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Charlie Takati was born in Eastern Cape in the rural area called Zihlahleni. He is the first born of Sindeka Takati. He grew up on understanding himself as a boy his grand Father loved him and his boy/girl appearance. His mother didn’t like it and said as far as she knew she didn’t have a boy child. He grew up isolating himself trying to find what his gender was really and that was frustrating him in his whole life. When he was between the ages of two to three years he asked his mother if there were no hospitals that could change his appearance (female structure) the answer was NO and that will NEVER happen. After he matriculated he went to Cape Town to his uncle to further his studies. Unfortunately he dropped out after he disclosed his gender challenges to his uncle and was shown the door. The water was bitter. He faced challenges of not having a roof on his head and of unemployed, but in all of the bitterness of Guguletu and that didn’t stop him on finding his  Gender identity. He volunteered at Mercy Ministries for a period of three years as an OVC (orphans and vulnerable children) counselor and co-coordinating outreach programs in Guguletu and Nyanga.
He then challenged JL Zwane Presbyterian church on human sexuality and Christianity and that’s where he find safe space and participating in every activities that were in the church. In 2008 he met with Gender DynamiX organization where he finally find his dream his gender identity. Being Trans is a huge challenge in families, partners, friends and community but Charlie was fortunate to have support from his church. He didn’t stop to swim deeper in his faith he sent a proposal to a man’s organization in the church that was for acceptance as a man amongst them (man’s org). It wasn’t easy but God always avail Himself to those who love and trust Him. Charlie is now a member of a man’s organization and there will be initiation to welcome him.
Currently he is working at Gender DynamiX and is looking forward to change the community perspectives on LGBTI issues and assist on educating their friends and families by writing plays concerning LGBTI challenges that will be performed on stage in schools, churches and community halls. He promises to do as much as he can to stop all of these issues.
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