helps to build?

“We want to build a world where differences are no longer seen as abnormalities, curses, or reasons for rejection, but as a natural part of human diversity. A world where every child, including intersex children, is welcomed with respect, protection, and information. A world where no one is excluded because of their body, identity, or personal history. A world based on human dignity, acceptance, and social justice.”

Connection to the Wider Movement

How do you see Voie Divine fitting into the broader African intersex movement?

“I see Voie Divine as an emerging but essential initiative within the African movement for the defence of intersex people’s rights. Although the organisation is still young and operates informally, it represents an important voice from Niger in a space where intersex variations remain largely invisible and often misunderstood. Within the African movement, Voie Divine plays a grassroots role: documenting local realities, raising awareness among communities, and bringing forward the voices of intersex people in a context where they are often invisible. It is also a space of resistance and awareness raising in response to social and cultural taboos.”

How did you join the intersex movement? Are there connections or solidarities that have been important for you? 

“My entry into the movement happened gradually in 2023, after discovering my own intersex variation. While searching to understand my identity, I began connecting with spaces for information and organisations working on intersex issues. It was through these searches and exchanges that I joined several activist networks. I was particularly in contact with organisations such as AIM, led by Obioma, and CIA, led by Loé Petit. These organisations supported me in understanding the issues and building my commitment. I also participated in research and training activities, particularly through a committee on intersex people in West Africa with AIM. A training organised in Nigeria allowed me to gain methodological tools and better structure my activism. At the same time, my personal journey, marked by difficulties accessing employment, financial insecurity, and experiences of stigma, strengthened my commitment to this movement.”

The Reality of Intersex Lives in Niger

Through your work and experience, what have you come to understand about the realities of intersex people in Niger?

“In Niger, I have understood that intersex variations are very little known as both a medical and human reality. When they are known, they are often misunderstood or incorrectly defined. Depending on the person, it may be perceived as a deformity, an abnormality, a curse, or sometimes even as a spiritual sign or a “spirit”. There are therefore several different perceptions, but very little reliable and scientific information. In reality, intersex people often live in silence and fear. The majority prefer to hide in order to avoid judgment, rejection, or violence. The lack of information creates strong stigma and prevents many people from openly living their reality.”

How are intersex children usually received in families or communities?

“The reception of intersex children is often marked by confusion and misunderstanding. At birth, families and communities may be shocked or disoriented when faced with sexual characteristics that differ from usual expectations. In some cases, this can lead to rejection, shame, or fear. Some families may be influenced by cultural or religious beliefs, which can increase stigma. However, there are also families who choose to protect and accept their child despite the lack of information.”

What happens when a child is born with variations in sex characteristics?

“When a child is born with variations in sex characteristics, the situation is often handled in silence and without appropriate support. There may be significant social pressure to quickly “normalise” the child or assign them an identity that conforms to society’s expectations. In some cases, medical or social decisions are made at a very early stage, sometimes without complete information or without the informed consent of the person concerned. This can have important consequences for their future life. There are also very difficult situations where children are abandoned at birth or hidden by their families because of fear of social judgment. In extreme cases, some people may experience serious violence or violations of their fundamental rights. These realities, although rarely officially documented, exist in certain contexts.”

What kinds of beliefs or myths exist around intersex people?

“Several myths still surround intersex variations in Niger. Some people believe that it is a curse, a divine punishment, or a supernatural phenomenon. Others describe it as a “deformity” or an “abnormality” without understanding that it is a natural variation of human sex characteristics. There are also beliefs that intersex people possess spiritual powers or are beings who are different from others. These perceptions, whether negative or based on mystification, all contribute to moving away from scientific reality and reinforcing stigma.”

What are the biggest forms of harm or exclusion you are seeing?

“Intersex people in Niger face several forms of exclusion. First, there is social exclusion, which appears through mockery, insults, rumors, and rejection within communities. This stigma pushes many people to live in secrecy. There is also family exclusion in some cases, when the birth of an intersex child is misunderstood or experienced as a source of shame, sometimes leading to rejection or isolation. On a medical level, some people may experience interventions or early decisions without adequate support or a complete understanding of their situation. Finally, there is significant psychological and identity-based exclusion, because the lack of information and experiences of rejection can deeply affect self-confidence, self-esteem, and the mental well-being of intersex people.”

Personal Reflection 

What support do you need?

“I am currently facing a situation of significant vulnerability. As an intersex person, access to employment is very difficult. In my experience, even when I have managed to obtain professional opportunities, I have sometimes been dismissed once my identity became known or was suspected. This reality makes my professional integration unstable and fragile. Today, I am unemployed, and this directly affects my ability to meet my basic needs, including paying my rent and managing my daily living expenses. I often find myself in a situation where I have to survive with very limited resources. During these difficult moments, I have received support on several occasions from people and organisations committed to this cause, particularly CIA, led by Loé Petit, which provided me with important moral and human support. This support allowed me to continue moving forward despite the obstacles. For a long time, I hoped that my professional situation would improve quickly and that I would be able to access stable employment. However, until now, this remains difficult, and I continue to live with financial instability. The limited resources I manage to obtain are sometimes used for my personal needs, but also to support the awareness activities I carry out through Voie Divine. Despite the difficulties, I remain committed to this work because it is essential for intersex people who continue to live with misunderstanding and stigma. Today, my main need is sustainable financial support that would allow me to stabilise my personal situation and strengthen my advocacy and awareness activities.”

How has this journey changed you as a person?

“This journey has deeply transformed me. For a long time, I lived without understanding myself, with a feeling of being different without being able to name it. The discovery of my intersex variation in 2023 was a major turning point in my life. It allowed me to put words to my experience, but also to understand that I was not alone. I have also gone through difficult experiences marked by stigma, rejection, and sometimes violence. These challenges shaped me and pushed me to transform my pain into commitment and action. Today, I see myself not only as a person directly affected, but also as an actor of awareness and change through Voie Divine.”

What parts feel the most healing or empowering?

“The most empowering aspects of my journey have been awareness, resilience, and meeting other organisations and committed individuals. Discovering intersex variations allowed me to understand my identity and give meaning to my experiences. Resilience helped me continue despite social, economic, and personal difficulties. My exchanges with organisations such as AIM and CIA also allowed me to gain knowledge, open myself to other perspectives, and strengthen my activism. Finally, every person who becomes aware or begins to understand their own reality represents something meaningful and motivating for me.”

When you imagine the future for intersex people in Niger, what do you see?

“I imagine a future where intersex people in Niger and across Africa will no longer have to hide or suffer in silence. A future where they will have access to information, respect, and dignity from birth. I also hope to see Voie Divine become a structured, recognised organisation capable of working effectively on the ground in awareness raising, research, and support. On a personal level, I hope to achieve professional and financial stability that will allow me to live with dignity and continue my commitment.”

If a young intersex person were listening to this conversation, what would you want them to hear from you?

“To a young intersex person, I would like to say that they are not alone. What they are experiencing has a name, an explanation, and above all, human value. It is important not to be ashamed of yourself, even if society can sometimes be harsh or lack understanding. Difference is not a weakness; it is part of human diversity. I encourage them to seek reliable information, surround themselves with caring people, and not remain isolated. A better future is possible, even if the journey may be difficult.”

Thank you for sharing your story so openly. Before we close, is there anything you feel is important that we haven’t touched on?

“I would simply like to add that awareness raising work is essential, especially in contexts where intersex variations are still very little known. Silence and ignorance contribute to the suffering of the people concerned. This is why Voie Divine exists: to inform, raise awareness, and give a voice to those who do not have one. Despite the personal, financial, and institutional difficulties, I remain committed to this mission because it is necessary and urgent.”

This interview with Valentin was conducted by our Intersex Content Contributor, Delphine Barigye.

Founded on 26 July 2024 by Boomer Mateus, Luis Mário Seteco and Jéssica Sanga, Direitos Humanos Intersexual Angola (DHIA) works to make a meaningful difference in the lives of intersex people and their families in Angola. Direitos Humanos Intersexual translates to “Intersexual Human Rights” from Portuguese. Boomer is the current Executive Director and active members are Miriam Benilde, Elisandro Jorge, Vero Nicolau and Nelma da Cunha.

Vision

To create a world where all intersex people are valued, respected and celebrated for their diversity.

Mission

To promote awareness, acceptance and respect for intersex people by challenging stereotypes and combating discrimination.

Goal

To contribute to building a society where intersex bodies are not stigmatised and where their rights as individuals are respected, protected and upheld.

More about the reason for founding DHIA, by co-founder, Boomer Mateus

“As an intersex person and the founder of the first human rights organization for intersex people in Angola, my connection to this organization is deeply rooted in my personal life journey. Every step I take along this path is driven by lived experiences of struggle, resilience, and hope for a brighter future for all intersex individuals. This organization is not just a project; it is an extension of my dreams and the dreams of so many voices that have been silenced for far too long. It is a space where our stories find strength, where we transform pain into action, and where we build, together, a fairer and more inclusive world. Being part of this is the fulfillment of a greater purpose that guides me every single day.”

