August 2006

The second ever national lesbian conference in South Africa was hosted at the legendary Constitutional Hill after a 10 year laps from the first one. It was a very welcoming space and such positive energy flowed during those 4 days! Another first for the South African transgender community was the openness the conference embraced trans issues with. There was two trans related topic discussions during the conference, facilitated by Gender DynamiX. One discussion was in specific to share with the group all the various reasons why to include the “T” in lesbian spaces, as not only the SOFFA’s or more specific the partners of FTM’s many times comes from the lesbian community, but to also create awareness as a whole. The second presentation was made by one of the Gender DynamiX MTF volunteers who identify as lesbian. She addressed the audience with her life experience and closed with an overwhelming applaud from everyone.

August 2006 

The University of the Western Cape held for the first time in 2006 a LGBT awareness campaign to visualize issues of the community with the idea to mainstream it among students and lecturers. One specific day was focused around resources and services available. Gender DynamiX was invited to introduce its services and contact info to everyone present.

July 2006 

The LGBT youth organization at the University of Stellenbocsh have monthly topic discussions. Gender DynamiX was invited at one such an evening to create awareness and opportunity for discussion. Although it was a very informal event a lot of misconceptions around gender related issues, the difference between Gender identity and sexual orientation and current trans experiences in South Africa was shared.

April 2006 

Gender DynamiX assisted Extrusa (Pty) Ltd., a multi-national corporation in the motor industry, with the transitioning process of one of their employees. It was done in phases. The first step was the asses all the detail at hand, meet with the Human Resources Manager and in following meetings planned the strategy to follow. While the company started with a sensitizing campaign where they placed some general posters around LGBT issues and Human Rights issues on notice boards in their canteen, change rooms and in the factory, Gender DynamiX was tasked to amend current policies and documents to be more gender neutral and inclusive. There after an afternoon workshop session followed, to inform all management about the issue at hand. A week after that, Gender DynamiX gave introduction and sensitizing workshops to the whole company’s full staff compliment. This workshop was hour long sessions and span over the whole day, from 10:00 – 22:00. In one day all shifts, 112 people were trained/ sensitized. This method worked ideally because not all staff members were literate and management also preferred all staff to be informed in one day, to limit rumors.