CSA&G

The late Jerry Coovadia – a reflection

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On 4 October 2023 Professor Hoosen “Jerry” Coovadia, an icon and champion in the fight against AIDS in South Africa and the world, passed away at the age of 83. In this reflection, the founding director of the CSA&G, Mary Crewe, pays tribute to him.

Jerry and I worked together on the 2000 International AIDS conference and on the South African AIDS Conferences that followed. There were a number of things that were remarkable about Jerry Coovadia. He had the most wonderful sense of humour and told stories with flair and eloquence. He would express what he felt about people honestly and frankly. He never traded on his own excellence or ego and never embraced the popular view or bowed to various orthodoxies. He would disagree and argue and get passionate about his position but he was never vindictive or brutal and he never let these disagreements stand in the way of friendship and collegiality.

It was through others, rather than himself, that I learned of his activist history and of the immense stature he held as an activist.

He demanded excellence and evidence and never rushed to judgement. He could be obstinate and stubborn but would allow the best solutions to be found. He was delightful to work with on the Dira Sengwe board and conference committees, because he had a flair for the absurd and a way of seeing the world and people in it that brought out eccentricity and uniqueness. He did not fall for exaggerated rhetoric but expressed his concern about the absolute failure of the AIDS response in many ways and through the many influential positions he held.

I think it is absolutely true to say that through his activism and his AIDS work he saved many lives. It is also true that he inspired and influenced many others and it is this debt that I owe him; a way of looking at the world and at AIDS that shaped the way I thought about the epidemic and the responses to it and what could be achieved. Initially impatient with the idea of a social science response to AIDS, he later came to embrace it and use social science in his research work. He said that much of what he subsequently read about social research and society fascinated him and expanded his view of HIV and AIDS work. If he asked for an opinion or why a particular view or position was held, it would be certain that the next time we met he would have read around the issue, and thought about the ideas, and his responses were always filled with curiosity and the delight of expanding his knowledge.

I learned a great deal from Jerry – about HIV and AIDS, about activism, about intellectual engagement and about what it means to be critically and sceptically engaged with one’s work. I also enjoyed a real friendship and collegiality that was delightful.

It will be a privilege to keep this critical engagement alive in HIV and AIDS work and to remember him through collections in the UP AIDS Archive.

CSA&GCSA&G

Pretoria-Marburg Queer Conversations Part 2 Finale: Parenthood and Struggles among LGBTIQ+ Individuals Explored

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By Naledi Mpanza

On 22 June 2023 the Centre for Human Rights (CHR) and the Centre for Sexualities, AIDS, and Gender (CSA&G) at the University of Pretoria, in collaboration with the Center for Gender Studies and Feminist Futures (CGS) and the Center for Conflict Studies (CCS) at the Philipps-University Marburg, hosted the series finale of the Pretoria-Marburg Queer Conversations.

The conversation brought together experts and activists to discuss the theme of “Parenthood, parental perceptions, and struggles among LGBTIQ+ individuals” and was led by Dr Madeleine Muller, a Family Physician and co-founder of the East London Gender and Sexuality Alliance, and Landa Mabenge, a Doctoral scholar, author, and the first transgender man to successfully motivate a medical aid for the payment of his gender affirming surgeries in South Africa.

The expert speakers reflected on their academic, personal and political experiences regarding the topic, with Dr Muller starting off the conversation with a reflection on the challenges she faces as a parent to two queer children:

“Probably the only challenge that I am facing as a mom, and that my family is faced with, is the issue of prejudice. If we didn’t have prejudice in the world, we wouldn’t have this series, there wouldn’t be any issues within the queer community. There is no magic wand, unfortunately, for addressing prejudice, but understanding is usually a good start”.

Muller linked her comment to the broader question of ‘providing patient-centred care’, as well as the limitations that prejudice places on providing such care. She provided a biomedical framing of fear and prejudice; when we are in survival mode our sympathetic nervous system kicks in, leading to fast thinking, fast acting and jumping to conclusions, which leads to unfavourable outcomes. When we are in creative mode our higher order functioning allows us to think more carefully and thoughtfully, we are able to see the bigger picture. Muller thus distinguished between ‘street-view’ thinking which is instinctive and jumps to conclusions versus ‘balcony-view’ thinking which is empathic, generous and considered (and hence less judgemental).