Projects

Contact

Website
+244954518143
Email: dhiangolano@gmail.com
Facebook

Watch our interview with Boomer Mateus

We interviewed Boomer on the 21st of March 2025 with a Portuguese:English translator about his life and activism.

“Envisioning African Intersex: Challenging Colonial and Racist Legacies in South African Medicine” by Amanda Lock Swarr (Associate Professor, Gender, Women & Sexuality Studies, University of Washington) was published 30 January 2023 and is a groundbreaking work that challenges entrenched scientific and social norms about intersex individuals, particularly within the context of South Africa. Swarr meticulously deconstructs the historical and contemporary narratives surrounding intersex bodies, highlighting how these narratives are steeped in colonialism, racism, and gender binaries. The book is divided into several chapters, each focusing on different aspects of intersex representation and activism, with a strong emphasis on the voices and experiences of intersex individuals themselves.

Critical Analysis of Scientific Definitions of ‘Intersex’

The book opens with a critical examination of how scientific definitions of intersex have historically pathologised and categorised intersex bodies. Swarr points out that intersex has been subjected to an extensive range of taxonomic and medical definitions, often used to enforce binary gender norms. She emphasises the problematic nature of these definitions, which date back to the early 1800s and became widely adopted by medical professionals in the 1950s. Swarr quotes Iain Morland, who argues that scholarly and popular considerations of intersex often start with statistics, giving a false impression that the “truth” of bodies can be separated from discourse. Instead, Morland suggests exploring “how and why knowledge about intersex is produced”.

Swarr introduces the concept of “citational chains,” which she defines as references that build on each other to create truth claims despite the fundamentally flawed foundations of the original works cited. These chains perpetuate erroneous observations by colonial explorers and scientists, linking “hermaphroditism” and intersex with blackness and spreading these ideas across academia, popular culture, journalism, and social media

Colonial Roots of Intersex Representations

The second chapter delves into the colonial roots of intersex representations, focusing on how colonial explorers and scientists constructed narratives around the “Hottentot apron” and other racialised body features. Swarr argues that Africa was positioned at the bottom of the hierarchy in the citational chain of explorers’ and scientists’ imaginations. She illustrates how British physicians like George Blacker and William Lawrence played a significant role in erasing the history and memory of European hermaphroditism, thus valorising European bodies and reinforcing racial hierarchies​.

Swarr’s analysis highlights the importance of understanding the historical context in which these scientific narratives were formed and how they continue to impact contemporary perceptions of intersex individuals. By exposing the colonial underpinnings of these narratives, she challenges readers to reconsider the legitimacy and motivations behind them.

Sally Gross

The third chapter focuses on Sally Gross, a prominent South African intersex activist and founder of the first intersex rights organisation in Africa, whose life and work epitomised the struggle against medical violence and social exclusion. Gross’s activism was deeply rooted in her anti-apartheid efforts, and she consistently linked the fight against apartheid with the struggle for intersex rights. Swarr provides a detailed account of Gross’s efforts to challenge the theories of scientists like John Money and H. J. Grace, as well as her critique of the medical protocols that pathologized intersex bodies​.

Gross’s activism was characterised by her insistence on the acceptance of the body as it is, without the need for conformity to binary gender norms. In her unpublished work, she reflects on her life and the challenges she faced:

“When it became increasingly clear that what I am challenges the dichotomy, it is almost as if I was seen as threatening the very order of creation. I was no longer seen as a legitimate inhabitant of a shared social and moral world”​.

Racial Categorisations Underlying Intersex Classifications

The book also delves into the racial categorisations used by Grace and others, which were deeply entrenched in apartheid logic. Grace’s detailed taxonomy of intersex conditions and his simplistic definition of race reflect the scientific racism of his time. He described South Africa as having “four well-defined population groups: Caucasoids, Negroids, Asiatics, and a mixed race of all three, the Coloureds”​​. This categorisation was used to justify the racial hierarchies and segregation policies of apartheid.

Swarr challenges these outdated notions, arguing for a more nuanced understanding of intersex variations that transcends racial and colonial boundaries. Her work underscores the need to decolonise medical protocols and embrace a more inclusive and intersectional approach to intersex studies.

Caster Semenya

The final chapter examines the case of Caster Semenya, a South African runner who has been subjected to intense scrutiny and invasive gender verification testing. Semenya’s treatment by sporting authorities and the media highlights the ongoing intersection of racism, colonialism, and gender policing. Swarr argues that Semenya’s experiences are emblematic of the broader issues faced by intersex and gender-nonconforming individuals, particularly in the Global South.

Swarr discusses how Semenya and her supporters have used social media campaigns, such as #HandsOffCaster, to challenge the racist and exclusionary practices of institutions like the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF). These campaigns have played a crucial role in raising awareness about the injustices faced by Semenya and other athletes subjected to gender testing.

Semenya’s case underscores the need for decolonising gender testing and embracing a more inclusive understanding of gender diversity. Her resilience in the face of institutional racism and sexism serves as a powerful example of the broader fight for intersex rights and recognition.

Conclusion

“Envisioning African Intersex” is a powerful and thought-provoking work that sheds light on the complex and often painful realities faced by intersex individuals. Amanda Lock Swarr’s meticulous research and insightful analysis provide a comprehensive understanding of the ways in which colonialism, racism, and gender binaries have shaped and continue to shape the lives of intersex people. By centring the voices and experiences of intersex activists like Sally Gross and Caster Semenya, Swarr not only exposes the historical injustices but also celebrates the resilience and agency of those who refuse to be defined by oppressive norms.

This book is an essential for anyone interested in intersex rights, gender studies, African studies, or the history of medicine. It challenges one to question one’s assumptions about gender and sex and to recognise the profound impact of colonial legacies on contemporary understandings of the body. Through its rigorous scholarship and compelling narratives, “Envisioning African Intersex” offers a vision of a more inclusive and just world, where all bodies are accepted and valued as they are.

Swarr negotiated with DUKE university that this book be available FREE of charge online. Chapters or the entire book can be downloaded. The income generated from books that are purchased are donated to Intersex South Africa (ISSA), the organisation founded by Sally Gross.

Video Interview with Amanda Lock Swarr About the Book

As part of the Knowing Africa Seminar Series, Amanda Lock Swarr discusses the book in the video below with Ann Cvetkovich (Professor, Feminist Institute of Social Transformation, Carleton University), Zethu Matebani (sociologist, activist, writer, documentary film maker, Professor and South Africa Research Chair in Sexualities, Genders and Queer Studies at the University of Fort Hare), and Jabu Pereira (Founder of IRANTI).

This review was written by our content contributor, Delphine Barigye

In March 2020, The Victor Mukasa Show was broadcast live for the first time. Ugandan trans and LGBTI activist, Victor Mukasa envisioned the show as a space that would bring emerging issues for LGBTIQ+ people from the continent and the Diaspora to light. It aims to feature everything Queer and African, ranging from education, activism, arts, politics, social lives and everything that involves queer Africans. Victor’s vision for The Victor Mukasa Show is that it be a meeting place for queers and allies and a source of information, for activists, for their allies, local communities, legislators, and human rights organisations. The Victor Mukasa Show started off as a weekly podcast, on platforms such as Anchor and Spotify and later migrated to Facebook and YouTube. 

Later on, in March 2023, when the Anti-Homosexuality Bill (AHB) was reintroduced in Uganda at Parliament level, Victor branched The Victor Mukasa Show out to have a more general focus — to open a chapter specifically addressing the Ugandan community. This new division of his talk shows is called Ekimeeza K’abaLaGaBaTa (Queer Table Talk). This segment of the show is in Luganda (the spoken language in Uganda) and aimed at the general public. Queer Table Talk was introduced as a direct result of the AHB (this was before it became an Act of Law) as the suggestions within the proposed Bill was to not only prosecute LGBTIQ+ people but also to silence them and LGBTIQ+ organisations by preventing workshops, awareness raising sessions, meetings, sensitisation sessions, and even the production of informative material was to become illegal. Along with this silencing, the rightwing conservatives also distributed propaganda and misinformation, and stereotyping was on the rise. Victor realised that Ugandan LGBTIQ+ activists within Uganda could do nothing about this, that it would be illegal to address it, and that there was no way to counter the propaganda. This is how the Ekimeeza K’abaLaGaBaTa (Queer Table Talk) was born.

Victor says that The Queer Table Talk continues to deliver great results, with the introduction of the show to TikTok, which has increased viewers and engagement, as well as the fact that the language used (besides Luganda) makes the talks and topics accessible to everyone — not just activists, but the women who sells food on the street side and the boda-boda taxi driver:

“Here we don’t talk about United Nation Declarations and technical terms, we speak the language people understand”.

During the show, Victor has a lot of back and forth communication in Luganda with heterosexual community members. As Victor says

“The only thing that separates us, are the lies that they have been told about us!” 

