Conclusion

These are some of the many issues discussed at the meeting.  Next steps include meeting with the SAHRC, gathering a wider representation of LGBTI organizations, creating a shared vocabulary across sectors and departments and establishing a working structure to coordinate future efforts.  Many of the issues listed here can be addressed by further research, public education and legal reform.  It is the opinion of the writer that the root of gender and sexual orientation discrimination is linked.  If society did not have such strong views of what a man or woman should be, do, act like, fall in love with or look like, then both forms of discrimination would be less.

It is respectfully submitted that for effective redress and a possible widening of methods to prevent reoccurrence of the issues currently dealt with in the CGE such as Gender Based Violence, workplace discrimination, maintenance issues among others can be informed by the community created alternatives in the LGBTI community and the lessons learned by our sister C9, the SAHRC.

This joint work might also be useful in understanding how to better work with the gender rights organizations and rebuild the women's movement in South Africa.

Respectfully,
William Pierce Beckham
Extern, CGE Legal Department