South Africa’s first gender-focused group, the Phoenix Society, was established in 1982 in the Apartheid era in South Africa. The Society was an underground network of transvestites, transsexuals, crossdressers and trans women. The Society was founded by Marlene, a white trans woman, and Mike, a white trans person. The organisation relied on secrecy, with members using pseudonyms, calling one another from public telephones, and opening secret postboxes to receive their trans-related correspondence, including the magazine, ‘FanFare‘, the Society self-published.
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”. Download and read the full chapter.
Excerpts from the 20 January 1986, Issue No. 20 edition of ‘FanFare’ magazine
Other issues of ‘FanFare’ magazine
