A workshop held by local Transgender NPO, on Saturday the 18th of November, captured the attention of visitors from all across Africa. This was Gender DynamiX’s second annual Gender Diversity Awareness workshop and provided information about transgenderism, specifically for the broader community.

“The significance of choosing this day for the Gender Diversity Awareness workshop was the fact that it coincided with the 8th International Transgender Day of Remembrance,” said Liesl Theron, CEO of Gender DynamiX and facilitator of this   workshop intended to shift people’s mindsets about gender.  Eight delegates from UCT’s African Gender Institute, representing South Africa, Kenya, Uganda, Mozambique, Nigeria, Zambia and Cameroon, attended.

The workshop started with a transman, sharing his personal story of growing up in a body that didn’t reflect his gender. He shared experiences about how he utilized his male-career and sport as escape mechanisms.

From another guest speaker, a transwoman: “I actually resigned at work in anticipation of my employer’s possible negative response to my transition. When my boss asked me for a reason, I explained that I am about to start transitioning to female. My almost ex-boss convinced me then to stay with the company and he became my biggest supporter in this process”.

Ronald Addinall, facilitator of the transgender support group at Triangle Project, closed the day with a very enlightening view on gender diversity, modern psychology and the way forward.

Although the speakers brought positive messages with their life stories they acknowledged the difficulties with prejudice and shared stories with other participants about incidences of Trans-phobic attacks on people that they knew.

In light of the difficulties faced in Mozambique, a participant from there, Mr Piato Alfonso added that many people get killed due to prejudice and transphobia.

In total 46 people attended the workshop.

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