Watch our interview with Victor about the first Victor Mukasa Show

Founded by Mphatso Sakala, Intersex Society Zambia (ISSZ) is an intersex-led not-for-profit non-governmental organisation founded on 2^nd May 2018. It ISSZ started its operations on 1^st April 2019 and was registered on 19^th May 2019. It exists to facilitate the recognition and protection of intersex people and to promote access to social, legal, political, spiritual and economic frameworks of intersex persons and transforming them into well-informed, motivated and active individuals to live a fulfilling life, achieving their dreams and contributing to their communities in Zambia and beyond its borders.

Vision

A Zambia where the rights of intersex persons are upheld by all.

Mission

To promote the rights of intersex persons in Zambia for an inclusive social, legal, and policy environment through evidence-based advocacy, awareness raising, psychosocial support, rehabilitation and supporting access to economic opportunities, education and health services.

Contact

Email: intersexzambia@gmail.com
+260 762132032
Facebook

Our interview with Mphatso Sakala

Founder and current Executive Director of ISSZ, Mphatso is a passionate Intersex activist and human rights defender. They have played an active role in intersex activism in Africa since 2017 and are passionate and committed to intersex human rights advocacy and documentation. They have taken a leadership role in the formation of the African Intersex Movement (AIM), which brings together intersex activists and persons from across Africa and Mphatso currently sits on the AIM steering Committee as a Co-Chair. They have also contributed to several regional and global intersex spaces.

They are a Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) Southern Africa (SA) Civic Leadership Alumni 2017, Rainbow Advocacy Program Fellow 2018 and Human Rights Defender Advocacy Program Fellow 2019 and a consultant on Intersex People and Sex Characteristics issues. A Computer and Network Engineer by profession and currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Development Studies and Psychology, they are fervent about human rights work, especially the rights of intersex persons (children, adolescents and adults), children and marginalised groups.

What inspired you to start ISSZ instead of joining an existing intersex organisation, if there was one in Zambia at the time?

“I first worked for an organisation that advocated for trans and intersex rights but I later noticed a gap in the programming, especially around intersex children. If you are very keen in intersex activism, you will realise that organisations that work with minority groups usually avoid working with children because they do not want to be accused of recruiting them into homosexuality, which is a misleading notion that is not true but is still a narrative that exists in our society. This gap clearly affects the intersex babies whose identity questions begin at birth! My exact thoughts were “what happens to intersex babies and children between the time they are born until the time they reach puberty or the age of 16 or 18 to discover themselves?” This is what provoked me to start ISSZ, an intersex specific organisation that could encompass the welfare of intersex people from infancy, through childhood, youth to their adulthood.”

How did you identify the specific needs or issues of the intersex community that ISSZ addresses?

“It was through a combined effort of strategies. I specifically had the privilege of travelling to Uganda to learn from pioneer organisations like SIPD (Support Initiative for People with Atypical Sex Development) to understand intersex programming and organising. This helped me identify the stakeholders in Intersex rights advocacy and on travelling back to Zambia, I engaged intersex persons and mothers of intersex children in order to understand their own experiences beyond mine. I also did a lot of reading, research and consultations. This helped me form interventions around the unique needs and challenges of the intersex people in Zambia.”

Were there any role models or mentors who influenced your decision to start ISSZ?

“Yes, I was mentored by Julius Kaggwa, the founder of SIPD Uganda and my late doctor, Prof. James Chipeta.”

Can you describe the initial steps you took to turn your idea into a reality?

“When I realised the gaps around intersex organising in Zambia, my first step was to talk to the organisation that I was working with at the time to explain why I was leaving at the end of my contract. It was important for me to maintain a good working relationship with them. I then identified some of the main goals I wanted to achieve if I was to found an intersex-specific organisation. Exploring the change that I wanted to see in Zambia, the bigger picture, that is the vision, I also engaged with and learnt a lot from intersex activists from around Africa and the globe, doing a situational analysis back at home to build a strong foundation that would support the intersex community in Zambia.”

Did you face any scepticism or doubt from others when you first proposed ISSZ? How did you respond?

“Many supported and encouraged me to start the organisation, however there were instances that gave me cold feet as the day came closer. The landscape around intersex activism proved to be challenging especially around funding. I debated about leaving a job that paid me a monthly salary to commit to a volunteer position. This caused a lot of scepticism but I decided to focus on the good that the organisation would bring.”

What values or principles guide your organisation’s work?

“The organisation is guided by confidentiality, transparency and accountability, compassion, commitment, responsibility, tolerance and team work.”

How do you involve the community in the planning and implementation of ISSZ projects?

“We usually make sure that our programming is informed by the community we work with through the peer and parents’ support groups meetings that we hold monthly. These help inform our work by providing valuable local knowledge and insights into the communities’ dynamics and keep it tailored to the needs of our community.”

Have you collaborated with other organisations or individuals to further your mission? If so, how?

“The intersex community has a number of stakeholders and this has enlarged our collaborations as well. We’ve collaborated with media institutions to create visibility and help in shaping opinions and narratives on intersex persons. We have also closely worked with organisations that offer skills development programmes. We have worked with religious groups, government ministries like the ministry of health, Civil Society Organisations and partners beyond Zambia as well. We have worked with Institutions like the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR). Our collaborations also includes intersex-led organisations from around Africa and the World.”

What do you think sets ISSZ apart from others working in the same field?

“Community involvement is a priority for us and this has fostered community ownership of the organisation.”

Looking back, what are you most proud of accomplishing with ISSZ so far?

“I can talk about three accomplishments. One was the privilege of being able to contribute in the advocacy efforts that led to the adoption of the Resolution 552 to promote and protect the rights of Intersex persons in Africa by the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights in Africa. The second is having initiated the development of a management protocol for intersex persons — one that will hopefully be reviewed and adopted by the Zambian Ministry of Health very soon. Lastly is being able to conduct a legal and policy review as an organisation with support from other stakeholders, which shows the gaps in the law when it comes to inclusion of intersex persons.”

Interview conducted by Delphine Barigye, our Intersex Content Contributor

“Being intersex: I wanted to be my true self” (2019) — Short documentary about Mphatso Sakala, produced by BBC Africa’s Life Clinic

Watch Mphatso being interviewed by Diamond TV Zambia:

In July 2016, The East Africa Trans Health and Advocacy Network (EATHAN) was formed by founding member Barbra Wangare in Kenya as a network of trans-diverse activists and organisations in East Africa working to improve the livelihoods of gender-diverse persons in East Africa. Member organisations represent 34 activist and trans community organisations across Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda.

Mission

EATHAN’s mission is to equip and enable East African trans* diverse individuals and institutions, to organise and advocate for the improvement of their health, the recognition of their gender, and the protection of their human rights, utilising informed research and documentation, particularly on health and HIV, and by enhancing their livelihoods through capacity strengthening and empowerment. In 2021 EATHAN celebrated International Women’s Day by hosting their first-ever Live Show on the topic of Trans Womanhood.

Areas of Work

The organisation’s main mandate is to support its members. It does this through technical support with fundraising proposals and attending conferences, as well as budget writing. It also offers capacity strengthening initiatives so that member organisations are able not only to fundraise, but to build the capacity to handle donations and carry out the projects funding was sought for. Member organisations are also trained in financial management and financial accountability.

EATHAN also engages in global trans activism and is one of the organising committee members of the United Nations Trans Advocacy Week that is held yearly.

Resource Hub

The EATHAN Resource Hub is a space where, among other things, its research is documented, providing community members with information on transitioning, legal gender recognition, challenges, as well as documents on legal and human rights advocacy and policy changes affecting trans and intersex communities.

Contact

Website
Email: info@eathan.org
+254 797 551980
Facebook

Watch our interview with EATHAN’s Executive Director, Barbra Wangare

On 15 October 2024, TIHA’s Victor J. Mukasa and Barbra discussed her personal journey as a trans woman and the early history of trans awareness in Kenya, her role in the founding of Kenya’s second trans organisation, Jinsiangu and the work that she and EATHAN do in Kenya, East Africa and globally.

In 2016, Sammie MacJessie founded the Ivy Foundation to create awareness especially for intersex persons to create a better environment which caters for their needs and is more understanding of their differences. The Foundation operates through the three major Cities in Malawi: Blantyre, Lilongwe and Mzuzu. The Foundation also advocates for the rights of young and old intersex individuals. 

Vision

The Foundation strives to enhance sustainable development to improve social basic needs of and the inclusion of LBIQ persons in all spaces like education and health care. They seek to advance gender equality and the empowerment of all by promoting sexual and reproductive health as well as human rights.

Contact

Email: Ivyfoundation6@gmail.com
Facebook

Our interview with Sammie MacJessie

YouTube interview

Watch our interview with Sammie from the 12th of September 2025:

Text interview

In April 2024, our content contributor Delphine Barigye had an informal chat with Sammie, reflecting on the founding of the Ivy Foundation in Malawi, the events that led to the formation of the Foundation, and Sammie’s experiences growing up as an Intersex person in Malawi. As the Trans & Intersex History Africa Digital Archive sat down with them to unravel the threads of inspiration that led to the creation of the transformative organisation, their words painted a vivid picture of determination, resilience and unwavering passion.

Sammie is an intersex person born in Malawi to a Malawian mother and a South African father. They grew up mostly in Malawi but had a fair share of their life in South Africa. They are the Executive Director of Ivy Foundation and have been a human rights activist for over ten years.