Through personal illustrations from her eldest child, who is also queer, she unpacked the above. For example, some individuals will respond to positive social media posts on Pride with long, illogical, controlling and manipulative utterances that aren’t evidence-based, as a way to quell their fears about, and lack of knowledge on, the LGBTIQ+ community.

Muller spoke of ways to challenge stigma and discrimination and the power of support and allyship for trans youth. Her emphasis was on the role of parents in smoothing the way for their children by: creating safer environments, paying attention to pronouns, seeking affirming counselling, and not allowing negative external factors to overwhelm them. She encouraged parents of LGBTIQ+ children to seek affirmation and support from like-minded people, and from forums dedicated to providing a nurturing environment for families of LGBTIQ+ children.

Landa Mabenge weighed in on the lived reality and danger of families imposing hostile environments for trans and gender diverse persons, that may lead to self-harm and destructive practices. In a captivating presentation, Mabenge shared his experiences of growing up and navigating a cis-heteronormative, theocentric, and colonial world that often clashed with the appreciation of human life beyond sex characteristics and genitals.

He reflected on his early childhood experiences of being parented and how they have influenced his choices regarding parenthood or relationships with partners who are parents. He also emphasised the importance of a clear lexicon for LGBTQI+ individuals and their families to nurture identities safely and progressively, one that is not so far removed from the gender-neutral language that is common in many African languages such as isiXhosa.

Mabenge’s reflection brought forward the considerations of pronouns in African communities as well as black African spirituality, in conversations regarding pronouns and gender diversity. Many of these insights can be found in his book ‘Becoming Him’ which documents the painful journey of living with parents who did not affirm his being, but created a harmful environment compared to the warmer experience with his grandmother.

Both speakers emphasised the importance of creating environments where everyone feels seen, heard, and respected. Mabenge reiterated that,

“At the time I didn’t have the language, the only thing I had at my disposal were the people charged with my upbringing, which I felt and in hindsight realised sort of limited me to what is the physical or natal part of me, but the other parts  of my humanness, the fact that I was developing socially, spiritually, emotionally were silenced…people should not exist in silence, people should not exist in silos…we should dismantle barriers to unity and understanding”

Concluding, Muller called for the establishment of Gender and Sexuality Alliances which are open to everyone, to create safer spaces on campus and promote occupational health, including the provision of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) as a tool for realising sexual and reproductive health and rights, as supported by the South African Constitution. As a doctoral scholar, Mabenge echoed the same and passionately expressed the need for gender-affirming practices and services in healthcare and higher education spaces, whilst calling on universities to initiate and support initiatives such as providing gender-neutral facilities and working across disciplines to advance inclusivity and decolonized curricula.

Both speakers highlighted the revolutionary Southern African HIV Clinicians Society Gender-Affirming Healthcare Guideline for South Africa as instrumental in realising affirming practices for Trans and Gender Diverse persons; and implored practitioners to approach these guidelines as a way of facilitating ubuntu and the Batho Pele principles, meaning ‘putting the people first’. These principles are promoted by the South African Constitution through the Equality Clause and policies such as the Alteration of Sex Description and Sex Status Act, 2003 (Act No. 49 of 2003) which prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender, and make provision for transgender people to align their legal status with their lived gender identity.

Mabenge and Muller are actively engaged in working across disciplines to develop undergraduate and postgraduate courses that promote understanding of gender identity, sexual orientation, and sexual health.

The Pretoria-Marburg Queer Conversations event provided a platform for critical reflection and dialogue on parenthood, parental perceptions, and struggles among LGBTIQ+ individuals. By shedding light on lived experiences and advocating for transformative change, the event aimed to foster inclusivity, respect, and recognition for all individuals.

