Timeline of Events

Histories affecting and influencing the trans and intersex
movements in Africa

This Timeline of the histories of the trans and intersex movements in Africa 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.

ALL — All the entries from all the categories
ACTIVISTS — Entries relating to trans and/or intersex activists
ART — Artworks by trans and/or intersex artists that have contributed to trans and/or intersex activism
ASYLUM SEEKERS / MIGRANTS / REFUGEES — Entries related to trans and/or intersex asylum seekers, migrants and/or refugees
AUDIO & VIDEO — Entries that include audio or video interviews with activists
COMMUNITY — A trans and/or intersex group’s/person’s contributions, experiences or accomplishments
CONFERENCES — Conferences held or attended by or impacting trans and/or intersex activists/communities
CROSS-DRESSING — Entries relating to people who do not use terminology such as ‘trans’ or ‘intersex’ and who practice cross-dressing or identify as cross-dressers
DIASPORA — Entries relating to trans and/or intersex people originally from Africa
GENDER DIVERSE — Entries relating to gender diverse people or organisations working with gender diverse people along with trans and/or intersex groups
GENDER NON-CONFORMING — Entries relating to gender non-conformiong people or organisations working with gender diverse people along with trans and/or intersex groups
INTERSEX — Entries relating to the intersex movements or communities
IN MEMORIAM — Entries celebrating the lives of trans and/or intersex activists who have passed on
INTERVIEWS — Entries that include text, audio or video interviews with trans and/or intersex activists
LEGISLATION — Laws and proposed laws affecting trans and/or intersex people and organisations
LGBTIQ — An event that also had an effect or influence on the trans and/or intersex movements
NON-BINARY — Entries relating to non-binary people and histories
ORGANISATION — Contributions from African trans and/or intersex organisations
PUBLICATIONS — Publications by or about trans and/or intersex people/communities
SEX WORK — Entries relating to trans and/or intersex sex workers, or activists or organisations working with trans and/or intersex sex workers
SPORT — Entries relating to sporting achievements by trans and/or intersex people or sporting laws that impact trans and intersex people
TRANS — Entries relating to the trans movements or communities
TRANS & INTERSEX — Entries relating to both communities
TRANSFEMINIST — Entries relating to transfeminist histories and organisations/activists working from a transfeminist framework

Alternatively, use the search bar at the top right of the page or at the bottom of the page 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:

1950s to Late 1970s — Carnivals: A Safe Space for Travestis, Cross-Dressers and Queer Performers, Mozambique
1950

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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 transgender-identifying individuals during this period. The carnivals, or “Carnivalesque”, held particularly on Carnival Tuesdays (just before Ash Wednesday), served as a platform for individuals identifying as gay and others who wished to explore gender identity and cross-gender experiences.

Although the Carnival did not appeal to all gay-identifying or queer men interested in experimenting with gender, it undeniably opened the door for those who would identify, as we describe today, as trans. Additionally, it was a joyful and festive time when freedom abounded, and movement was less restricted without societal disapproval. Carnival parties were predominantly hosted in hotels and exclusive venues catering to the middle-income and upper-class, including tourist spaces.

A research study by Caio Simões de Araújo about the carnivals titled Carnival, Power, and Queer Joy: Chrono-normativity, Carnivalesque Transgressions, and the Spectacle of Gender in Lourenço Marques, Mozambique (ca. 1950–1975) was published in 2023 in the Nordic Journal of African Studies (Vol. 32, no. 3) by Caio Simões de Araújo and the Centre for Humanities Research, University of the Western Cape, South Africa. In an article published in The Conversation, de Araújo writes:

“The city of Lourenço Marques (today’s Maputo), a carnival festival was held almost every year. From the 1950s to the 1970s, the event was more than just a street parade. It also became a space of queer expression and joy. The Mozambique festival opened up a space of freedom to the marginalised. Especially women of colour and queer people, black and white. It also built on and activated transnational networks in the wider Lusophone (Portuguese-speaking) world. Brazilian musicians and cross-dressing performers, for example, travelled across borders to become important presences in late colonial African society. Besides Brazilian musicians, Lourenço Marques also received travestis, cross-dressing queer performers. Travestis were becoming increasingly successful in entertainment culture in Brazil and elsewhere, in theatre and film and nightlife. Brazilian travestis, such as the iconic Rogéria, held artistic residencies in Mozambique in the late 1960s and early 1970s. In Lourenço Marques and Beira, they performed regularly in clubs and cabarets, helping spur an emerging queer subculture.”

A Carnival poster. Source: The Conversation

Newspaper notice for a performance by Rogéria. Source: The Conversation

In the same article de Araújo writes:

“In 2015, after 40 years of independence, Mozambique joined the growing list of countries to put an end to colonial era “anti-sodomy” laws. Despite this legal landmark and the country’s relative tolerance towards LGBTIQ+ people, a recent report suggests that Mozambique still needs to more effectively fight discrimination and violence against sexual and gender minorities. Spaces of queer self-expression and joy exist more visibly now, but they have also flourished in the not so distant past. In remembering the carnival, we are invited to bring joy back to the centre of our collective memory. Not for the sake of history writing alone, but also to undertake the transformative labour of queer liberation – as the queer icons and dancing queens in Mozambique remind us.”

These carnivals continued until 1975 when colonialism ended in Mozambique and the new ruling party, the Liberation Front of Mozambique (FRELIMO), banned the carnivals.

Image from theconversation.com/queer-life-in-africa-is-also-full-of-joy-remembering-the-carnival-in-mozambique-219165

1950

1950s to Late 1970s — Carnivals: A Safe Space for Travestis, Cross-Dressers and Queer Performers, Mozambique

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 […]

All, Community, Cross-Dressing, LGBTIAQ+, Trans

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1975 — Military Coup Ends Carnival Festival, Mozambique
1975

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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 year, marking the first steps towards decolonisation.