What motivated you to start the Ivy Foundation?

“What motivated me to start was the lack of inclusivity for intersex persons, the lack of conversations, and the lack of acceptance! For so long, people have always just pretended that we don’t exist. When I asked questions, no one could give me the answers and they made it look like I was crazy. I started this organisation so that intersex people can get answers to questions they have about their differences in sex development especially in a world where we are still considered a taboo.” 

Can you share a personal story or experience that sparked the idea for your organisation?

“Growing up, I was pretty much like everybody else until I was 12 and joined a boarding high school. This was a place where we had to bathe in a community bathroom and that is when I noticed the difference between me and the other girls there. At 14, I noticed how everybody else had got their menstrual period besides me. But this didn’t throw me off because this (the period) is not something I was looking forward to anyway. But at 19/20 I realised how late it was. Sex conversations with friends also highlighted how different I was. I had no idea what they were talking about, especially the sexual experiences because I had never felt any sexual sensation. One of my friends pointed out how different my coochie [genitals] was as well. So I decided to look for answers again. The doctors’ immediate guess was always hormonal imbalance and they prescribed hormonal therapy for 2 solid years until a doctor in South Africa NOT Malawi, after a pap smear confirmed that I had gone through a surgical procedure as a child and this consequently affected my sexual feeling. On questioning my mum about it, she reaffirmed. According to her, I was born with an abnormally large clitoris that they had to cut off. A certified doctor who didn’t understand the implications of what they were doing or what they were cutting off had done this. And now I am a grown-up who has never felt any sexual sensation at all. This experience of not being able to get answers in a country that did this mutilation pissed me off and I surely had to do something to protect others from the same experience.”

Were there any specific events or issues in your community that drove you to take action?

“Yes, there is a specific event in 2016 where an intersex individual in a high school from the rural area of Malawi in Kliwawa was brutally raped by the guards and the head prefect using objects. On reporting to the police, they made fun by asking the victim to show them what was in between their legs because the perpetrators had reported that the individual had two private parts.

The police continued to mock me by asking if it was true! The story went viral but no Human Rights activists cared enough to take action. I then reached out to the individual who seemed broken and did not want to open up. A week or later the individual finally jumped into Shire, a crocodile-infested river because she was a laughingstock in the village. This event truly broke my heart. Seeing a young person at the age of 15 go through so much and only end up losing their life at such a tender age because society didn’t care enough.”

Did you encounter any challenges or obstacles when starting your organisation, and how did you overcome them?

“First of all, we were not allowed to register because the government was sceptical about registering an intersex organisation. They argued that there was no data or statistics and hence hardly believed that there was a substantial number of intersex people in Malawi but also asserted that the Intersex people were part of the LGBTIQ community. I pointed out that if you think that intersex people are part of the LGBTIQ community then it’s true we exist and this is something you cannot take away only because for the longest time we have only been visible under this umbrella. But it is also very true that not all intersex people identify as LGBTQ. It was a long process of back and forth but I finally got help from UNDP and UNAIDs and finally got registered.”

What long-term goals do you hope to achieve through the Ivy Foundation?

“We are hoping that in the next at least 5 years (considering the pace of the Malawian government) we will have legislation protecting intersex people from the human rights violations and abuses they go through. We hope that the law can hold the perpetrators accountable for their actions because according to our research last year, nobody has been prosecuted for violating or abusing the rights of intersex persons in Malawi. We have already drafted the model law and policy to assist us in this journey. 

We are also hoping to see more intersex people in Malawi take up leadership roles like Tabitha and her sister in the sports fraternity. The goal is to normalise being intersex and create a more inclusive society.”

Have you seen any unexpected outcomes or benefits from Ivy Foundation’s initiatives?

“We have seen an increase in the number of intersex people who are willing to speak up about the violations they go through and also the number of allies that have come up to support our cause. It is heartwarming.”

What advice would you give to others who are considering starting their own grassroots NGOs?

“You will have more downs than ups. Motivated young founders usually expect everything to be rosy by getting so many funding opportunities and immediate acceptance from people in the first year which is not usually the case. The first few years, it will just be you making noise without anyone listening. However, over the years, more people have been willing to work with you creating more noise, I mean, I may be fat but there are plenty. Patience and resilience will eventually get you there.”

How do you stay motivated and passionate about Ivy Foundation’s mission?

“Am not going to lie, it is hard to stay motivated. We are one of the least funded organisations in Malawi and this is the trend with most intersex organizations across Africa. It is exhausting to stay motivated but when you look at how far we’ve come we can surely make one more step ahead every day.”

Interview with Sammie by our Intersex Content Contributor, Delphine Barigye

Founded in 2016 by Pinty Dludlu, TransSwati is a non-profit organisation providing services to the trans and gender non-conforming community. Officially registered in May 2018, TransSwati was born due to the lack of trans community representation in programmatic activities in the development sector in Eswatini (formerly Swaziland). A young feminist group, TransSwati works towards fighting social stigma faced by the trans and gender non-conforming community.

Vision

To create a future where all transgender and gender non-conforming individuals have equitable access to public services, are free from stigmatisation and feel safe and secure in a Swazi society.

Mission

To improve the livelihood of transgender and gender non-conforming individuals across Eswatini through intersectional approach to advocacy and programmatic activities that target health, law enforcement, education, economic empowerment, culture, religion and wider social attitudes.

Areas of Work

The organisation is dedicated to supporting transgender people and advocating for their rights. TransSwati believes that everyone deserves to live their life authentically and without fear of discrimination or violence. The organisation is dedicated to providing resources and support to transgender individuals and their families, as well as to educate the public about transgender issues. Specific areas of work include:

• Healthcare: TransSwati provides resources and support for transgender individuals and their families.
• Education: TransSwati provides education and raises awareness about transgender issues in eSwatini.
• Counselling: TransSwati provides support and counselling for people exploring their gender identities.

Contact

Website
Email: transswati10@gmail.com
+268 7653 0039 / +268 7810 9892
Facebook
Instagram

Our interview with Pinty Dludlu

We interviewed Pinty in February 2025:

Jholerina  B. Timbo (Madame Jholerina) founded Wings to Transcend Namibia (WTTN) in October 2015. WTTN is a non-governmental organisation that advocates and lobbies for equity and inclusion of trans people in Namibia.

Madame Jholerina said that the reason for founding WTTN was that

“there was no actual progress or investment into realising transgender people’s needs… So, my feeling was it is time that we, as trans people, organise ourselves and start a movement of our own.”

(Source: https://beyondthemargins.africa/the-fight-against-being-a-human-no-mans-zone/)

Mission

From their website:

“Wings to Transcend Namibia will be a champion and pioneer that works for social reform, legal gender recognition, and medical justice, through leadership development and empowering of transgender individuals and communities while lobbying local government, civil society and policymakers in national and international spheres about the needs of the Transgender community in Namibia”. 

Contact

Website
Email: wingstotranscendnamibia@gmail.com
Facebook

Watch our interview with Madame Jholerina

We interviewed Madame Jholerina on 14 March 2025.

In memoriam: Celebrating the life of Madame Jholerina (7 September 1985 — 9 October 2025)

We sadly bid farewell to and celebrate the life of Madame Jholerina. Jholerina Brinnette Theodora Timbo passed away last week on the 9th of October 2025. She had only turned 40 a few weeks before. She was a colourful person, proudly wearing her traditional attire and boldly claiming space everywhere she went. She claimed the name ‘Mama Trans’ as she was a mother, sister, ally and supporter to many young and newly out trans women, who came to her looking for a voice to speak their truth.

Jholerina was part of the emerging years of the early trans movement in Southern Africa. She attended the first trans- and intersex-specific workshop in Africa, hosted by IGLHRC (today known as Outright International) and Gender DynamiX, held in South Africa in December 2008. It was at this Eastern and Southern African Trans/Gender Identity Institute that she met art activist, Gabrielle Le Roux, and collaborated as a participant in the series of drawings, known as the “Proudly African & Transgender” project. She was also one of the participants in the first Intercontinental Trans Advocacy meeting, in Barcelona, Spain in June 2010, where the series of artworks was exhibited for the first time.

She founded Wings To Transcend Namibia (WTTN) in October 2015, because, as she put it: “there was no actual progress or investment into realising transgender people’s needs… So, my feeling was it is time that we, as trans people, organise ourselves and start a movement of our own.” To many, Madame Jholerina was so much more than the founder of WTTN. Apart from the lives she touched and the work she did outside of her role at WTTN while she was the Executive Director, she also served as a Grant-Making Panellist for the International Trans Fund (2023 – 2024), was a Mandela Washington fellow (2018), and part of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI, 2016), among many other accomplishments. She was an undeniable force, as her tireless and passionate work was only outshone by her warm heart, her endless generosity, and her naughty sense of humour.