The PMQC team appreciates the support of all the individuals who participated in bringing the conversations to life. For anyone who would like to view the recordings, they can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TnkIoamyO8

CSA&GCSA&G

Africa and Europe together for scientific research: the University of Pretoria is among the key players of the new Clusters of Research Excellence

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The University of Pretoria, through the leadership of the ARUA Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Food Systems (ARUA-SFS) is the co-proposer of a new university partnership on sustainable systems for food production, triggered by the collaboration between the Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities (The Guild) and the African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA).

African and European universities join forces to tackle the major global challenges of today and tomorrow. The collaboration between the Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities (The Guild) and the African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA) has given rise to the Africa-Europe Clusters of Research Excellence (CoRE): a new model of university partnership that will pave the way for a new era of collaboration between Africa and Europe in the fields of research, innovation, and higher education.

One of the newly approved Clusters by the joint assembly of The Guild and ARUA will be focused on Sustainable Food Systems and will be coordinated by the University of Pretoria together with the University of Bologna. The project ranked first in the category of Innovation and Technology.

The Africa-Europe Clusters of Research Excellence are based on multilateralism and research excellence: each partnership brings together at least three African universities and two European universities to work on a thematic area of common interest, addressing the major scientific challenges through research and higher education that leverage the skills and excellence of the participating universities. These actions have a long-term perspective, spanning at least a decade, ensuring a balance between the resources and priorities of African and European universities, while focusing on the scientific education of the next generation of researchers.

“The announcement of a Cluster of Research Excellence in Sustainable Food Systems is a key opportunity for the ARUA Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Food Systems (ARUA-SFS) to join forces with strategic partners and work together on achieving development targets, in particular the elimination of hunger and malnutrition in our lifetime,” declares Frans Swanepoel, Interim Director of the ARUA-SFS hosted at the University of Pretoria. “The University is excited about the possibilities that the Cluster of Research Excellence brings for truly transformative research. The diversity of partners from across the two continents collectively escalates our potential for impact”, states Tawana Kupe, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Pretoria.

“Ensuring sustainable and safe food production is a globally prioritized issue that can only be addressed through interdisciplinary and international approaches. In this regard, the new Cluster of Research Excellence represents a game changer in bringing together the strengths of African and European academic institutions and leveraging their expertise and capacities,” declares Alberto Credi, Vice Rector for Research at the University of Bologna. “The University of Bologna is taking a further step towards a new approach to academic and scientific cooperation between Africa and Europe, based on sustainability, quality, equity, capacity building and scalability.”

The Cluster “Sustainable Food Systems” is proposed by a team of researchers coordinated by Professor Frans Swanepoel (ARUA-SFS Interim Director) along with Luca Fontanesi, Professor at the Department of Agri-Food Sciences and Technologies of the University of Bologna and Rector’s Delegate for Competitive Research Projects.

The collaboration includes 16 other partner universities, 8 of which are European (Bologna [Italy], Warwick, Leeds [United Kingdom], Ghent [Belgium], Göttingen, Hohenheim [Germany], Ljubljana [Slovenia], Montpellier [France]) and 8 are African (Pretoria, Western Cape, Johannesburg, Mpumalanga, Kwazulu-Natal [from South Africa], Nairobi [Kenya], Ghana, Makerere [Uganda], along with 2 non-academic partners (the Agricultural Research Council, South Africa and the Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network [FANRPAN]). The Cluster will address the challenges that food production systems will have to face along the transformation towards increasing sustainability. Building on the solid foundations of established partnerships and programs, extensive collaborative research and capacity building are envisaged, with a particular focus on early-career researchers involved in joint projects. The goal is to contribute substantially to the innovation of African and European food systems.

The University of Pretoria was also awarded a Cluster of Research Excellence in Health, Gender and Sexualities led by Pierre Brouard, Acting Director of the Centre for Sexualities, AIDS and Gender.

CSA&GCSA&G

Youth Day upon us, youth issues under the rug

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By Naledi Mpanza and Tshepi Raboroko

As Youth Day is upon us, it is crucial to reflect on the pressing issues, faced by young people, which often go unaddressed or unrecognised by those in power. This cannot be more obvious, in the higher education space, than through the #FeesMustFall movement. It ripened in chambers and spilled out into the streets when student concerns were not adequately addressed by university managements.