A few months later, on 10 February 1975, the Liberation Front of Mozambique (FRELIMO), still in charge today, made an official announcement through its Ministries of Information, Internal Administration, and Labour. They declared that carnival Tuesdays would no longer be a holiday, and any “carnivalesque” displays in public were banned. This rule brought an end to an era where people could freely explore their sexuality and gender identity. It had been a time when sexual and gender experimentation was common, providing a platform for a diverse queer community and offering a safe space for those identifying as gender-diverse and trans.

Read more about the Carnival in Mozambique.

1975

1975 — Military Coup Ends Carnival Festival, Mozambique

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 […]

All, Community, Cross-Dressing, Legislation, LGBTIAQ+, Trans

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1992 — Commencement of the Births and Deaths Registration Act, South Africa
1992

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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 under Apartheid and became illegal during the political transition to democracy. This topic, and the reasons behind it, is extensively examined in the publication Sex in Transition: Remaking Gender and Race in South Africa, by Amanda Lock Swarr. In the book, Swarr writes:

“Also significant was the 1992 repeal of the Births, Deaths and Marriages Act, which increased difficulties for transsexuals attempting to change sex on their birth certificates. This decision may have been based in a backlash against equal rights campaigns that accompanied the political transition to democracy in South Africa…“.

* “Transsexual” is the language used in the Births and Deaths Registration Act. Updated terminology is “trans” or “transgender”.

** The term “sex transitions” is the language used in the Act. Updated terminology is “transition”, “gender-affirming treatment” or “gender-affirming surgery”. A transition also does not need to be medical, it can be social as well (living as your self-defined gender).

1992

1992 — Commencement of the Births and Deaths Registration Act, South Africa

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 […]

All, Legislation, Publications, Trans & Intersex

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1994 — First Printed Media Reference to The Travesti, Côte d’Ivoire / Ivory Coast
1994

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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 of Barbara (full name withheld for safety reasons).

Image: Wikipedia

The first record of the group is from printed media in 1994, where journalists were quite sarcastic in their attitude towards the travestis and the group, using disrespectful, critical language and tone, which was harmful to the travestis population. A militant group of travesti activists stormed the building where the newspaper’s offices were located, broke some windows, and assaulted some of the journalists. According to the research document Violence, Exclusion and Resilience among Ivoirian Travestis by Matthew Thomann and Robbie Corey-Boulet, this 1994 incident and similar occurrences during the same time led to the formation of the Ivory Coast Transvestites Association.

Read more here and here about travesti and other gender variant identities from the Ivory Coast.

* “Travestis” is the French word for “transvestites”.

** The exact founding date is not clear, but according to different sources, the Association has existed since the early 1990s.

1994

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 of Barbara (full name withheld for safety reasons). The first record of the group […]

All, Community, Cross-Dressing, LGBTIAQ+, Non-Binary, Organisations, Trans

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1998 — Documentary Focused on Gender Diversity, “Woubi Chéri”, Featured at International Film Festivals, Côte d’Ivoire / Ivory Coast
1998

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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 Documentary awards at the New York Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, & Transgender Film Festival, the Turin International Lesbian & Gay Film Festival, and the Transgender Festival in London.

Shortly after Woubi Chéri’s release, Barbara (full name withheld for safety reasons) from L’Association des Travestis de Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast Transvestites Association), who was one of the people interviewed in the film, emigrated to France. Slowly the energetic drive for the Association decreased and no more signs of their militant activism were seen. It is speculated that the reason for this is the nonprofit industrial complex, which saw funding for activism increasingly moving towards HIV/AIDS in the context of MSM (men who have sex with men), which erased all the efforts made by the Woubis.

Woubis (and cross-dressers or transvestites/travestis) cannot automatically be assumed to be transgender or to specifically claim Western terminology. Woubis existed long before any information about gender diversity or gender nonconformity was available on the internet and social media. Through research and the documentary Woubi Chéri, it became quite evident and very clear that the Branché community and the Woubi community have a much wider and larger range of genders and sexualities than the Western binary system. They are gender outlaws, so to speak.

According to an academic article entitled “Violence, Exclusion and Resilience among Ivoirian Travestis” by Matthew Thomann and Robbie Corey-Boulet,

“Among sexual and gender minorities in Côte d’Ivoire, travestis are defined as individuals born anatomically male who live as women on a full- or part-time basis. Travestis encounter harsher stigmatization and violence than sexual minorities whose gender normativity allows them to avoid unwanted attention. Moreover, they have traditionally been underserved by Ivoirian sexual minority rights groups, who have worked to distance themselves from travestis, framing them as recklessly indiscreet. In this paper, we examine the extent to which travestis’ isolation has lessened in the wake of the post-election violence that followed Côte d’Ivoire’s 2010 presidential election. We trace how Ivoirian travestis became increasingly vulnerable following the installation of a new national army that proved more hostile to them. And we show how, as a result of anti-travesti abuses committed by the army, non-travesti sexual minority activists became increasingly aware of the plight of travestis, and took steps to include them in their programming. These activists may have also been motivated by an increasing interest in transgender issues on the part of international donors. Finally, we explore the extent to which emerging human rights and HIV/AIDS programming has resulted in newly embodied positions for travestis as they confront identifications reflecting Western trans-spectrum identities.”

Read here about the Miss Woubi beauty pageant and for more about the travestis and woubis.

* Woubis are effeminate boys who play the role of women or wife in the relationship.
** Yossis are the men or the husbands in the relationship. They can be bisexual and/or married with a family while in a relationship with a Woubi.
** Branché is a local term whose meaning is not widely understood by heterosexual and cisgender people in Ivory Coast and is used by sexual and gender minorities to describe themselves and one another.