Our co-founder, Liesl Theron, who knew Jholerina since 2008, shares her reflections on the news of Madame Jholerina’s death:

“My heart is still very broken after I heard the news Thursday about the passing of Madame Jholerina. The most recent time we saw each other was in June 2024, when I was organising logistics for the ITF and you attended the GMP meeting in Mexico City. The last day of GMP activities included attending the Mexico City Pride. You were boldly in bright colours as always, with a flower crown on your head! I remember those early years, way back in 2008 with our first regional trans projects, and you were part of it! We giggled every time, when you told me that you took over the name ‘Mama Trans’.”

The Trans & Intersex History Africa (TIHA) Digital Archive team mourns with her family, friends and colleagues, and we strive to honour her legacy by continuing to work for the rights of trans Africans. Rest in power, Madame J. Thank you for all that you did.

— Liesl, Victor and the TIHA team.

Memorial Service, 16 October 2025, Namibia

On the 16th of October, the Namibia Diverse Women’s Association (NWDA) held a memorial service for Madame Jholerina in her home country, Namibia.

Founded in 2015 by Rikki Nathanson, Trans* Research, Education, Advocacy & Training (TREAT) was the first trans-led, and gender-diverse focused organisation in Zimbabwe. TREAT’s mission is to inform and transform attitudes and address injustice and inequalities faced by the trans diverse population in Zimbabwe. After being arrested under charges such as criminal nuisance for using the “wrong” bathrooms in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, Bulawayo, Rikki Nathanson realised the huge gap in the general public’s ignorance and miseducation about gender, transgender and gender diverse people. Rikki relocated to the US, claiming asylum. Sam Ndlovu has been the Executive Director of TREAT since 2019.

Vision

TREAT is an initiative that seeks to address the rights issues in the education, advocacy and training about and to, the basic violations of the human rights of the trans* diverse and gender non-conforming population of Zimbabwe. It envisions a Zimbabwe where everyone is free to express their gender within, across and beyond the male-female binary without fear of discrimination, stigma or victimisation.

Mission

To inform and transform attitudes and address injustice and inequalities faced by Trans diverse population in Zimbabwe.

Focus Areas

• Health: including the Sexual Reproductive health rights (SRHR), Hormone Replacement therapy (HRT) and psycho social support.
• Justice: the protection by the law around issues such as abuse and violence in all forms.
• Socio-economic: including among other things, discrimination faced in schools, workplaces, medical and other facilities, families and the general population at large.

Contact

Website
Email: treatorg22@gmail.com
Facebook

Watch our Interview with Rikki Nathanson

We interviewed Rikki on the 11th of April 2025 about her life and activism.

The Fairy Godmother Community Project was founded in Cape Town, South Africa by Sandra Lentoor, also known as Cape Town drag queen, Sandra Dee, and was officially registered on the 29th of October 2014.

Interview with Sandra Dee: From District 6 to District Royalty

We spoke to Sandra Dee Lentoor in December 2023 about the founding of the Fairy Godmother Community Project and her reasons for founding the Project.

The Fairy Godmother Community Project is involved with community upliftment in Hanover Park, one of the most gang-frequented areas in Cape Town.  One way the project makes a difference is as a vital outreach to elderly citizens of her community living in one of Cape Town’s most gang-riddled suburbs.  At weekly events, these vulnerable community members get treated to special luncheons hosted by Sandra.  But it is a huge challenge because according to Sandra, 

“The ladies have to cross busy streets and face the skollies on the way to the civic centre to attend.” (‘Skollies‘ is South African slang for gangsters, dangerous people or criminals). She says that fewer and fewer of the elderly attend due to the regular shootings in their area. “I believe that seniors must be treated with dignity and respect, not live in fear or fall victim to the next crossfire by the gangs”.  

Princess Project

Another project hosted by the Fairy Godmothers is the Princess Project.  In this programme, the project supplies matric farewell outfits to members of her community who cannot afford to buy or rent a gown for their special night.  According to Sandy, people from all over Cape Town ask her to help their children and she is too happy to help:

“I even help them with their hair and makeup and I love the feeling of making them feel beautiful”. 

Sandy runs the Princess Project from the Youth Impact and Sustainable Solutions (YISS) hub at the Crystal High School in Hanover Park. 

The clothes are donated by various organisations and by people with suits and dresses hanging unused in their cupboards at home.  Regular contributions are made by Sandy’s ‘girls’, her endearing term for some of Cape Town’s other drag queens.  The outfits are loaned free of charge to people who are unable to afford a fee for the use of the service, but if they can afford a small donation, it is used towards the luncheons and annual Christmas party held for the senior community members of Hanover Park.

When asked what the inspiration was for the Princess Project, Sandra said it was her own life experiences that prompted it:

“Because I’ve been a queen all my life I want to give back to the community. The boys and girls must be able to experience something like this at least once.”

Sandra’s story

“You see, I was born like like this. I remember when I was about 5 years old, it was in the 1950s when we were still living in District 6 before my family was displaced by the Apartheid government.  My mom was doing the washing, and when hanging up the laundry. I would steal one of my older sisters’ dresses when my mom was not looking and disappeared for hours until my mom realised the dress was gone.  She would then send my cousin to look for me and find me in the dress in the street outside.  My drag queen life started at the age of 11 years when I ran away from home after I had enough of years of sexual abuse by some people I knew. I was living on the street in Seapoint.  And I was in drag, then and ever since.”

Since the 1960s, Sandra partook in various beauty pageants and was the first to be crowned unofficial Miss Gay Cape Town, now known as Miss Gay Western Cape. Her crown was not official, because being gay remained illegal in South Africa until 1989.  Therefore, although the event started in the apartheid years, it has only gained visibility since the early 2000s and is now recognised as the largest and most popular gay pageant in South Africa.

When asked what it must have been to live a life in drag in the 1970s in South Africa, Sandy reminisced that she was accepted by her own community but that white people were not as accepting. 

“Everything was fine as long as we did not go down to the main road.  There we would be picked up for ‘masquerading as women’ and we would be thrown in jail. Sandra was arrested many times, sometimes the case would be thrown out of court but other times she was less lucky and she has spent a few stints in jail.” 

According to Sandra, she once spent time in a holding cell with Nelson Mandela:

“I think Mandela always had an understanding of the suffering of us moffies.  That’s probably why he has given us this constitution where we are all free.” (‘Moffies‘ is South African slang meaning ‘gay men’).

Sandra says,

“I went through hell in the 70s and 80s because of the Apartheid regime but it made me a strong woman today.”

Sandra is not only the founder of her own NGO, she also serves on the Community Advisory Board (CAB) of the University of Cape Town, and is a member of YES NGO.

Read more about the Project.

Sandra awarded 2025 Pride Heroes Award

In 2025, Sandra was one of the activists awarded with the 2025 Pride Heroes Award. Evan Tsouroulis, the Cape Town Pride Marketing, Sponsorship & Parade Coordinator, said this about the Awards:

“The Pride Heroes Awards are a way for Cape Town Pride as an organisation to shine the spotlight on the unsung heroes of our community as well as to honour and recognise their contributions.”

(Source: Mambaonline)

“Legendary Hanover Park activist and drag icon Sandra Dee (Sandra Lentoor) was honoured for her decades-long commitment to empowering youth and celebrating queer visibility through The Fairy Godmother Project. Founded a decade ago, the initiative provides underprivileged matric learners with dresses, hairstyling, and makeup for their Matric Ball, while also engaging local seniors as ‘Fairy Godmothers’ and mentors. A former resident of District Six, Sandra has survived violence, prejudice, and apartheid-era persecution to become a beacon of hope and glamour. Through fashion, mentorship, and joy, she continues to transform lives and uplift her community.”

(Same source)

Watch our interview with Sandra Dee, 30 January 2026

Tranz Network Uganda (TNU) is an indigenous not for profit umbrella organisation for trans and gender diverse persons organisations in Uganda and was established by Williams Apako and Jay Mulucha on 26 February 2014 with the aim of supporting coordination and collaboration among trans and gender diverse persons’ organisations. TNU was registered on 30 March 2016

Country Context

From TNU’s website:

“Trans and gender diverse persons in Uganda are often socially, economically, politically and legally marginalized. Discrimination against trans and gender diverse persons largely stems from multiple forms of stigma relating to gender identity, gender expression and perceived sexual orientation. Stigma, discrimination and lack of legally authorized or gender-appropriate identity documents exclude many trans and gender diverse persons from civic participation, limit economic opportunities and results into poverty and marginalization which increase vulnerability. Discrimination against transgender people exposes them to violence yet in reporting these violations to the police; transgender survivors sometimes experience further physical violence at the hands of the police who are meant to protect them. Criminalization of sexual relations between people of the same sex under the Penal Code Act of Uganda, coupled with lack of legal recognition of their gender means that transgender people are legally considered to have engaged in same-sex relations and are, therefore, subject to persecution.

Ideally, trans led organizations should be at the forefront advocating for policy and legal reforms and the implementation of programs that address the gaps in an archaic system that doesn’t respond to the unique needs of the trans population but inadequate capacity to implement edge cutting changing projects for community transformation has hindered progress as well. Although, health data, including HIV prevalence data in Uganda for trans and gender diverse people is limited, it is clear transgender people remain severely under served in the health care system including in the national HIV response. Additionally, access to gender-affirming therapy which is integral part of primary care for many transgender people is non-existent even in the private sector leaving many trans persons to self-medicate with products which is not safe.”