The movement gives us insight into how the exclusion of young people in policy and decision-making processes is not by chance, leads to mass rejection and challenges existing policies and practice. The #FeesMustFall movement also exposes how higher education institutions ‘swept under the rug’ the concerns of students until the start of the next academic year; relying on the mobile population that is the campus community, and on the loss of traction and institutional memory which keeps movements alive.

Almost everyone is familiar with #FeesMustFall. Whether through news coverage on SABC, the viral discussions on Twitter back in 2015, or the ongoing news stories about the arrests and legal battles involving student activists. There is no denying that this movement has garnered widespread attention over the past 8 years, however with perhaps insufficient reflection on what it meant to be an observer of, or participant in, the process.

Since the time of what is dubbed ‘the largest protests since apartheid’, learners who were in high school in 2015 have entered the higher education space and have faced the same barriers to accessing affordable higher education, accommodation, as well as access to technology and data, amongst many others. The profound impact of COVID-19 on university students revisited the concerns from #FeesMustFall and re-exposed the stark realities of unequal access to education.

Students faced challenges related to registration and tuition fees, access to the internet and data, as well as accommodation for conducive study.  For those in remote locations, accessing education became even more difficult. The financial burden on students and their families increased, with unemployed parents struggling to support their children’s education. The lack of fee breaks and financial assistance further deepened the disparities in educational opportunities, perpetuating cycles of poverty and inequality which had been experienced by young people for many years.

Talking through this, researchers Tshepi Raboroko and Naledi Mpanza reflected on their experience of what it meant to be a student and a learner respectively during the time of the #FeesMustFall movement. Our reflections give life to the concepts of intersectionality, institutional memory (and institutional amnesia) as well as the efforts to suppress youth voices and action. They also remind us of the persistent struggle for free quality education.

Tshepi reflects:

“My reflections on movement stem from a more sheltered point of view. I was in my 9th year of schooling during the 2015 protests and would hear about the movement in passing throughout the year. My grade mates and I knew very little about the movement and the lack of information around #FeesMustFall created an air of uneasiness on my school campus. I attended a boarding school for underprivileged girls and had no access to outside information unless I actively sought it out or it was a viral story. To further exacerbate our lack of knowledge, we were not allowed to watch TV during the week and social media, along with other websites, was blocked by the school’s IT department. This meant that we were relatively uninformed about what happened in the outside world. News about the movement started gaining momentum on campus when it caught traction in 2016, however the uncertainty around the matter did not disappear. The ‘air of uneasiness’ slowly changed to fear for our future education because the information that was being circulated did not favour students and we were left to wonder about what our university experiences would look like – if they would exist at all. The possibility of university exams not being written seemed increasingly imminent and we were left to wonder what that meant for us in a few years. Surprisingly, this did not prompt any research into the movement because it was seen as a problem for the future caused by problematic students wreaking havoc on varsity campuses. It failed to resonate with us and, as a result, like any other viral trend, dialogue around the movement slowly fizzled out and something else became the topic of conversation during the next meal. But #FeesMustFall never really left my mind and it came back to me in my 11th year and during COVID-19 again. It wasn’t until the introduction of free education by Jacob Zuma in my 11th year that I could finally close the metaphorical tab in my brain. Gone was the belief that #FeesMustFall could be detrimental to my future. Suddenly, #FeesMustFall was my saving grace. The consensus in my grade was that we no longer saw the movement in an unfavourable light because now it was the reason we could get a free education – we did all qualify for NSFAS [the National Student Financial Aid Scheme], after all. Those ‘violent’ demonstrations were now the reason we got a better chance of getting a job in future. The very same ‘dangerous protests’ were the reason we no longer had to start a step behind and had the opportunity to participate on a more equal playing field. I finally allowed myself to have hope in the future – that my efforts could amount to something. Upon further education and enlightenment, I have come to understand the importance of this movement more deeply. Even though #FeesMustFall was aimed at preventing the university fee increases and increasing government funding for universities, it helped spark conversation and discourse on other important issues such as the language of instruction at universities as well as sexual assault on campus. The movement did this while focussing heavily on the topics of class and race”.