1998

1998 — Documentary Focused on Gender Diversity, “Woubi Chéri”, Featured at International Film Festivals, 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 […]

All, Art, Community, Cross-Dressing, LGBTIAQ+, Non-Binary, Organisations, Trans

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

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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 modelled on the Intersex Society of North America, as Sally had close ties with intersex activists in that group.

The article explains:

“While there are some support groups in countries like the United States and Britain, there is currently no network for intersexed people in South Africa, says Gross. She hopes that publicity about intersexuality will bring the issue out into the open, help to remove the stigma attached to it, and help intersexed South Africans to make contact with one another for mutual support”.

Sally’s initial goals for ISOSA included offering advice and psychological support to its members, educational outreach in schools, and legislative advocacy.

ISOSA was initially affiliated with the health-oriented Triangle Project. Gross thought this partnership would help intersex people like herself to discover their own medical histories and to navigate treatment protocols, but ISOSA later became independent. She continued her efforts to promote ISOSA by sharing her own story in the publications, Natal Witness and Challenge, as well as being interviewed on the popular Cape Town station, Radio Bush.

To reflect the group’s independence from the U.S. organisation, Sally changed the name from ISOSA to Intersex South Africa (ISSA) in 2008. After Sally’s death in 2014, ISSA was housed by Iranti, founded in 2012 until it became a separate organisation in May 2023.

To read more about Sally Gross, here are three articles published by the Natal Witness:

https://isna.org/pdf/gross1.pdf

https://isna.org/pdf/gross2.pdf

https://isna.org/pdf/gross3.pdf
2000

2000 — The First African Intersex Organisation, Intersex Society of South Africa, Formed by 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 […]

All, Intersex, Organisations

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9 February 2003 — Zimbabwe Unwittingly Represented by a Trans Woman at the Cricket World Cup, South Africa
9 February 2003

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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 to Cape Town) and on international runways in Italy prior to this event, and she was appointed to carry the Zimbabwean banner. A few days later rumours started circulating that Barbara was a trans woman. She initially denied the rumours but eventually admitted that the claims were correct.

Zimbabwe’s President, Robert Mugabe, responded with anger and said that choosing Barbara as Zimbabwe’s banner bearer was done deliberately to embarrass Zimbabwe. This sentiment by President Mugabe was just one of the many homophobic statements he made about LGBTIQ+ persons throughout his public life, including publicly expressing the following in July 2002: “When I said gays are worse than dogs and pigs, I really meant it because pigs and dogs do not do unnatural things.” He threatened to withdraw the Zimbabwean team from the Cricket World Cup but did not have to follow through with his threat as Zimbabwe was eliminated from the competition early.

In an academic article entitled “The 2003 Cricket World Cup and its Implications for Identity Formation and Democracy in Zimbabwe”, J. Van der Merwe et. al. wrote:

“Sports mega-events have the potential to provide a focal point for strengthening national unity and reinforcing national identity. They are also said to be able to provide a catalyst for democratisation and an incentive for human rights observance if hosted by authoritarian or democratically weak regimes. However, the outcomes for host nations are not always pre-determinable. An analysis of South Africa and Zimbabwe’s co-hosting of the 2003 Cricket World Cup illustrates this point. A racially charged discourse informed much of the exchanges about Zimbabwe’s co-host status, both transnationally within the racial and ethnic contours of the cricket-playing Commonwealth and domestically within the host nations. Instead of the event having a generally liberalising effect on Zimbabwean politics it ultimately aided in further entrenching the regime.”

9 February 2003

9 February 2003 — Zimbabwe Unwittingly Represented by a Trans Woman at the Cricket World Cup, South Africa

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 […]

All, Community, Sport, Trans

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9 September 2003 — Parliamentary Hearings on the Alteration of Sex Description and Sex Status Act, South Africa
9 September 2003

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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 and Sex Status Act, Act 49 of 2003.

As gazetted at this point, The Sex Description and Sex Status Act made no provision for trans people without genital surgery or for intersexed and other persons who did not wish to have any medical/surgical procedures, but who may want to change the gender identity/sex description assigned to them at birth.

The Cape Town Transsexual/Transgender Support Group only heard about the hearings at short notice, about 10 days before the hearings. Due to this short amount of time, they requested an extension of two months, to better prepare. The request was denied. The Group then went ahead and prepared and delivered their oral presentation on 9 September 2003.

A quick overview of Act 49 of 2003:

“The Act applies to:

      Persons having gender reassignment.

      Intersexed persons.

Requirements:

      For gender reassignment, reports by two medical practitioners.

      For intersexed persons, reports by a medical practitioner and a psychologist/social worker.

Who may apply?

Any person whose sexual characteristics have been altered by:

i) surgical treatment

ii) or medical treatment

iii) or by evolvement through natural development resulting from gender reassignment, or any person who is intersexed may apply to the Director-General of the National Department of Home Affairs for the alteration of the sex description on his or her birth register.”

Note: “Evolvement through natural development” is not defined in the Act, so it could be interpreted as changes in biological development, or as changes in psychological/social development.

Critical comment: The Act assumes and therefore demands that applicants must undergo some kind of change before they qualify for an alteration of sex description.
9 September 2003

9 September 2003 — Parliamentary Hearings on the Alteration of Sex Description and Sex Status Act, South Africa

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 […]

All, Community, Legislation, Trans & Intersex

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

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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 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.

SMUG hosts the Regional Exchange Programme participants at their offices in Kampala, Uganda

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.

