ISSA – Trans & Intersex History Africa

30 January 2023: Book Review — “Envisioning African Intersex”, by Amanda Lock Swarr

All, Community, Intersex, Interviews, Publications / Amanda Lock Swarr, Caster Semenya, Envisioning African Intersex, Gender verification, Intersex South Africa, ISSA, Jabu Pereira, Sally Gross, Zethu Matebani

30 January 2023: Book Review — “Envisioning African Intersex”, by Amanda Lock Swarr “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 […]

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14 February 2014 — Death of Intersex Activist Sally Gross, South Africa

Activists, All, Community, Intersex / Intersex Society of South Africa, Intersex South Africa, ISSA, Sally Gross, South Africa

Prominent anti-Apartheid and intersex activist, Sally Gross, who founded the first intersex rights organisation in Africa (Intersex Society of South Africa), passed away on 14 February 2014. In 2000, Sally secured the first known mention of intersex in national law, with the inclusion of “intersex” within the definition of “sex” in the anti-discrimination law of the Republic of South Africa.

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13 November 2012 — Appeal to Parliament Regarding Failure of Implementation of the Alteration of Sex Description and Sex Status Act, South Africa

All, Legislation, Organisation, Trans & Intersex / Alteration of Sex Description and Sex Status Act, GDX, Gender DynamiX, Intersex Society of South Africa, ISSA, Sally Gross, South Africa

Gender DynamiX (GDX) and a cohort of other trans organisations lodged an appeal with the South African Parliament on 13 November 2012 with regard to the ongoing failure to implement the Alteration of Sex Description and Sex Status Act, Act 49 of 2003. Sibusiso (full name excluded for safety reasons), GDX’s Director, and intersex activist

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August 2009 — Trans and Intersex Rights Groups Respond to Public Debate About Caster Semenya, South Africa

All, Community, Intersex, Organisation, Sport / Amanda Lock Swarr, Caster Semenya, GDX, Gender DynamiX, Intersex Society of South Africa, ISSA, Liesl Theron, Sally Gross, South Africa, Tebogo Nkoana

In August 2009, Intersex South Africa (ISSA)’s Sally Gross, U.S. academic Amanda Lock Swarr, and Gender DynamiX (GDX)’s Liesl Theron co-authored a critical think piece that was published in the Fall edition of the Feminist Studies Journal. The piece, “South African Intersex Activism: Caster Semenya’s Impact and Import”, looks at the public responses from ISSA

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2008 — Founding of Intersex South Africa

All, Intersex, Organisation / Dimakatso Garfield Sebidi, Intersex Society of South Africa, Intersex South Africa, ISOSA, ISSA, Sally Gross, South Africa

Originally founded in 2000 as the Intersex Society of South Africa (ISOSA) by Sally Gross, Intersex South Africa (ISSA) came into being in 2008, when Sally renamed the organisation. After Sally’s death in 2014, ISSA was housed by Iranti, founded in 2012 until it became a separate organisation in May 2023. ISSA advocates for the

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2005 — Intersex Rights Included in Legislation for the First Time Worldwide, South Africa

All, Community, Intersex, Legislation, Organisation / Equality Act, Intersex Society of South Africa, ISSA, PEPUDA, Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act, Sally Gross, South Africa

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

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2000 — The First African Intersex Organisation, Intersex Society of South Africa, Formed by Sally Gross, South Africa

All, Intersex, Organisation / Intersex Society of South Africa, Intersex South Africa, ISOSA, ISSA, Sally Gross, South Africa

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

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