Naledi reflects:

“I remember the excitement and angst of attending the planning sessions for strategizing the week’s protest agenda, identifying barricade locations and preparations for the protests…the demands and memoranda being read out loud and people adding their key areas to be addressed by the elected representatives. I clearly recall the journalism students covering the arbitrary arrests and working around the clock to publish tweets, Facebook posts and articles through their personal social accounts as well as in the Oppidan Press and Activate which were the official student newspapers at the University Still Known as Rhodes (USKAR, formerly the University Known as Rhodes – UCKAR). Everyone was retweeting that content. One memory that sticks with me is the bittersweet ‘SMS’ from university guilt-tripping us into stopping the shutdown because we’re affecting the economy of the town and our futures. What was interesting was how they did not share their response to the demands which included not making residence students pay extra for choosing not to go home during the shorter school breaks especially. The internet and WIFI shutdown initiated alongside a 7pm curfew to deter students from mobilising, was when I realised this was more about flexing power than heeding the student voice. I can’t even go into the emotion from when white students formed a wall to prevent the police from shooting teargas at the majority black protestors…and when during the lockdown with heavy police presence, the cops chased innocent black students into random residences and let white students roam freely. I won’t forget the support of the Sociology Department in suspending submissions and class attendance indefinitely and the changing of the curriculum to address Scholar-Activism and the history of student protests at Rhodes University. In a residence talk organised by the house committee of Helen Joseph House at USKAR in 2016, a staff member shared how the student-led #FMF movement managed to fast-track the work which the Office for Equity and Institutional Culture at The USKAR had been trying to do for many years”.

It goes without saying that the culture of exclusion (in tertiary spaces) is fostered by neo-liberalism, which begs for profits and creates resistance to shifting institutions towards a decolonial mandate. The process for pursuing and progressing in transforming higher education spaces requires a commitment to shedding lazy binaries and simplistic approaches, understanding differential privilege and access, and working with young people in order to find dynamic solutions to their struggles. Were (and are) universities challenging the status quo or perpetuating unequal access to education? we ask.

The #FeesMustFall movement sought to address inherent inequalities perpetuated by colonial systems which limited access to relevant opportunities such as acquiring a tertiary qualification. However, many will remember how protests were met with heavy-handed tactics and attempts to stifle dissent, rather than engaging in meaningful dialogue and implementing concrete reforms to address barriers to accessing education.

Student Representative Councils (SRC) observed how there was a lack of respect and accountability on the side of management, yet they would be asked to participate in events which universities could use for marketing purposes. On the one hand they were being asked to ‘be the student voice’, on the other they would be penalised for protesting.

There are still significant challenges resulting from the NSFAS cap on accommodation, which is not in line with the cost of housing for students, and we argue for greater consideration for the voice of students. Perhaps this means conversing with students and young people about possible solutions before the moment of crisis at the beginning of each year, or perhaps this means engaging in radical initiatives like changing the nature of a university as we know it today.

From these brief reflections we can see how #FeesMustFall was a layered experience, different for those on university campuses who were challenging the lack of transformation in higher education from those learners looking forward to entering tertiary institutions in a few years. Not much has changed and the limited accountability to young people points to what appears to be deliberate efforts to stifle youth agency and perpetuate the status quo of unequal access to education and opportunities, as well as the infantilization of their struggles and concerns. It is imperative for policymakers and society at large to listen to the voices of young people and act towards providing lasting solutions for the struggles raised every single year instead of ‘sweeping them under the rug’.