Founder, Victor Mukasa

Co-Executive Director, Dr Frank Mugisha

Co-Executive Director, Pepe Onziema

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:

3 March 2004

3 March 2004 — Founding of Sexual Minorities 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 […]

Activists, All, Audio and Video, Interviews, LGBTIAQ+, Organisations, Trans

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15 March 2004 — Alteration of Sex Description and Sex Status Act, South Africa
15 March 2004

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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 2003. The Act originally allowed individuals to apply to have the sex designation on their birth certificate changed if they had undergone gender reassignment surgery. However, concerns were raised that this requirement was overly restrictive, as not all individuals who identify as a different gender undergo such surgery.

The 2004 amendment expanded the criteria for changing the sex designation on a birth certificate to include individuals who had undergone other medical treatments or procedures related to gender reassignment, as well as those who had received a diagnosis of gender dysphoria from a medical professional. The amendment was aimed at ensuring that the law reflected the experiences of trans individuals and provided them with greater access to legal recognition of their gender identity.

Estian Smit, one of the individuals who made the oral presentation to Parliament in 2003, created a presentation to Gender DynamiX (GDX) to explain a summary of the process of altering the Act including points about its history, parliamentarian lobbying, an explanation of the Act, oral presentations, parliament decisions, inadequacies, obstacles, impact, and a way forward.

15 March 2004

15 March 2004 — Alteration of Sex Description and Sex Status Act, South Africa

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 […]

All, Community, Legislation, Organisations, Trans & Intersex

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

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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 became the first legislation in the world to include “intersex” within the legal definition of ‘sex’ as

“a congenital sexual differentiation which is atypical, to whatever degree.”

This definition of intersex reflects the work of activists as it is almost identical to the recommendation submitted to the court by Intersex South Africa (ISSA). ISSA’s founder, Sally Gross, advocated for and worked passionately towards this inclusion. One of the major accomplishments by activists in the amendment to PEPUDA was to insist that ‘intersex’ be self-defined, removing it from medical definitions and interventions or the forced surgeries that often accompany legal definitions of ‘sex.’

2005

2005 — Intersex Rights Included in Legislation for the First Time Worldwide, 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 […]

All, Community, Intersex, Legislation, Organisations

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May 2005 — South Africa’s First Gender Diversity Awareness Workshop Hosted, South Africa
May 2005

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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 other by a mutual friend from GHMCC. When it became known to Lex that Liesl had previously been in a relationship with a trans man (1997–2000), Lex wanted to find more information about transitioning and related topics. This and Liesl’s previous relationship became known by members of GHMCC, so Liesl, a member of GHMCC’s council, offered to put together a workshop so that church members and other interested people could learn and understand more about the then “nearly unheard of” topics of transgender and intersex people, and gender diversity.

Liesl invited guest speakers who included, among others, Estian Smit, Sally Gross and Dr Marlene Wasserman, also known as Dr Eve. The workshop held at the church was a landmark event, as not only was it attended by more than double the number of people expected, but it was hosted for three more years on the anniversary of the first workshop. Looking back, the first Gender Diversity Awareness workshop and the interest demonstrated by the attendance was one of the factors that encouraged Liesl to continue her trans awareness-raising work, which led to the founding of Gender DynamiX (GDX) later in the same year. Before the founding, and during the first two years of the existence of Gender DynamiX, GHMCC supported Liesl and Lex tremendously in their efforts to raise awareness about gender diversity.

May 2005

May 2005 — South Africa’s First Gender Diversity Awareness Workshop Hosted, South Africa

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 […]

All, Community, Trans & Intersex

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July 2005 — Gender DynamiX (GDX) Founded, South Africa
July 2005

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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.

Liesl in a meeting with then Chair of the GDX Board, Sally Jean Shackleton

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
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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.”
July 2005

July 2005 — Gender DynamiX (GDX) Founded, 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 July 2005. Due to work insecurity and a lack of knowledge about the employment rights of trans […]

All, Gender Diverse, Gender Non-Conforming, Interviews, Organisations, Trans

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July 2005 — Trans and LGBTQIA+ Activist, Victor Mukasa, Sues Government, Uganda
July 2005

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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 the police confiscated documents and arbitrarily arrested Yvonne Oyhoo, who happened to be at Victor’s house at the time. After suffering humiliating and degrading treatment from the police, Yvonne was released on the condition that she had to return the following morning with the chairperson of SMUG.

Uganda is known to have a zero-tolerance policy towards homosexuality and on 5 July 2005, the Ugandan government voted for a constitutional amendment to the effect that “marriage is lawful only if entered into between a man and woman” and that it was “unlawful for same-sex couples to marry.” During this time, when mainstream media and many AIDS activists articulated homophobic viewpoints, Victor continued to speak out as an individual and as co-founder and chairperson of Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG).

Following the raid, Mukasa publicly declared his intent to sue the Ugandan government for violation of his and Yvonne’s human rights. Soon after this, he started getting threats from government officials to withdraw the case. He went into hiding with the help of Amnesty International and several other regional and international human rights organisations, first within Uganda and eventually in South Africa until the trial started. Mukasa won the court case on 22 December 2008.

Victor Mukasa, human rights defender, and activist from Uganda claimed his identity as a transgender lesbian and started speaking out in the local media about the oppression of LGBTIQ+ people in Uganda in around 2002.

July 2005

July 2005 — Trans and LGBTQIA+ Activist, 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 […]

All, Community, Legislation, LGBTIAQ+, Trans

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25 February 2006 — Trans Kenyan Receives Asylum in Canada, Kenya
25 February 2006

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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 no language or terms around non-heterosexual and non-cisgender sexuality or gender, Biko only realised while studying in America that she identified as transgender and not gay.

Fearing for her life if she returned to Kenya, she arrived at Toronto’s airport on 25 February 2006. Here she was put in handcuffs and detained by officials who humiliated her for 36 hours before she was granted asylum in Canada. She spent a further 6 months in a refugee shelter before a landlord agreed to rent an apartment to her.