Healthcare context

“Transgender and gender diverse persons in Uganda experience significant health and health care inequality perpetuated by a social political and legal environment that instigates a lot of stigma and discrimination against them.  The barriers that impede optimal access to health care for transgender and gender diverse parsons include:  fear of discrimination, inconvenient operating hours of public health facilities, issues of name and gender identification of trans persons among others. 62% of the respondents, from the TNU 2018 Trans Needs Assessment, expressed needs for health care.  The key expressed health needs were: HIV care and treatment (28.1%), treatment for sexually transmitted infections/diseases (21.0%), gender affirming health care-surgery (22.3%), the need for hormones expressed (17.0%) and 11% for mental health services.  The assessment found major barriers to accessing health care to be; lack of money to buy medicine (22%) and for transportation to a health facility (43%) of the respondents. While the public health system in Uganda could and should meet these expressed health needs for transgender persons, transgender persons encounter serous barriers to effectively demand, access and utilize existing public health services to meet their health care needs. Key the barriers that transgender persons face is stigma and discrimination in health care settings which curtails the participation in the planning, organization and monitoring of health service delivery.”

Justice context

“Although the 1995 constitution of the republic of Uganda, provides for equality and non-discrimination of persons regardless of their race, tribe, gender, religion, extra. The prevailing social norms and legal system in Uganda remains very hostile towards trans and gender non-confirming persons. A transgender needs assessment study conducted by TNU in 2018 found that a significant proportion of transgender persons face a range of discrimination, stigma and violence in all places. Over 41% of the transgender persons who participated in the study have experienced violence in public places including health facilities, restaurants and even schools. Over the years, trans and gender diverse people have been the face of the LGBTIQ+ community in Uganda majorly because of their gender expressions. Uganda as a society is littered with biases that continue to perpetuate stigma, discrimination, and violence against the trans community. Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in Uganda, particularly LGBTIQ+ rights organizations, continuously face challenges that include intimidation from government, media restrictions and interference of work by government agencies.”

Economic, social and political context

“The prevailing social norms and legal system in Uganda remains very hostile towards transgender persons. A transgender needs assessment study conducted by TNU in 2018 found that a significant proportion of transgender persons face a range of discrimination, stigma and violence in all places. Over 41% of the transgender persons who participated in the study have experienced violence in public places including health facilities, restaurants and even schools. The above has also been a stumbling block in access to employment and education among trans persons in Uganda. The assessment found that although a significant number of the respondents had attained secondary and tertiary education, the need for improved education access was expressed by 56% and with employment highlighted as the greatest need, reported by 67% of respondents. The needs assessment also revealed that over 59% of respondents (trans persons) live in households in the lower income quintile that is under two hundred thousand shillings (200,000ugx) monthly. There are a host of barriers to employment among the trans population in Uganda from self-stigma, unfriendly work environments to the general lack of jobs.  It is important for these barriers to be broken as it is widely acknowledged that conditions of poverty and ill-health exacerbate each other in that poor health increases expenditure on medical care and reduces productivity and hence income. The constraints of low income in turn affect health negatively, through financial barriers to accessing good quality medical care, dietary deprivation and exposure to environmental risk factors such as poor sanitation and overcrowding.”

Vision

A society where trans and gender diverse persons fully enjoy their rights and have unhindered access to basic services.

Mission

To facilitate coordination and collaboration among trans and gender diverse organisations and enhance their capacity to collectively advocate for human rights and access to basic services.

Programmes

• Health: TNU’s health programme focuses on the trans healthcare centre, regional drop-in centres of excellence, and trans health outreach. Services provided include general medical services, wellness services, HIV prevention, sexual reproductive health rights (SRHR) and mental health services.
• Justice: The organisation has worked with stakeholders to advocate for the promotion and protection of the rights of trans and gender diverse persons in Uganda. Priority services include trans health rights advocacy, access to justice, strategic litigation and emergency response.
• Resilience and empowerment: Services include building social capital networks through formation of groups, increasing financial literacy of the groups, entrepreneurship skills development and linkage to seed capital and financial services.

• Network strengthening and coordination: Priority services include establishing a trans innovations and a learning hub, regional focal point organisations, systems strengthening for member organisations, and regional coordination fora.

Contact

Website
+256787832896 | +256708901232
Email: info@tranznetwork.org
Facebook
Twitter (X)

Apply for membership of Tranz Network Uganda

Watch our interview with Williams Apako, Executive Director of TNU

We interviewed Williams on the 7th of March 2025 about his life and activism.

In May 2011, Social, Health and Empowerment Feminist Collective of Transgender and Intersex Women of Africa (S.H.E) was formally established by LeighAnn van der Merwe, following the announcement of the organisation’s formation during the Eastern and Southern African Trans and Intersex Regional Exchange Programme.

Vision and Mission

Part of the founding reasons derived from the Trans and Intersex Regional Exchange Programme, hosted by Gender DynamiX in May 2011 in Uganda, where trans feminine and trans women activists and trans masculine and trans men activists had intense discussions about the power imbalance within the trans movement in Africa, which was overwhelmingly led by trans men and trans masculine people. 

S.H.E strives to build the leadership of trans women, and work for greater inclusion of trans women and their issues in African women’s and feminist movements at the local, national and regional levels. At the local level, S.H.E works with trans women in peri-urban informal settlements and township communities, predominantly in the Eastern Cape Province, where they run support groups and ‘co-powerment’ programs. At the national level, they collaborate with women’s movements to raise issues of violence against trans women, and with trans and intersex organisations to advance campaigns for access to health care. At the continental level, they build the capacity of trans and women’s rights organisations. They held the first African Transformative Feminist Leadership Institute, which brought together 14 transgender women activists from 8 countries working to advance a feminist agenda for trans women on the African continent, starting with the release of the “African Trans Feminist Charter.”

Contact

Email: she.transmedia@gmail.com
Facebook

Watch our interview with LeighAnn van der Merwe

TIHA conducted an interview with LeighAnn about Trans Day of Visibility, her life and her work on 21 August 2024

The Matrix Support Group (MSG), also known as the People’s Matrix Association, was established in Lesotho in 2008. Although the NGO caters to the whole LGBTIQ+ community throughout Lesotho, they have a strong trans presence. Their founder and Executive Director, Tampose Mothopeng, is a trans man. They run a number of trans-specific programmes and research projects, such as the research project Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Health Needs Assessment in Lesotho, conducted in 2014. The organisation acquired its legal recognition in 2010 under the National Societies’ Act of 1966 and got re-registered in 2015.

Vision

A country where there is justice and freedom for all regardless of sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expressions.

Mission

People’s Matrix Association is dedicated to advancing human rights in Lesotho, with a particular focus on SSOGIE (Sex, Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Gender Expression).

Values

• Integrity: In our modus operandi, we are open, honest, respectful and take responsibility for our actions
• Diversity: We seek to fathom the diverse circumstances and cultures of the Lesotho people and ensure that all experiences are respected and recognised
• Partnerships: We broaden our impact by working with our partners, members and stakeholders on shared goals to achieve the best outcomes
• Innovation: We consciously reflect and learn to improve our work and achieve our vision through being open to new ideas and fresh approaches
• Excellence: We do what we do well and base our work on evidence of need and effectiveness
• Impact: We strive to achieve maximum influence to promote visibility, health and well-being of LGBTIQA+ people, families and communities

Contact

Website
Email
+266 2831 4120
Facebook

Watch our interview with Tampose Mothopeng

TIHA’s Victor Mukasa held an interview with Tampose Mothopeng on The Victor Mukasa Show about his work and activism.

Before Victor Mukasa sought asylum in the USA, in fear for his life, he was flown to Nairobi, Kenya, by fellow activists so that he could be safe, and also take part in the first Changing Spaces, Changing Faces conference held in Nairobi in September 2007. It was at this conference that the Nairobi Trans Declaration, drafted by trans people the night before the conference, was presented.

“Changing Faces, Changing Spaces is a Pan African Conference that brings together human rights activists and organizations, health and legal professionals, allies and donor partners from across Africa and beyond, undertaking and supporting African sex worker and LGBTIGNC activism. We deliberate, strategize and share the experiences that impact our movements. It is unique in the sense that it is a conference conceptualized and planned by a task force comprised by activists from the LGBTI and sex worker movements in Africa.”

— Source: https://avac.org/event/changing-faces-changing-spaces/

From the Conference report: Changing Faces, Changing Spaces: Speaking Out for Sexual Minorities in East Africa

“In September 2007 lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) activists from across Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Rwanda and Burundi came together to meet with East African human rights organisations, HIV service providers and 16 donor representatives, many based in the global North, to discuss the history and trajectory of funding and support for LGBTI rights in the region.

