Timeline of Events

An archive of histories/herstories/theirstories affecting
and influencing the trans, gender diverse and
intersex
movements in Africa

This Timeline of our archive of histories/herstories/theirstories of the trans, gender diverse and intersex movements in Africa and in the Diaspora emerged through the grassroots experiences and memories of the contributing African activists and organisations. It is often updated with new stories and the Timeline is continually growing.

How to navigate the Timeline

Categories are displayed alphabetically at the top of the Timeline and can be used to filter the results to focus on the research theme chosen. For example, ‘All’ will show you all topics, while ‘Intersex’ will display all entries related to intersex movements and moments. 

Alternatively, use the search bar in the menu at the top and bottom of screen to find more specific information.

Categories relating to gender, sex characteristics and sexual orientation have flag icons and colour groups to visually distinguish them from one another:

Intersex Legend on white
  • All
  • Wanaharakati
  • Wote
  • Sanaa
  • Watafuta hifadhi/Wahamiaji/Wakimbizi
  • Sauti na Video
  • Ballroom
  • Jumuiya
  • Mikutano
  • Mavazi ya Msalaba
  • Depathologisation
  • Diaspora
  • Drag
  • Films
  • Jinsia Mbalimbali
  • Jinsia Kutozingatia
  • Huduma ya Afya ya Kuthibitisha Jinsia
  • Healthcare
  • HIV/AIDS
  • Homeless people
  • Katika Kumbukumbu
  • Jinsia
  • Mahojiano
  • LBQ
  • LBTI
  • LBTQ
  • Sheria
  • LGBTQIA+
  • Media
  • Isiyo ya binary
  • Mashirika
  • People living with HIV
  • Persons with Disabilities
  • Machapisho
  • Kazi ya Ngono
  • Michezo
  • SRHR
  • TIHA Articles
  • Trans
  • Trans & Intersex
  • Transfeminist
  • Transmasculine
  • Transsexual
  • Transvestite
  • Youth
  • 1950

    Miaka ya 1950 hadi Mwishoni mwa miaka ya 1970 - Kanivali: Nafasi Salama kwa Travestis, Wavaaji Msalaba na Waigizaji Queer, Msumbiji 

    While cross-dressing, queerness, homosexuality, and all forms of LGBTIQ+ identities as known today were not widely accepted in day-to-day life in Mozambique, during the 1950s through to the mid-1970s, the annual Carnival provided an opportunity for ‘male’ femininity, cross-dressing, and queer performances.  There was no explicit link to what we now recognise as trans or […]

  • 1975

    1975 - Mapinduzi ya Kijeshi Yamaliza Tamasha la Carnival, Msumbiji

    In the early 1970s, Mozambique was still under colonial rule. In April 1974, political upheaval in Lisbon, Portugal resulted in a coup within the Portuguese military and the dictatorship in Portugal was overthrown. This had a ripple effect on the colonies, including Angola and Mozambique. The Lusaka Accord was signed in September of that same […]

  • 1982

    1982 — Founding of the Phoenix Society, An Underground Network of Trans Women, Transsexuals, Transvestites and Crossdressers During Apartheid, South Africa

    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 […]

  • 1992

    1992 - Kuanza kwa Sheria ya Usajili wa Vizazi na Vifo, Afrika Kusini

    The Births and Deaths Registration Act, Act 51 of 1992 prohibited transsexual* people from having their sex status amended in the Births and Deaths Register unless they could provide proof that they were in their transition process prior to 1992.  As such, from 1992, no new transitions were legally allowed.  Transsexuals’ sex transitions** were encouraged […]

  • 1994

    1994 - Rejea ya Kwanza ya Vyombo vya Habari kuhusu The Travesti, Côte d'Ivoire / Ivory Coast.

    1994 — First Printed Media Reference to The Travesti, Côte d’Ivoire / Ivory Coast In the Ivory Coast, the Travesti* was a prominent group, recognised and documented from the early 1990s, but they were most likely active before the 90s**. They formed L’association des Travestis de Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast Transvestites Association), under the leadership […]

  • 1998

    1998 - Makala Iliyoangazia Tofauti za Jinsia, "Woubi Chéri", Iliyoangaziwa katika Tamasha za Kimataifa za Filamu, Côte d'Ivoire / Ivory Coast

    Featured in international film festivals in 1998, the documentary, Woubi Chéri, directed by Laurent Bocahut and Philip Brooks, focused on the lives of Woubis*, Yossis**, and other members of the Branché*** community in Ivory Coast. The award-winning documentary was featured globally in various film festivals and on a number of documentary platforms. The film won Best […]

  • 2000

    2000 - Shirika la Kwanza la Afrika la Wana jinsia tofauti, Jumuiya ya watu wenye jinsia tofauti ya Afrika Kusini, Lililoundwa na Sally Gross, Afrika Kusini.

    Anti-Apartheid and intersex activist, Sally Gross founded the Intersex Society of South Africa (ISOSA) in 2000. Sally worked with a reporter from the Mail & Guardian to populate and provide information to the public to educate about Intersex and to create awareness around the formation of the Intersex Society of South Africa (ISOSA), a name […]

  • 2000

    2000 to 2007 — Creation of Trans Support and Social Groups, South Africa

    2000 to 2007 — Creation of Trans Support and Social Groups, South Africa Between 2000 and 2007, before Gender DynamiX (South Africa’s first trans advocacy group) was founded in 2005, the need for support groups for trans people led to the creation of support groups, which at the time were advertised as transsexual, transgender and […]

  • 2003

    2003 — Founding of Horizon Community Association (HOCA), Rwanda

    2003 — Founding of Horizon Community Association (HOCA), Rwanda Founded in 2003 in Rwanda by, Horizon Community Association (HOCA) is an unregistered group focusing on serving trans and intersex people, trans sex workers, and sexual minorities. Their main work is advocating for equal rights, health promotion, and economic empowerment for these groups. Although HOCA was […]