After Biko received asylum, she became a human rights activist championing the rights of trans people. Some of her achievements include being the founder of Trans Workforce in 2014, the world’s first job fair aimed at creating work opportunities for people who identify as trans or gender nonconforming, and becoming a board member of The 519 in 2015, a Toronto-based agency serving the trans community of Toronto by assisting with refugees, counselling, and training. Asked in an interview why she became an activist, Biko answered:

“I like to think that I have always been a compassionate person. However, it wasn’t until I became a refugee and also transitioned that I became aware of all the routine humiliations that marginalized and displaced people face. It’s our society’s dirty little secret that we like to sweep under the rug. I am not a dirty secret, and neither are others like me; I refuse to be swept under the rug. In the fight for my dignity, others will benefit as well because it is not just for me, but for all our dignity and humanity that I fight. It’s my fuel.”

A champion of refugee and sexual minority rights, she has spread her message of tolerance and equality through various platforms such as the Canadian Council for Refugees and the Refugee Pride Convention. Biko was also the first person to give a lecture on gender studies upon the inception of such a course at a high school in Canada. At George Brown, Biko also served as the Women and Trans Persons representative, bridging the gap between her constituents, the college administration, and the Student Association. Through the Student Union, Biko was also part of a panel to discuss issues faced by racialised students, and sexual minorities on college campuses at The Canadian Federation of Students Convention. She was also the first queer person of African descent to open the Toronto Stock Exchange.

One of the highlights in Biko’s personal life was her appearance on ‘America’s Next Top Model’, as part of the Tyra Banks Show, in itself raising awareness of trans equality and tolerance.

Photograph of Biko Beauttah from an article by her on the UNHCR Canada website.

Photograph of Biko Beauttah by Bushira Nakitende. Source: Jayu

Interviews with Biko:

LGBTQ2 refugee activist spreads message of tolerance and equality

As a trans person fleeing Kenya, Biko Beauttah found her vocation after she made it to Canada.

https://globalnews.ca/video/3870817/transgender-job-fair-hopes-to-break-barriers-to-employment/Video interview with Biko about the Trans Workforce job fair.

25 February 2006

25 February 2006 — Trans Kenyan Receives Asylum in Canada, 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 […]

All, Community, Diaspora, Trans

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31 October 2006 — Trans Burundian Refugee Receives Asylum in South Africa, Burundi/South Africa
31 October 2006

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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 both countries. When life became too difficult for her, Alexandra had no permanent home and became fully nomadic, also moving between Kenya and Tanzania.

Alexandra self-describes as Travesti and she lived a fully independent life, but her gender identity led to constant harassment, public humiliation, and police arrests. When she was sitting in a coffee shop in an upper-class shopping mall in Nairobi, Kenya, police clamped down on her and arrested her under the guise of “public nuisance” and “imposter identity” (fraud). She was further humiliated in the police cells when the police removed from her everything they considered to be “female” and therefore fraudulent – her clothing, wig, and make-up – and then allowed a journalist to take photos of her and publish the “scandal” in local newspapers.

Eventually, she was deported back to Burundi from Kenya, but the police confiscated her passport and all her documents and in doing so turned her into an undocumented citizen in her own country. She got into contact with people from Amnesty International and was also in contact with IGLHRC (the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission — IGLHRC, today known as OutRight International).

Cary Alan Johnson (senior specialist for Africa, IGLHRC), struggled to find any established LGBTIQ+ organisations based in South Africa with experience in asylum matters who would agree to assist in the matter. Cary eventually contacted Liesl Theron from the newly established Gender DynamiX (GDX) to enquire about the possibility of GDX assisting and supporting Alexandra with her application for asylum in South Africa if Alexandra were able to make her own way into the country. With little experience in asylum matters, Liesl replied: “She is a trans person in need, we will help her. I have no idea what I’m actually saying yes to – but we will help her, and we will need your guidance in the matter”. Cary and Liesl remained in contact and introduced Liesl to Judge Edwin Cameron and Advocate William Kerfoot from the Legal Resources Centre (LRC) in Cape Town, who would be able to provide GDX with legal assistance. Liesl personally assisted Alexandra in preparing her motivational letters and her legal case and accompanied her on numerous trips to the offices of South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs.

Because Liesl and GDX were inexperienced in asylum matters and because there were no other types of guidance or best practice examples outside of the legal assistance provided, Liesl prepared the information which would serve as motivation about the difficulty of living as a trans person in Kenya, where she had been arrested, as well as in Burundi, her native country which she was seeking asylum from.

31 October 2006

31 October 2006 — Trans Burundian Refugee Receives Asylum in South Africa, Burundi/South Africa

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 […]

All, Community, Diaspora, Organisations, Trans

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2007 — Gender Dynamix (GDX) Becomes First African Organisation to Become a Member of WPATH, South Africa
2007

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South Africa’s Gender DynamiX (GDX) was the first African organisation to become a member of WPATH in 2007.

In August 2014 GDX and Cape Town’s Groote Schuur Hospital’s Multidisciplinary Transgender Clinic collaborated in their efforts to submit a bid to the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) to host the 2018 WPATH international conference.

2007

2007 — Gender Dynamix (GDX) Becomes First African Organisation to Become a Member of WPATH, South Africa

South Africa’s Gender DynamiX (GDX) was the first African organisation to become a member of WPATH in 2007. In August 2014 GDX and Cape Town’s Groote Schuur Hospital’s Multidisciplinary Transgender Clinic collaborated in their efforts to submit a bid to the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) to host the 2018 WPATH international conference.