The ‘Changing Faces, Changing Spaces’ conference, hosted by the Kenya Human Rights Commission and the Gay & Lesbian Coalition of Kenya, brought together a diverse group of individuals; transgender activists from Uganda; representatives from US-based donors; gay and lesbian human rights defenders from Tanzania; male sex workers from Kenya; and lesbian activists from South Africa. The conference provided a forum for debate and discourse with individuals from the regions’ women’s and human rights movements, HIV organisations and donors based in East Africa, with the aim of providing a platform for dialogue between these key stakeholders. This pioneering conference was successful in creating enhanced transparency and in fostering a framework of mutual understanding in which LGBTI funding and activism can be strengthened and expanded.”

In our Archival Talk Show interview with Victor on the 6th of June 2025, he speaks about how the Nairobi Trans Declaration came about. The reason he had to flee Uganda, apart from the court case he had initiated against the Ugandan government after his house was unlawfully raided and he was illegally detained, he was approached by Bombastic Magazine, which wanted to do a feature on him. But they insisted that they would not publish the article without a picture of him with his chest bound, or him binding his chest (this was before Victor had had top surgery). Victor refused, feeling that he was being objectified, and that the picture would have nothing to do with the important story he had to tell.

Here Victor speaks about the night he arrived in Nairobi (this is a transcription of the video clip below):

“And I said, I want to meet trans people tonight in Nairobi. And they called the trans women. They called each other. And before I knew it, I was surrounded by so many trans people. Probably about 15. So many means 15. 15 then was a big number. They were surrounding me at this. And we were drinking all night.

But I told them the story and I told them how angry I am, and everybody was telling their stories of how angry some people in the LGBTQ community have met the feel how they have felt like killing themselves even for what family has made them fail. Like these are trans people, gender non-conforming people telling the stories of the plight they have faced within the community.

And so anger that night was filled with anger from trans people. An idea came, I don’t remember how it came up, because we saw the program of the conference and we see, you see even in the conference, they have all these workshops taking place. They have all these panels taking place and still on the panels, there’s no representation of transgender people.* Changing Spaces is one of the products of the engagements with the donors. At the end of the engagements, we had a meeting in Nairobi, a meeting that now the, the Changing Faces, Changing Spaces comes from, which became a meeting that would happen almost, I think every year or every two years. So the next, the first changing phase, Changing Spaces is where this happened.

But we have been invited to Nairobi to witness and, you know, every activist was bringing out ideas. And then they decide, let’s draft a document. We are going to take over this conference at an opportune moment. And maybe it is in one of those sessions, we will all rise up and go and protest what the organisers have done here to exclude us from the real work at the conference.

So we drafted a document in that night. We called it the Nairobi Trans Declaration because we were going to make a declaration. And in that conference, indeed, at some point, in fact, we waited for the closure. We took over the mic and we took over the program for the event.

And we stood up there on the stage and read out our declaration. And that was a very, very big step and a very big move, and a historical moment for the trans movement in East Africa when we took up space and claimed a, a space where we were just on the menu and claimed it as our space. And it encouraged organising within the region so much.”

* (If you read the Conference report, you will see the lack of trans representation. The reading of the Trans Declaration is also omitted from the Report).

Watch the video clip that the above transcription is based on:

Watch the full interview with Victor from the 6th of June 2025:

In 2007 Nigerian Reverend Jide Macaulay from House of Rainbow attended the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA) meeting in Johannesburg. This ILGA conference presented the opportunity for organisations to meet and network and important organisational relationships formed. The conference was the beginning of the alliance between House of Rainbow and Gender DynamiX (GDX).

The meeting with the 7 trans women in Lagos, Nigeria came about after a discussion Liesl Theron from GDX had with Jide during the ILGA meeting. At the time, Liesl had existing plans to visit Nigeria to attend a course and Jide offered to meet with her while in Lagos in order to introduce her to the trans women he knew. The meeting in Lagos between Liesl and the trans women was an informal discussion to share struggle experiences, learn from each other, and to create networks for allyship.     

“Unfortunately, I do not have any photos or names of the seven trans women we met, many of them have either emigrated or passed away under differing circumstances. This is a dark part of our existence. We were forced to shut down in 2008, many dispersed and many are no longer part of our organisation, all of this happened 16 years ago. I recall so many things from memory but it has been a difficult mission as we have suffered bereavements that are unimaginable.” — Rev. Jide Macaulay.

On 12 August 2024, Victor Mukasa from Trans and Intersex History Africa (TIHA) had a live Facebook conversation with Reverend Jide about this meeting and his and House of Rainbow’s part in the early trans movement in Africa. You can watch the recording of this interview here:

About House of Rainbow

House of Rainbow started in 2006 as a safe place for LGBTIQ+ people of faith in a hostile context. Reverend Jide Macaulay started House of Rainbow as a weekly gathering for LGBTIQ+ Christians in Lagos, which the media soon described as ‘Nigeria’s First Gay Church’. The foundation of its work is to create a place of safety for black LGBTIQ+ people of faith.

Values

From House of Rainbow’s website:

“Many of those who turn to us for support have endured discrimination and abuse not only from their families and cultural contexts but also from their religious institutions. Our first message to those dealing with religious homophobia is that it is OK to be LGBTIQ+. We provide support and encouragement, especially to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, and Queer (LGBTIQ+) people of colour, that it is OK to be LGBTIQ+ and be a person of faith. Through one to one support, group gatherings and training workshops, we help people over time to heal and celebrate they are. We also provide support and encouragement to families and allies.”

Services

House of Rainbow provides the following services:

• Pastoral care
• Spirituality and faith
• Asylum Seekers’ support
• Peer support
• Campaigns, workshops and training: Using evidence-based resources, House of Rainbow provides a range of seminars on important health topics such as sexual health, mental health, faith and spirituality.
• Support for victims of hate crime
• Sexual health.

Contact

Website
Email: info@houseofrainbow.org
(+44) 020 8555 9222
Mobile/WhatsApp/FaceTime/IMO: +447521130179
Facebook
Twitter (X)
Instagram
YouTube

Gender DynamiX (GDX), the first registered South African-based organisation and one of the first African-based organisations focusing solely on the trans community, was founded in South Africa by cis woman, Liesl Theron, and her trans partner, Lex Kirsten in July 2005.  Due to work insecurity and a lack of knowledge about the employment rights of trans persons, the cis-trans couple decided that Liesl would, during the beginning years of GDX’s existence, be known as the ‘founder’ in order to allow Lex employment security. The inaugural Board meeting took place in July 2006. 

Vision

Gender DynamiX seeks to be a key role-player towards the realisation of all human rights of transgender and gender non-conforming people within and beyond the borders of South Africa.

Mission

Using a human rights framework, Gender DynamiX undertakes to advance, promote and defend the rights of trans and gender non-conforming persons in South Africa, Africa and globally.

Objectives

• To increase the visibility and acceptance of trans diverse and gender diverse persons.  
• To advocate for a society where everyone is free to express their gender, within, across and beyond the male-female binary without fear of discrimination and to promote self-identification.  
• To provide training and education for key stakeholders including and not limited to health care workers, law enforcement, educators, public service and religious leaders in order to build sensitivity towards trans diverse-, gender diverse-, gender non-conforming-, and gender questioning people.  
• To challenge and assist people to re-examine their understanding of gender diversity.  
• To assist significant others, family, friends and colleagues of trans diverse-, gender diverse-, gender non-conforming-, and gender questioning people with information and education about gender identity and expression.  
• To use a human rights framework, to support trans diverse and gender diverse persons to access and advocate for their rights. 
• To increase awareness and acceptance of trans diverse and gender diverse persons in Southern Africa by doing outreach work in townships and rural areas.  
• To participate in and conduct research in the field of trans- and gender diversity.  
• To play an integral role in trans activism in South Africa, Africa and globally by participating in relevant human rights networks.  
• To form strategic partnerships to realise service provision to trans- and gender diverse persons, and to liaise with other organisations who are also working towards the realisation of Human Rights.  
• To advance Human rights by lobbying government, civil society, national- and international decision-makers and the media to combat prejudice, discrimination, violence against and intimidation of trans diverse-, gender diverse-, gender non-conforming-, and gender questioning people.  

Focus Areas

• Advocacy and research
• Capacity enhancement
• Community access to direct services
• Organisational development.

Contact

Website
+27 (0) 21 447 4797
Email: info@genderdynamix.org.za
Facebook
Twitter (X)
YouTube
LinkedIn
TikTok

Watch: Video about Lex Kirsten and the founding of GDX

Liesl Theron Reflects on the Beginnings of GDX

“I cannot separate the story of the founding of Gender DynamiX from my own story. My first relationship with a trans man was in the mid-1990s.  I knew nothing about transgender, activism, feminism or even the LGBT movement. In 2003, thirteen years later, and, after I had moved far away to Cape Town, a friend who knew about my previous trans partner, got in contact with me to tell me that they had a friend who was considering transitioning but had no information or idea how to go ahead with the process.  My friend was hoping that I could share information or advice with this person because back then, South Africa didn’t have an organization that focused on transgender and there was no group or organisation this person could turn to for medical or legal information or help.

It is also important to remember at that time there was the internet, but it was quite limited back then.  Not many people in South Africa had a home computer, let alone one that was connected to the internet.   It was a real privilege to have that. Mobile phones and social media were also not developed as it is today. There were no smartphones, that could do online searches. I realised that I could potentially have some answers and I agreed to meet him. We started chatting and really got on well.  So well, actually,  that Lex became my second trans partner.  