CSA&GCSA&G

Unpacking Hate Speech Targeting LGBTIQ+ Persons on Africa Day

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The second session of the 2023 Pretoria-Marburg Queer Conversations took place on Africa Day, 25 May, in a joint effort by the Centre for Human Rights (CHR) and the Centre for Sexualities, AIDS, and Gender (CSA&G) at the University of Pretoria, along with the Center for Gender Studies and Feminist Futures (CGS) and the Center for Conflict Studies (CCS) at the Philipps-University Marburg. These conversations have emerged from a shared interest in addressing LGBTIQ+ and queer identities among the participating centres.

Titled “Hate Speech Targeting LGBTIQ+ Persons,” the Zoom session, facilitated by Naledi Mpanza, featured insightful presentations by Khanyisile Phillips from Gender DynamiX (GDX) and Dr Kerry Frizelle, a senior lecturer at the Department of Education at the University of the Western Cape (UWC). The presenters skilfully delved into the theoretical and epistemological foundations of hatred against members of the LGBTIQ+ community as well as the lived realities and experiences which come with living in a cis- hetero-normative society.

Frizelle grounded the conversation in the Prevention and Combating of Hate Crimes and Hate Speech Bill, which has recently been passed by the National Assembly, by drawing from the works of Judith Butler, Sylvia Tamale, and Vygotsky’s theory of internalized language. This approach shed light on the ways in which hate speech manifests and impact on marginalised communities. It does this through the normalisation and internalisation of social and cultural norms which language carries, thereby challenging the phrase “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me”.

Phillips led a practical exploration linking hate speech to hate crimes through highlighting the names of individuals who have fallen victim to hate crimes that arguably stem from the prevalence of hate speech. Notably, Phelokazi Mqathanya and Lonwabo Jack were remembered as tragic examples. Additionally, Phillips touched on the case of Vicky Momberg as a lens to examine the importance of intersectionality in our efforts to understand and confront discrimination, in supporting marginalised communities. Phillips’ examples highlighted the constitutionally protected Section 10 Right to Equality and existing resources such as the Equality Courts which provide recourse for addressing discrimination.

During the conversation, Frizelle emphasized the challenges of changing existing structures but emphasised their role in perpetuating certain narratives. Their poignant statement, “changing structures is hard, but structures hold narratives,” resonated with the audience, highlighting the significance of challenging the status quo. Moreover, Frizelle emphasised the need to decolonise our minds, urging us to seek out narratives from transgender and gender diverse individuals. Further, Phillips stressed the importance of critically analysing our actions and the practices of our institutions, by continuously striving for improvement and accountability in supporting and advocating for the rights of marginalised communities, including refugees and asylum seekers who highlight the intersectionality of human rights. To this, Phillips also shared how tools such as the Model Policy Framework are one step in the journey towards safer institutions that support and protect the rights of trans and gender diverse staff and students in the tertiary space.

Both speakers called upon us to confront our cultural baggage and address our internalised attitudes, which often contribute to discrimination and bias.

In essence, the conversation served as a platform for profound reflection and discussion on hate speech targeting LGBTIQ+ individuals. By exploring the theoretical underpinnings and sharing practical experiences, the presenters shed light on the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. It is through such open dialogues that we can work towards a more inclusive and accepting society for all.

 

Kindly register for the next conversation happening on 22 June 2023 here: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_G_VXv1caT26WLhtAx9_6Ow

 

CSA&GCSA&G

“Joy is bringing your full and apologetic self forward and knowing that you are not wrong to exist”- Bev Ditsie during the 1st 2023 Pretoria-Marburg Queer Conversations

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By Naledi Mpanza, Tamrin Slager & Alex Mailola

On April 27, 2023, The Pretoria-Marburg Queer Conversations team hosted Dr Bev Ditsie in an online webinar titled ‘Where is the joy? Portrayals and Depictions of LGBTIQ+ Persons‘. The event took place on Freedom Day, which falls during International Lesbian Week of Visibility, and was well-attended by colleagues and networks working with the affiliated Centres at the University of Pretoria and Phillips-Marburg University.

The conversations are hosted jointly by the Centre for Human Rights (CHR) and the Centre for Sexualities, AIDS, and Gender (CSA&G) at the University Pretoria, together with the Center for Gender Studies and Feminist Futures (CGS) and the Center for Conflict Studies (CCS) at the Philipps-University Marburg. This was the first conversation in the second year of the conversation series.