All, Organisations, Trans

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February 2007 — Gender DynamiX Holds Trans-Awareness Training with The Inner Circle (TIC), South Africa’s First Queer Muslim Association
February 2007

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In February 2007, Gender DynamiX (GDX) held a trans-awareness workshop with staff from The Inner Circle, later known as the Al-Fitrah Foundation, in Cape Town, South Africa. The Inner Circle was founded by the world’s first openly-gay imam, Muhsin Hendricks as a group for gay Muslims to navigate their Islamic faith and sexual identity. Sadly, Imam Hendricks died on 15 February 2025, murdered in a suspected hate attack. Liesl Theron, the then Executive Director of Gender DynamiX who led the workshop, had this to say about Imam Hendricks:

“He was gentle, kind, had a great sense of humor, was a trail blazer, activist, leader, internationally known and loved. He will be deeply missed.”

From the trans-awareness workshop by Gender DynamiX with staff from The Inner Circle. Imam Muhsin Hendricks is in the centre, with Gender DynamiX’s Executive Director at the time, Liesl Theron, next to him on the right.

Remembering Imam Muhsin Hendricks

June 2017 — Tholulwazi Uzivikele, a human rights organisation, meets with Imam Hendricks (centre) at The Inner Circle to expand their knowledge of the queer community within Islam. Photo from the Al-Fitrah Foundation’s Instagram page.

Born in 1967 in Cape Town, he dedicated his life to reconciling faith and identity, and to support marginalised Muslims. Despite facing rejection and constant death threats, he established Masjidul Ghurbaah, an inclusive mosque, and reinterpreted Islamic texts to promote acceptance of queer Muslims. He founded The Inner Circle in 1996, and conducted his spiritual work at the Masjidul Ghurbaah mosque, also known as ‘The People’s Mosque’. His work empowered countless individuals to reconcile their faith and identity.

@openlynews

Muhsin Hendricks became the world’s first openly queer Imam when he came out in the late 1990s. Born in Cape Town, South Africa, he is credited with starting the country’s first LGBTQ+ friendly mosque and over two decades of activism he has sought to help queer Muslims reconcile their faith with their séxual orientation. 🎙️ Reporter: Lucy Middleton in Cape Town #lgbtqrights #lgbtnews #capetown

♬ Stories 2 – Danilo Stankovic

Imam Hendricks speaks about why he came out and started his work of creating an inclusive Islam.

According to a Pink News article following his death,

Hendricks ran workshops for imams across Africa, helping them to develop an inclusive understanding of gender and sexuality within Islam. Julia Ehrt, executive director at the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA) urged the authorities to investigate “what we fear may be a hate crime. He supported and mentored so many people in South Africa and around the world in their journey to reconcile with their faith, and his life has been a testament to the healing that solidarity across communities can bring in everyone’s lives,” she said. Hendricks’ work in Africa was considered vital, where homosexuality is still illegal in 31 out of 54 nations, with South Africa being the only country in the continent that allows same-sex marriage.

Muhsin’s life and work was the subject of a 2022 documentary, ‘The Radical: A Gay Imam’s Choice of Faith Over Fear’. In the documentary, the Imam talks about the death threats he received and continued to receive since coming out. In an interview with The Guardian, the Imam said,

“The need to be authentic is greater than my fear to die.”

Our thoughts as the Trans & Intersex History Africa team go out to the Imam’s family, friends, colleagues, those he counselled spiritually and the many whose lives he touched. This senseless murder makes a mockery of the South African constitution and the values of inclusivity and celebration of difference we all hold dear, especially in our trans and intersex movements in Africa and we call on the South African police services and government to deliver justice for a man who was an exemplary South African and human being.

Elspeth Engelbrecht from The Triangle Project wrote this moving obituary:

February 2007

February 2007 — Gender DynamiX Holds Trans-Awareness Training with The Inner Circle (TIC), South Africa’s First Queer Muslim Association

In February 2007, Gender DynamiX (GDX) held a trans-awareness workshop with staff from The Inner Circle, later known as the Al-Fitrah Foundation, in Cape Town, South Africa. The Inner Circle was founded by the world’s first openly-gay imam, Muhsin Hendricks as a group for gay Muslims to navigate their Islamic faith and sexual identity. Sadly, […]

Activists, All, Community, In Memoriam, LGBTIAQ+

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May 2007 — ILGA Establishes an Affiliate Pan African Organisation — Pan Africa ILGA, South Africa
May 2007

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In May 2007, the International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA) hosted a conference in Johannesburg with the aim of establishing an organisation affiliated with them on the African continent — a Pan Africa ILGA (PAI). PAI is a federation of organisations in Africa working to improve human rights based on sexual orientation and gender identity and expression (SOGIE). PAI holds annual regional conferences in different locations in Africa. Its third regional conference, the biggest African LGBTIQ+ conference at the time, was held in Botswana in June 2018. PAI is organiser and host of the Regional LGBTQIA+ Conference, bringing together activists from all over Africa and internationally.

Background

The African caucus had to determine the ILGA-Africa constitution and one of the decisions was to establish the Pan Africa ILGA (PAI) board, the number of board members, and their regional representation, as well as the representation of identities relating to sexuality diversity. In terms of regional representation, the caucus emphasised that because the continent is huge and diverse in cultures, experiences, and issues, giving attention to diversity was one way to ensure regional representation. At first, there was a motion that there should be 10 board members, 2 each from North, South, East, West, and Central African regions. In relation to the representation of sexuality identities, the caucus decided that each region should be represented by board members equally divided between gays and lesbians. At this point, a handful of activists advocated for the inclusion of one more board member who could be from any region, but who identifies as trans or intersex. This motivation influenced the PAI Board to agree to this inclusion, thereby broadening the scope of PAI to include diversity of gender identity, gender expression, and sexual characteristics.

The inclusion of an additional board position to ensure trans or intersex representation was a milestone achievement for African trans and intersex activists, the trans and intersex movements in Africa, and the African LGBTIQ+ movements as a whole.

