Trans Body Maps – April 26 to April 28, 2007, Women’s Jail, Constitution Hill
Opening reception: 4:00 p.m., Thursday, April 26

Constitution Hill, in partnership with the Gay and Lesbian Archives, Gender DynamiX and Women’sNet, presents `Trans Body Maps,' an exhibit of life-sized ‘body maps’ or self-portraits of transgender and gender variant people in South Africa. The exhibition aims to raise awareness around issues affecting transgender and gender variant people and to draw the public into direct dialogue with South Africa’s transgendered community.

"The body maps showed the diverse and difficult life experiences of trans people – and also the triumphs! Trans people shift gender boundaries a little further – allowing all of us to live with a little more freedom” said Sally-Jean Shackleton, the chairperson of Gender DynamiX. “Shifting those gender boundaries comes with some dangers though – at best, trans people suffer harassment and names calling – at worst, discrimination and violence"

The body maps, which are produced on large pieces of cardboard, are tracings of the contours of each person's body and include painted representations, both symbolic and true, of the maker’s experiences and history and are depicted in conjunction with text telling stories and explaining areas of emotional significance. Each work includes autobiographical information about the maker, including the maker’s handprint and a personal symbol of power and hope.

"Our physical bodies hold the memories of our lives - the pleasant, the painful, the defiant, and the positive” curator of the exhibition Kate Chisholm said, " We feel our lives and stories in our bones, and body maps are about bringing those stories to the surface of our skin and sharing them."

The body maps were created as part of a joint workshop held by Gay and Lesbian Memory in Action (formerly Gay and Lesbian Archives), Gender DynamiX and Women’sNet. More information about these organisations is given below.

The opening reception will be held at 4 p.m. April 26. (Guest speaker- Gerald Kraak from Atlantic Philanthropies).

All events are free and open to the public. To RSVP, e-mail Anthony Manion on This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or call (011) 717 1963. Media can arrange a guided tour of the exhibition on April 26 at the same number.

This exhibition is made possible through the generous support of The Atlantic Philanthropies.

- About Gay and Lesbian Memory in Action (GALA)
Formerly known as the Gay and Lesbian Archives, Gay and Lesbian Memory in Action (GALA) provides a permanent institutional home for the wide range of historical and archival material relating to gay and lesbian experience in South Africa. It aims to be a source of information to the public and to serve as a catalyst for generating other, previously silenced community histories and personal narratives. (Web: http://www.gala.wits.ac.za)

- About Gender DynamiX
Gender DynamiX is the first (and currently, the only) African based organisation for the transgender community. The aim is to create awareness and increase the visibility of transgenderism. Gender DynamiX is committed to providing resources, information and support to trans folk, their partners, family, employers and the public.
(Web: http://www.genderdynamix.org.za)

- About Women’sNet
Women’sNet works to advance gender equality and justice in South Africa through the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) by providing training and facilitating content dissemination and creation that supports women, girls, and women’s and gender organisations and networks to take control of their own content and ICT use.
(Web: http://www.womensnet.org.za)

---