16 – 18 July 2007

16 – 18 July 2007 marks the occasion of the first ever LGBTIQ youth and student conference in South Africa.

It all started when Activate, which is the GLBTI (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex) Students social society at Wits University, submitted an application for the funding of the first ever National GLBTI Youth Leaders Conference to be held in Johannesburg. This led to the two day conference which raised controversial issues based on the GLBTI youth community.

June 2006

AfriHealth aims to increase public health capacity in and for Africa through knowledge and education. The conference’s theme was ‘Sustaining Africa’s development through Public Health Education’. Dr Thomas Bisika from the African Union opened the conference with a very enlightening speech on the “AU Perspective of Public Health in Africa”. There was involvement and presence from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Gender Symposium’s opening was done by Dr Arlene Petrakova on the “Global efforts on integrating gender in the curricular of health professionals”.  On day two there were three break-away sessions. Gender DynamiX presented a speech during one of those sessions at the: 'Integrating Gender in the Public Health Curriculum'. The presentation was entitled: Health care facilities, experienced by transgendered, intersex and gender diverse patients. The conference was closed by prof Eric Buch from NEPAD with his message “Public Health Education – A NEPAD Perspective”.

May 2007 

Gender DynamiX held its first strategic planning, having the Management Committee and 16 stakeholders attending this 4 day workshop. The overall purpose of this strategic planning was to plan the projects and activities of GDX for the next 3 years. By having as many as possible trans people attending the strategic planning enabled Gender DynamiX to have a written mandate supporting its work.

Most of the participants met each for the first time during this strategic planning, and many met other trans people for the first time. The whole experience was a positive and uplifting experience and everyone looks forward to the future of Gender DynamiX.

May 2007

Professor Jane Bennett from the African Gender Institute at the University of Cape Town invited Gender DynamiX to give a lecture to undergraduate students. A general introduction about Gender DynamiX and transgenderism was given. The purpose was to highlight how the NGO’s in their various fields experience and work with gender diversity. Enough time was given to students to ask questions and have discussions about the concepts and current challenges experienced by transgendered people in South Africa.