Vision

A Pan African movement that promotes and respects bodily integrity and equal protection of human rights regardless of culture, religion and faith, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and sex characteristics.

Mission

To unify and strengthen LGBTI organising in Africa in order to challenge state legislation that impedes SOGIE-related work.

Contact

Website
Email: admin@panafricailga.org
+27 11 339 1139
Facebook
Instagram
X (Twitter)
LinkedIn

May 2007

May 2007 — ILGA Establishes an Affiliate Pan African Organisation — Pan Africa ILGA, South Africa

In May 2007, the International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA) hosted a conference in Johannesburg with the aim of establishing an organisation affiliated with them on the African continent — a Pan Africa ILGA (PAI). PAI is a federation of organisations in Africa working to improve human rights based on sexual orientation and gender identity […]

All, LGBTIAQ+, Organisations, Trans & Intersex

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2007 to 2022 — Strategic Action Litigation (SAL): Legal Advocacy for Intersex Persons in Kenya
2007

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Between 2007 and 2022, legal advocacy for intersex person in Kenya saw massive strides. Strategic Action Litigation (SAL) is a process in Public Interest Law whereby members of a marginalised group deliberately and proactively take a test case to court for the purpose of establishing a positive legal precedent with legal implications that go beyond the immediate litigants. This specific kind of litigation aims to achieve broader social change. Kenya’s intersex visibility began with such litigation, which saw the country’s intersex rights progress more rapidly than in other African countries. This piece strategically highlights the two court cases that have advanced intersex advocacy in Kenya.

The Case of R.M. v. Attorney General & 4 Others (2010), Petition No. 705 of 2007 Kenya, High Court

This landmark legal battle highlighted the rights of intersex persons and challenged the lack of legal recognition and protection for them.

Richard Musya (R.M.), the petitioner in this case, was born intersex, with ambiguous genitalia and raised as male by their parents. The medical and societal understanding of intersex conditions in Kenya, as in many parts of the world, was limited. Intersex persons often faced stigma, discrimination, and pressure to conform to binary gender norms through surgical interventions or other means.

R.M. faced significant challenges related to their intersex status, including difficulties in obtaining legal recognition for employment and marriage, and documents such as a birth certificate that accurately reflected their identity. This lack of documentation affected many aspects of their life, including access to education, healthcare, and social services.

R.M. was later arrested and while awaiting trial, they were isolated because they are intersex. Upon conviction, the petitioner was transferred to a maximum security prison in the male population where they suffered inhuman and degrading treatment at the hands of prison officials.

R.M. brought the case to the High Court of Kenya, arguing that the state had violated their constitutional rights by failing to provide adequate legal recognition and protection for intersex persons. The case was grounded in several constitutional provisions, including the right to dignity, equality, and freedom from discrimination on the basis of sex. R.M. sought the issuance of a birth certificate that accurately reflected their intersex status without forcing a male or female designation. They challenged the systemic discrimination faced by intersex persons in Kenya, advocating for legal and social recognition of their unique identities. The case brought attention to the pressure on intersex persons to undergo unnecessary medical procedures to conform to binary gender norms.

Throughout the case, various experts, including medical professionals, human rights advocates, and intersex persons, provided testimony on the nature of intersex conditions and the human rights issues involved. The petitioner’s legal team argued that the lack of recognition and the forced binary classification violated R.M.’s fundamental rights.

Judgement

The High Court granted R.M.’s claim for damages for inhuman and degrading treatment at the hands of the state, but rejected all other claims. It pioneered public interest litigation on the challenges faced by intersex persons. It resulted in the Court enshrining the principles of intersex persons being free from cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment or punishment especially during arrest or search.

E.A. & Another v. Attorney General & 6 others (Baby ‘A’ case) [2014], Petition No. 266 of 2013 Kenya

Baby A, who was born as an intersex baby with ambiguous genitalia, was marked ‘?’ on their legal documents.

Baby A’s mother (E.A.), the petitioner in this case, faced several challenges trying to register the birth of her baby which required a determinate sex category as either male or female — categories that her baby did not fit. As a result, her baby was not issued a birth certificate. In these cases, many intersex children are forced to undergo corrective surgery, which undermines their right to self-autonomy and brings about many other challenges later on in their adult life.

E.A. brought the case to the High Court, claiming that not having a birth certificate denies the baby legal recognition (suing for legal discrimination) and the ability to enjoy other rights like the right to education and Medicare care.

Judgement

The Court found no evidence to support that Baby A had experienced discrimination and held that neither the hospital nor the Court had violated the baby’s rights. The Court confirmed that the baby was intersex and in order to avoid any future discrimination, Baby A and other intersex children must be registered by the registrar of Births and Deaths.

The Court determined that there was a necessity for guidelines, rules, and regulations concerning surgeries on intersex persons, as well as for the government to gather data on intersex persons. However, it also found that it was beyond its jurisdiction to establish such guidelines or oversee data collection and therefore instructed the government to undertake these responsibilities.

Subsequent Developments for the Intersex Community in Kenya

Following these two judgments, there have been ongoing efforts in Kenya to improve the legal framework for intersex persons. This includes advocacy for comprehensive anti-discrimination laws, better healthcare policies, and increased public awareness to reduce stigma and discrimination against intersex people.

The R.M. case was a pivotal moment in advancing the rights of intersex persons in Kenya and across Africa. It set a precedent for legal recognition and protection, prompting discussions on necessary legal and policy reforms to support intersex people. The case also raised awareness about intersex issues, contributing to a broader movement towards greater visibility and acceptance.

The Baby A case triggered reforms on the rights of intersex people in Kenya. In 2014, the Persons Deprived of Liberty Act was enacted and defined “intersex” within Kenyan Legislation for the first time.