“I was a very happy kid that was allowed to be herself at home…I was also aware of the politics of borders, gender, race and the moulding of self”

Dr Bev Ditsie, popularly known for being the first African Lesbian to address the UN at the 4th World Conference on Women in Beijing 1995, rooted her conversation in personal anecdotes of growing up during apartheid, and her reflections on the strategic erasure of LBQ women throughout history. Ditsie’s presentation seamlessly portrayed an intersectional understanding of Freedom Day and the layered nature of existing in a society where human rights are constantly under threat in overt and insipid ways influenced by state actors and homophobic institutions of influence in different communities.

“I’m blessed to be one of the people that fought”

Touching on her activism for lesbian visibility on the global and local stage, Ditsie shared the joy and triumphs in the movement to recognise lesbian rights as human rights, exist alongside losses and bitter reminders of the denigration of the rights of LGBT persons. Sobering reminders of the joy within the struggle include the arrests following the disco attended by queer activists after the Beijing Conference, the banning of ‘Rafiki’, an award-winning Kenyan film about lesbian love, as well as the joy of the Coalition of African Lesbian’s granting of observer status by the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (African Commission) marred by the subsequent revocation.

“I catch my breath when I hear young people say it’s not their job to teach”

A lack of access to information and resources as well as positive representation and visibility of the queer community in society, were some of the considerations that Ditsie brought forward in sharing her concern for the growing aversion, by young people especially, to bringing people into the fold for learning and education about the lived realities of LGBTIQ+persons. Her concern stems from her experience with the pervasive and strategic anti-gender initiatives orchestrated by state actors and institutions of influence in different communities.

Ditsie’s conversation weaved stories of excitement and fear with those of love, loss and learning as a queer activist and filmmaker whose work resembles the same. Through curating the stories from within her community of fellow activists and changemakers, Ditsie reclaims and archives the history of lesbian women, thereby challenging the vacuum and creeping collective amnesia regarding the role of lesbians and queer people in the fight for human rights and freedoms. The participants of the conversations pitched in with reflections on her life work which highlights the rich history of lesbian activism and the intersectionality of race, class, gender, sexual orientation and location.

Ditsie concluded with a call for community principles and safer spaces, as ways of fostering self-care, which can be a way to resist and counter the hatred and anger targeted towards the LGBTIQ+ community.

“What brings me joy is finding safety in spaces, safety in community, joy is bringing your full and unapologetic self forward and knowing that ‘I am not wrong to exist, my existence is pre-ordained’”

The event served as a reminder that there is still much work to be done to ensure that all members of the LGBTIQ+ community can live in full joy and freedom.

You can read more about Bev Ditsie here: https://www.wakaagency.biz/southern-africa

Kindly register for the next conversation happening on 25 May here: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_XWHRxsR8Si6UqEfzPpqA7g#/registration

For more information on the Pretoria-Marburg Conversations, please contact: Naledi Mpanza: naledi.mpanza@up.ac.za

 

Just LeadersCSA&G

Students take SAAW with a Bang!

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By the JUST Leaders 2023 Research Cohort[1]

From the 17-21 April the Centre for Sexualities AIDS and Gender, through the JUST Leaders programme, and the Transformation Office through its student cohort #SpeakOutUP commemorated Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) with a series of exciting and well-attended events and engagements under a week titled ‘Sexual Assault Awareness Week (SAAW): Addressing digital forms of sexual assault and harassment’ at the University of Pretoria’.

Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) is a time for international advocacy stakeholders to share tools for addressing sexual assault and harms in society. The University of Pretoria through its student volunteers used the teal blue ribbon commonly linked to SAAM as a symbol for solidarity, support and safety for survivors of sexual assault. The teal ribbon appeared on the cool merchandise, and the wall pledge that students and staff appended their handprints on. The wall pledge served as a commitment to creating awareness around sexual assault as well as a dedication to curbing the prevalence of digital forms of sexual assault and harassment on social media.