As soon as we attempted to get information from state departments about the transitioning process, I became aware of the differences in service delivery and access points in the country.  There were no guidelines in the public health system.  There were no guidelines or procedures at the Department of Home Affairs either, which is where citizens have to register all personal information and obtain birth certificates and Identity documents.  We discovered that information about transitioning was hidden so far away, it was as if it was a big secret not to be spoken about.  Lex felt isolated, yet we knew there had to be other trans people in the country who were dealing with the same issues. I knew there were more people, because not only was I in a previous trans relationship, I remember my ex talking about other trans people in the waiting room at the hospital during his transitioning time in Pretoria.

I started to search online for more information, about transgender in general, about activism, and about how it is in other countries. Lex worked night shifts every second week and there was an internet café in our neighbourhood with a nighttime special between 8 pm and 8 am where you only had to pay for the first 3 hours. So, I made use of that special and when he went in the evening to his night shift job, I went onto my own “night shift job” searching information online, right through the night. 

I learned that, during the mid-1970s even the 80s, the international guidance given by psychologists and psychiatrists to trans persons was that after the person medically and surgically transitioned, it would be better for everyone if they could ‘disappear’. The advice was that only family members should know about it and that it would be better if the person could start with new friends, a new job, in a new city – if they could emigrate it would be even better. I finally realized why it was so difficult to find first-hand information from other trans persons who already transitioned. Every trans person literally disappeared together with their information. Every trans person who wants to transition basically had to start the path by themselves as if they were the first person to go through the process. That also meant there was no support system in place.

After two years of gathering information, we decided to start a system of information sharing. We reached out to all the possible networks and LGBT organisations we could think of and we started spreading the information through them to reach trans people.  The message was simple: Get in touch with me if you need information and help me to create a database of information to assist others in turn. Initially, we just thought of it as the creation of a database, or data service, and did not even know that what we were doing was going to spiral into becoming the first non-profit trans organisation in Africa!

Soon after we started spreading the word, people started contacting me with requests for information in general, or how to get access to doctors, psychologists, or how to change the gender on their legal paperwork. I was surprised when we were contacted with calls from parents, about their trans child. We also received requests for legal advice, as lots of trans people were unfairly dismissed from work if they were outed or decided to come out. I would approach labour lawyers to ask them for assistance. They would reply: “Sorry, I am not an expert in that field, I can’t help you”. To which I would reply, “You are an expert in labour law. I know all the transgender-related terminology and information you need to know. I have lists of examples of case law in other countries, of how labour cases were won in courts, together we can do it. You can become an expert in South Africa on this topic. We need you to apply your common sense to the Labor Law you already know and combine it with South Africa’s Constitution and Human Rights”. I did not take “No”, for an answer in those days. 

We realised that our ‘database’ was far more than that and after I hosted the ‘Gender Diversity Awareness Workshop’ at the GHMCC which led to the formation of Gender DynamiX.  Right from the start I got personally involved in assisting assist trans asylum seekers from other African countries who flee to South Africa, for various reasons: access to transitioning, or an unbearable situation in their own country, as in many African countries any LGBT person can go to jail and in some cases receive the death sentence.  

Others came to South Africa in their hopes of the promise of Nelson Mandela’s “Rainbow Nation” and our liberal Constitution, the first in the world to stipulate there will be no discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender. We gave workshops, like general awareness raising to the public, family, friends, and even journalists. Because there was so much secrecy and public stigma at the time, Lex did not want to be publicly involved or have it known publicly that he was part of it –, he was scared he would lose his job. 

And that is how the history of the start of the African trans movement was on the foundation of a cisgender person starting it – even though, actually it was both of us who started. Me with grit and perseverance, and Lex funding our initial work for which he was eventually publicly acknowledged when he received the Inyathelo Philanthropy Award.

In the beginning years of Gender DynamiX the language was still “FTM” and “MTF” and really considered in terms of a strict binary. It was not like how it is today.”

Watch: Celebration of GDX’s 20th Anniversary — We interviewed the current Executive Director, Liberty Matthyse, inaugural Executive Director, Liesl Theron, and other stakeholders (4 July 2025)

On 3 March 2004, Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG), now known as SMUG International, was founded by trans man and activist, Victor Mukasa, along with Sylvia Tamale. The earliest members included Val Kalende, Kamuhangire E. and David Kato, who were among the first board members. SMUG is an umbrella non-governmental organisation (NGO) based in Kampala, Uganda, advocating for the protection and promotion of human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, intersex and queer Ugandans. It currently has 18 LGBTQIA+ organisations within its umbrella.

One of SMUG’s greatest achievements include the then Director of Programmes, Pepe Onziema, a trans man, who has advocated for LGBTQIA+ rights in Uganda for over 20 years, leading a coalition of 55 civil society organisations to overturn the Anti-Homosexuality Act of 2014.

While SMUG is regarded as Uganda’s leading LGBT advocacy group, it has been a huge trans and intersex ally and has been involved in African trans and intersex history since its inception. In May 2010, SMUG hosted the Eastern and Southern African Trans and Intersex Regional Exchange Programme, a 3-year programme organised by Gender Dynamix (GDX) and a partner organisation from East Africa. The current Co-Executive Directors are Pepe Onziema and Dr Frank Mugisha.

In 2022, SMUG’s offices were attacked and vandalised and two of its staff members arrested, and SMUG was been banned by the Ugandan NGO authority from operating and had to close its headquarters and take down its in-country website. Dr Mugisha called this ban

“a clear witch hunt rooted in systematic homophobia, fuelled by anti-gay and anti-gender movements.”

Due to the these extreme obstacles, SMUG is now based in the USA.

Mission

SMUG is dedicated to protecting the civil rights of all individuals, regardless of race, gender, or sexual orientation. SMUG believes that everyone deserves equal rights and opportunities, and the organisation works tirelessly to ensure that these rights are protected.

Focus Areas

SMUG provides support to the LGBT community through fundraising, grant writing and administration, strategic planning, networking, linkages and contracting with like USA organisations, along with advising and coaching SMUG membership organisation leadership.

Contact

Website
Email: onziema@sexualminoritiesuganda.com; djcurley@smuginternational.org
Facebook
LinkedIn (Profile of Daniel J. Curley, SMUG Board Member and Treasurer)

Watch our interview with Pepe Onziema

Watch our live interview with Pepe from the 21st of February 2025:

Watch our interview with Victor Mukasa

Watch our live interview with Victor from the 6th of June 2025:

Because of this secrecy, the Society was compelled to use creative means to reach members. Strategies included sending postage, such as newsletters (which the state considered “elicit communication” owing to the contents) with a self-addressed envelope for ongoing communication of the placement of small advertisements in the classified sections of South African print media. This strategy was undertaken to find and connect transvestites, transsexuals, crossdressers and trans women across South Africa, and even, internationally. 

As Joy Wellbeloved, the oldest known surviving member of the Phoenix Society, recalls:

“In 1985, I was sitting in the reception of my divorce lawyer’s office reading letters to the editor of ‘Fair Lady’ magazine. A wife was looking for help for her husband who liked to dress up as a woman. The editor suggested that she contacted the Phoenix Society and provided a post-office box address in Parow. This was just what I needed! Through this, I met another person like me for the first time. Her name was Marlene.”

This quotation is an excerpt from the chapter “Phoenix Rising Above Isolation”, from the book ‘Beyond the Mountain – Queer Life in “Africa’s Gay Capital”’ (Edited by Dr B Camminga, Zethu Matebani; Unisa Press | DALRO; 2023).

Interview with Joy Wellbeloved, oldest known remaining member of the Phoenix Society

In an audio interview with TIHA’s Liesl Theron in 2016, Joy Wellbeloved, speaks about the creation of the Phoenix Society, the ‘FanFare’ magazine, and the context for transvestites, transsexuals, crossdressers and trans women during Apartheid South Africa. Years later, Joy co-edited ‘TRANS — Transgender Life Stories from South Africa’ (Edited by Ruth Morgan, Charl Marais and Joy Wellbeloved; Fanele, an imprint of Jacana; 2009). Marlene, who was one of the two co-founders of the Phoenix Society, has a chapter contribution in the same book. 

The interview was conducted in preparation for the chapter “Phoenix Rising Above Isolation”. This chapter elaborates on how an underground network was formed during the era of apartheid in South Africa, when not only race and cross-racial relationships were policed, but sex, gender, and what was those years only defined as “homosexual” relationships, were severely policed too. The Phoenix Society formed this clandestine network, not only to avoid apartheid policing, but to provide people with a community, as there was no accessibility to online spaces before widespread internet use. The Phoenix Society organised by using mail boxes and “tickey boxes” (pay phones using coins on street corners; “tickey” refers to the nickname for the coin used). Download the chapter and read more about this fascinating era.

Excerpts from the 20 January 1986, Issue No. 20 edition of ‘FanFare’ magazine

Other issues of ‘FanFare’ magazine