In 2017, the Attorney General formed the Taskforce on Policy, Legal, Institutional and Administrative Reforms Regarding Intersex Persons. The Taskforce reported to the Kenyan government about the human rights situation of intersex persons in Kenya and recommended law reforms to recognise and protect the rights of intersex persons in Kenya, and called for the collection of statistical data on intersex persons. The resultant inclusion of intersex persons in statistical data in Kenya made Kenya the first African country to include data on intersex people in its census in 2019. 1,524 Intersex persons were counted, a number estimated to be less than the actual number because many numerators did not include the ‘I’ gender marker question and many are still believed to have not disclosed their truth.

The Attorney General also created the Intersex Persons Implementation Coordination Committee (IPICC), a body established to oversee and coordinate the implementation of policies and programmes concerning the rights and welfare of intersex individuals in Kenya. Following this, the Kenyan president appointed the first intersex commissioner at the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights.

The Children Act, 2022 introduced significant provisions for intersex children. The Act mandates that intersex children are to be treated with respect and given equal access to essential services, including healthcare, education, and social protection. It also condemns discrimination against intersex children in child protection centres and other similar facilities. A key aspect of the law is its protection against non-consensual and unnecessary sex assignment surgeries, stipulating that such procedures should only occur with medical recommendation. Violators of this provision face a minimum fine of $5,000. Although entrusting doctors with decision-making power could pose some risks, this legislation represents a significant step forward and serves as a powerful example for intersex rights advocates throughout Africa.

Strategic Action Litigation has proven to be a vital tool in advancing the rights and protections for intersex persons in Kenya. The continued legal and social efforts are part of a journey that Kenya is on to eventually achieve full recognition and protection of intersex rights. It is a combination of effort from legal practitioners, activists, policymakers, and the community at large. By remaining steadfast in these efforts, there is hope for a future where intersex individuals can live freely and with dignity, enjoying the same rights and protections as all other Kenyan citizens.

Written by our content contributor, Delphine Barigye

2007

2007 to 2022 — Strategic Action Litigation (SAL): Legal Advocacy for Intersex Persons in Kenya

Between 2007 and 2022, legal advocacy for intersex person in Kenya saw massive strides. Strategic Action Litigation (SAL) is a process in Public Interest Law whereby members of a marginalised group deliberately and proactively take a test case to court for the purpose of establishing a positive legal precedent with legal implications that go beyond […]

All, Intersex, Legislation

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1950197519921994199820009 February 20039 September 20033 March 200415 March 20042005May 2005July 2005July 200525 February 200631 October 20062007February 2007May 20072007

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 and/or intersex movements who are not yet included on our Timeline.

We want to acknowledge and include all verifiable contributions.

The Timeline is about your stories and voices. You can find out more on how to contribute by visiting our Contact Us page here.

Timeline of Events

This Timeline of the histories of the trans and intersex movements in Africa 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

1950s to Late 1970s — Carnivals: A Safe Space for Travestis, Cross-Dressers and Queer Performers, Mozambique

1975 — Military Coup Ends Carnival Festival, Mozambique

1992 — Commencement of the Births and Deaths Registration Act, South Africa

1994 — First Printed Media Reference to The Travesti, Côte d’Ivoire / Ivory Coast

1998 — Documentary Focused on Gender Diversity, “Woubi Chéri”, Featured at International Film Festivals, Côte d’Ivoire / Ivory Coast

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

9 February 2003 — Zimbabwe Unwittingly Represented by a Trans Woman at the Cricket World Cup, South Africa

9 September 2003 — Parliamentary Hearings on the Alteration of Sex Description and Sex Status Act, South Africa

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

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

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

Mission

Focus Areas

Contact

Watch our interview with Pepe Onziema

15 March 2004 — Alteration of Sex Description and Sex Status Act, South Africa

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

“a congenital sexual differentiation which is atypical, to whatever degree.”

May 2005 — South Africa’s First Gender Diversity Awareness Workshop Hosted, South Africa

July 2005 — Gender DynamiX (GDX) Founded, South Africa

Vision

Mission

Objectives

Focus Areas

Contact

Liesl Theron Reflects on the Beginnings of GDX

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.”

July 2005 — Trans and LGBTQIA+ Activist, Victor Mukasa, Sues Government, Uganda

July 2005 — Trans and LGBTQIA+ Activist, Victor Mukasa, Sues Government, Uganda

25 February 2006 — Trans Kenyan Receives Asylum in Canada, Kenya

Interviews with Biko:

31 October 2006 — Trans Burundian Refugee Receives Asylum in South Africa, Burundi/South Africa

2007 — Gender Dynamix (GDX) Becomes First African Organisation to Become a Member of WPATH, South Africa

February 2007 — Gender DynamiX Holds Trans-Awareness Training with The Inner Circle (TIC), South Africa’s First Queer Muslim Association

“He was gentle, kind, had a great sense of humor, was a trail blazer, activist, leader, internationally known and loved. He will be deeply missed.”

Remembering Imam Muhsin Hendricks

“The need to be authentic is greater than my fear to die.”

May 2007 — ILGA Establishes an Affiliate Pan African Organisation — Pan Africa ILGA, South Africa

Background

Vision

Mission

Contact

2007 to 2022 — Strategic Action Litigation (SAL): Legal Advocacy for Intersex Persons in Kenya

The Case of R.M. v. Attorney General & 4 Others (2010), Petition No. 705 of 2007 Kenya, High Court

Judgement

E.A. & Another v. Attorney General & 6 others (Baby ‘A’ case) [2014], Petition No. 266 of 2013 Kenya

Judgement

Subsequent Developments for the Intersex Community in Kenya

Written by our content contributor, Delphine Barigye

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