Tuesday 17 February 2009

Gender DynamiX was invited by Marlise Richter to be a guest lecturer at WITS Medical School as part the degree MSc (Med) Bioethics and Health Law. The lecture was presented by Caroline Bowley and covered a range of topics related to Transgender Health in the South African context. A range of medical treatments and procedures required by transsexual people was explained together with the obstacles trans people face in gaining access to these services. It was also highlighted that transgender people very often encounter various levels of prejudice and discrimination from medical practitioners when they try to access basic medical services. Trans people are also ashamed and embarrassed to visit medical services out of fear of ridicule and having to always explain their condition even when it is not required.

There was a very positive response from the attendees and many meaningful questions were asked. The feedback from the participants was also very good and they all expressed the value of the information shared.

“Caroline brought another dimension to health issues which is generally never given much thought and medical students/nursing institutions should be made more aware of sensitivities regarding transgender health”

6 November 2008 to 28 February 2009

Same-sex Relationships Explored in New Exhibition on Love, Marriage, Families and Human Rights at Natal Museum, Pietermaritzburg.

For many people the idea of family would be a mum and a dad and children. But it doesn’t have to be a mum and a dad; it can be a mum and a mum or a dad and dad.  It could be a single parent; a grandmother could take on that maternal role, non-biological parents. There don’t even need to be children. A group of people that are related, not necessarily by blood, is a family. There are many families who might not like each other, but still love each other.” – Lindi Malindi, 20

October 2008

Educating medical service providers at clinics with a theatre production is the focus of a recent collaboration between GDX and OUT. Robert Hamblin was asked to advise and developing a script with typical scenarios a transman would be confronted with at a clinic. Pap Smears and breast examinations for pre transition T-men were addressed specifically. The aim is to not only get medical staff to be tolerant but also to encourage Trans People to have examinations that could save their lives. Gareth Hunt clinical psychologist and transgender specialist, collaborated with Robert in this effort.

10 September 2008

A dialogue seminar with youth based on sexual diversity, entitled SEXUALITY: TOWARDS A FREE SOUTH AFRICA was held at Con Hill in September this year. Robert Hamblin from GDX was asked to participate in the panel to talk about Transgender issues.  He says he chose to not concentrate on the sensationalism of how Transgender people are different from others. Instead he wrote a piece in the style of his small films, humorously telling the story of what his life was all about. Most of the revelations were about a normal life and had the crowd in stitches but he strung hardships and challenges of trans-people throughout the story. The reception for this approach was very positive and a two organisations attending asked for "the poem" to publish on their websites.