  • 9 Februari 2003

    9 Februari 2003 — Zimbabwe Bila Kujua Iliwakilishwa na Mwanamke wa Trans katika Kombe la Dunia la Kriketi, Afrika Kusini

    South Africa hosted the 2003 Cricket World Cup, and on 9 February 2003. During the Parade of Nations and as part of the opening ceremony, the event’s organisers appointed models to walk in the parade, holding banners to represent each participating country. Senegalese-born model, Barbara Diop, had done modelling work in South Africa (she moved […]

  • Septemba 9, 2003

    9 Septemba 2003 — Mikutano ya Bunge kuhusu Marekebisho ya Sheria ya Maelezo ya Jinsia na Hali ya Ngono, Afrika Kusini

    On the 9th of September 2003, a group of organisations and interested individuals, including Sally Gross, Simone Heradien, Estian Smit, members of the Cape Town Transsexual/Transgender Support Group, the South African Human Rights Commission, and the Commission on Gender Equality, made oral presentations during the parliamentary hearings to advocate for amendments to the Sex Description […]

  • Machi 3, 2004

    Tarehe 3 Machi 2004 - Kuanzishwa kwa Makundi ya Watu Wadogo wa Kijinsia Uganda (SMUG), Uganda

    3 March 2004 — Founding of Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG), Uganda 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 […]

  • Machi 15, 2004

    15 Machi 2004 - Marekebisho ya Maelezo ya Ngono na Sheria ya Hali ya Ngono, Afrika Kusini

    Following on from the parliamentary hearings on 9 September 2003, the Sex Description and Sex Status Act, Act 49 of 2003 was altered, signed by the President of South Africa and circulated in the Government Gazette, on 15 March 2004. The Act was amended in 2004 to address the concerns that arose after the Act was enacted in […]

  • 2005

    2005 - Haki za watu wa jinsia tofauti zimejumuishwa katika Sheria kwa Mara ya Kwanza Duniani kote, Afrika Kusini

    The Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act, Act 4 of 2000 (PEPUDA), which is sometimes referred to as The Equality Act, was passed by the South African government in 2000 to protect its citizens from discrimination, hate speech, and harassment. Following the work of LGBTIQ+ activists, PEPUDA was amended in 2005 and […]

  • 2005

    2005 — Fondation du Collectif Arc-En-Ciel (CAEC), Maurice / Collectif Arc-En-Ciel (CAEC)(The Rainbow Collective) Founded, Mauritius

    2005 — Fondation du Collectif Arc-En-Ciel (CAEC), Maurice / Collectif Arc-En-Ciel (CAEC) (The Rainbow Collective) Founded, Mauritius Fondé en 2005 par Nathalie Germain, Nicolas Ritter, Thierry De Ravel et Jean-Luc Ahnee, le Collectif Arc-En-Ciel (CAEC) est une ONG de défense des droits LGBTQIA+. Son action se concentre principalement sur la gestion des dossiers au sein […]

  • Mei 2005

    Mei 2005 - Warsha ya Kwanza ya Uhamasishaji wa Jinsia Anuwai ya Afrika Kusini Iliandaliwa, Afrika Kusini

    In May 2005, Liesl Theron, then a member of the Good Hope Metropolitan Community Church (GHMCC), coordinated a full-day workshop for its members under the title, “Gender Diversity Awareness”. This came about due to Liesl’s personal involvement with trans and gender-diverse people. Liesl and her partner at the time, Lex Kirsten, were introduced to each […]

  • Julai 2005

    July 2005 — Founding of First South African Trans Rights Organisation, Gender DynamiX (GDX), South Africa

    July 2005 — Founding of First South African Trans Rights Organisation, Gender DynamiX (GDX), South Africa 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 […]

  • Julai 2005

    Julai 2005 - Mwanaharakati wa Trans na LGBTQIA+, Victor Mukasa, Sues Government, Uganda

    July 2005 — Trans and LGBTQIA+ Activist, Victor Mukasa, Sues Government, Uganda On 20 July 2005, trans man and LGBTQIA+ activist Victor Mukasa’s house was raided by the police without a search warrant.  They were looking for documents relating to the activities of SMUG. Victor was not home at the time of the raid and […]

  • 25 Februari 2006

    Tarehe 25 Februari 2006 - Raia wa Trans Kenya Wapokea Hifadhi Kanada, Kenya

    On 25 February 2006, Kenyan-born Biko Beauttah arrived in Canada to seek asylum because being considered homosexual is a criminal offence in her home country.  Biko left Kenya a few years prior to attend college in the USA.  Having come from a background where her entire being was against the law, and where there was […]

  • Oktoba 31, 2006

    31 Oktoba 2006 - Mkimbizi wa Trans Burundi Anapokea Hifadhi nchini Afrika Kusini, Burundi/Afrika Kusini

    On 31 October 2006, Alexandra Rubera was granted asylum in South Africa. Rubera, a trans woman from Burundi, faced arrest and death threats from private citizens and the police in her native country on an ongoing basis. Alexandra moved between Burundi and Rwanda as she had a parent from each country, making access easier to […]

1950197519821992199419982000200020039 Februari 2003Septemba 9, 2003Machi 3, 2004Machi 15, 200420052005Mei 2005Julai 2005Julai 200525 Februari 2006Oktoba 31, 2006

You can include information about your African Organisation/Group

There are many African organisations and individuals who over the years have contributed in invaluable ways to the story of the trans, gender diverse and intersex movements who are not yet included on our Timeline.

Tunataka kutambua na kujumuisha michango yote inayoweza kuthibitishwa. 

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