South Africa

Trans Wellness Project Founded, South Africa

Protea Psychosocial Support Project for Transgender People (PPSTP) was officially registered in August 2015. It would change its name to the Trans Wellness Project (TWP) in 2016 during its first Strategic Planning session, which included board and community members. Formed by former Gender DynamiX (GDX) staff member, Whitney Quanita Booysen, TWP focuses on trans and …

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Sex in Transition Launched, South Africa

The publication, Sex in Transition: Remaking of Gender and Race in South Africa, by Professor Amanda Lock Swarr takes the reader through the Apartheid times of South Africa, and how the lives of those who lived across or in between the gender binary system were impacted. It also explores how people from different races in …

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Declaration on Gender Incongruence of Childhood (GIC), South Africa

The Cape Town Declaration on Gender Incongruence of Childhood (GIC) was publicly released, requesting the removal of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) International Classification of Diseases (ICD) diagnoses that pathologise gender diversity in children and youth. The Declaration was issued by a working group of 40 delegates from 11 countries who met on 2 June 2014 …

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2nd Trans Health, Research and Advocacy Conference, South Africa

Trans and Intersex Africa (TIA), Social, Health and Empowerment Feminist Collective of Transgender and Intersex Women of Africa (S.H.E), and Gender DynamiX (GDX) hosted the 2nd Trans Health, Research and Advocacy Conference in Cape Town, South Africa between 31 May and 2 June 2014. This was the largest conference in the series to date and …

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Death of Sally Gross, South Africa

Prominent anti-Apartheid and intersex activist, Sally Gross, passed away on 14 February 2014.  Her last communication had been with prominent New Zealand-based intersex activist, Mani Bruce Mitchell, a friend who had posted a GoFundMe appeal for help on Gross’s behalf in January of the same year.  Sally’s founding of and work as part of Intersex …

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Trans Man Makes History as Participant of Mr Leather Contest, South Africa

A trans man made history in December 2012 when he participated in the third South African Mr. Leather contest. He came out as trans while on stage during his speech. At the time of the contest, SA Leather’s constitution stipulated that only cisgender and gay or bisexual men were allowed to participate. Subsequently, SA Leather …

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

Gender DynamiX (GDX) and a cohort of other trans organisations lodged an appeal to 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.

Murder of Trans Person, Thalepo Makhutle, South Africa

Thalepo Mkhutle, a 23-year-old person from Kuruman in the Northern Cape province, who identified as gay and transgender, was callously murdered in June 2012. Mahkutle was a volunteer at a local Gay and Lesbian organisation, the Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Organisation (LEGBO) in the Northern Cape, and also participated as a drag queen, Queen Bling, …

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Founding of Iranti, South Africa

Iranti was founded by Jabulani Chen Perreira in 2012. Jabulani, the organisation’s leadership, and the entire team is composed of trans, lesbian, and intersex persons. Iranti is an African regional organisation that involves media and documentation in its advocacy. Intersex Society South Africa (ISSA), founded and run by Sally Gross until her passing, underwent a …

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Social, Health and Empowerment Feminist Collective of Transgender and Intersex Women of Africa (S.H.E) Established, South Africa

Social, Health and Empowerment Feminist Collective of Transgender and Intersex Women of Africa (S.H.E) was formally established by Leigh Ann van der Merwe, following the announcement of the organisation’s formation during the regional Exchange Programme. Part of the founding reasons derived from the regional Exchange Programme in May 2011, hosted in Uganda, where trans feminine …

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Trans Health & Research Pre-conference

November 2010 – Gender DynamiX hosted the pre-Trans Health, Research and Advocacy Conference in Hout Bay, Western Cape, South Africa. The purpose of the pre-conference was to create awareness around the baseline situation experienced by trans people throughout South Africa – both in rural spaces and cities where there is, at minimum, a basic level …

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Labour Court Rules in Favour of Trans Woman, South Africa

The South African Labour Court ruled in favour of reinstating Christine Elhers after she took her employer, Bohler Uddeholm, to court for unfair discrimination and for dismissing her based on her gender identity. Judge Francis not only ruled for reinstatement but ordered the company to backpay Christine the salary she had lost between her dismissal …

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SistaazHood Founded, South Africa

SistaazHood is the first sex worker support group in South Africa, founded by trans women who were part of the Sex Worker Education and Advocacy Taskforce (SWEAT) based in Cape Town. Led by trans women sex workers, Sistaazhood focuses its support and advocacy specifically on trans women sex workers. SistaazHood was founded after an initial …

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Launch of Trans: Transgender Life Stories from South Africa, South Africa

The Gay and Lesbian Archives (GALA) and Gender DynamiX (GDX) launched the book, Trans: Transgender Life Stories from South Africa, the first book of its kind on the continent. The book was launched on 20 November 2009. The specific date was selected as it is the International Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDoR). The book launch …

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Trans and intersex rights groups respond to public debate about Caster Semenya, South Africa

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 and GDX to …

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Caster Semenya subjected to gender verification tests, South Africa

South African track athlete, Caster Semenya, was subjected to gender verification tests after the World Athletics Championships in August 2009 in Berlin, where she improved on her 800m and 1500m records achieved at the 2008 World Junior Championships. The International Amateur Athletic Federation and International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), now known as World Athletics, …

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Court Rules in Favour of Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, South Africa

The Out in Africa (OIA) Gay and Lesbian Film Festival won its case against the South African Film and Publications Board to unban the film XXY in August 2009. At the end of February of that same year, OIA argued in court against the initial decision to ban the film was based on discrimination, because …

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