Students who participated in the wall pledge event shared how, “Signing the pledge is acknowledging the issues that plague our society and taking a stance against them, by being open to conversation, and refraining from perpetuating the problem that is sexual assault.”

 

 

The rest of the programme for the week included a workshop educating attendees on the harassment continuum, as well as information sessions and stalls for awareness on the theme for the week. Throughout the week and during all the events, students were reminded about the reporting procedures for sexual assault, including the availability of trainings for students and staff as preventative measures limiting incidents of sexual assault and harassment.

You can learn more about support and reporting processes at the University of Pretoria here:

https://www.up.ac.za/transformation/article/3087797/contact-us

 

For more future events, information and engagements follow @speakout_up and @JustleadersUP on social media.

 

[1] The 2023 Research Cohort comprises of: Onkgopotse Mokgale, Galaletsang Masemola, Mapuleng Hlalele, Sindile Timane, Tamrin Slager, Mmathapelo Bosoga, Tshepi Raboroko, Junior Aphane, Jay Grobler, Lelethu Mdepa, Mogau Sedibeng, Siyamthanda Njikela, Alda Deve and Mpumi Nkuna

Just LeadersCSA&G

Launch: Troubling cis(heteronormative) institutional practices through the paradigms of trans(formative) policy

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The Centre for Sexualities, AIDS and Gender (CSA&G) attended the GDX (Gender Dynamix) Model Policy Framework (MPF) Launch colloquium which was held on 14 April 2023 at the Neville Alexander Lecture Theatre at the University of Cape Town. The theme of the launch was “Troubling cis(heteronormative) institutional practices through the paradigms of trans(formative) policy”. This was the official introduction of GDX’s policy framework for Inclusion of Trans and Gender Diverse Students within Higher Education Institutions in South Africa. The colloquium brought together various stakeholders, policymakers and other experts.

Dr. Sianne Alves from the Office of Inclusivity and Change from UCT welcomed the attendees and emphasised the importance of the new policy framework. Khanyi Phillips, the Education Advocacy coordinator at GDX, unpacked the purpose of the policy framework and its relevance in providing guidelines that promote accessible and non-discriminatory administrative procedures which respects the human rights of trans and ender diverse students within higher education institutes in South Africa. The keynote address was delivered by Elena Ryklief, who provided personal experience as to how this type of policy will go a long way in making institutes of higher learning a more inclusive space.

Following the keynote address, Naledi Mpanza from the CSA&G and the SOGIESC Unit at the Centre for Human Rights, both at the University of Pretoria presented a joint research report which was titled ‘Always on (the) edge: universities, space and gender. A preliminary report on the views of members of an SGBV COP on the trans experience in university accommodation’.

Two panel discussions were held. The first with various student leaders who highlighted the challenges, importance and impact of student advocacy and the second with industry experts who spoke on the importance of policy frameworks towards realising the 2030 Global Agenda and SDG 4 in particular in South Africa’s higher education sector.

The conference also featured performances from the Stellenbosch University Choir as well as Phefumla Queer Collective.

Attendees expressed enthusiasm for the new policy framework and its potential to positively impact the sector. The launch of the policy framework is an important step towards achieving the objectives of inclusivity as a means to quality education. It is expected to guide decision-making and contribute to the growth and development of higher institutions of learning.

Ms Khorombi pledging the MPF

The framework is available here:

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Model policy framework

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The report ‘Always on (the) edge: universities, space and gender. A preliminary report on the views of members of an SGBV COP on the trans experience in university accommodation‘ is available here:

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Always on (the) edge: universities, space and gender. A preliminary report on the views of members of an SGBV COP on the trans experience in university accommodation.

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CSA&G

Centre for Human Rights (CHR) and Centre for Sexualities, AIDS and Gender (CSA&G) condemn the passing of Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Bill

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The Centre for Human Rights, Faculty of law, University of Pretoria (CHR) and the Centre for Sexualities, AIDS, and Gender, University of Pretoria (CSA&G) condemn the passing of the Anti-Homosexuality Bill by the Parliament of Uganda on 21 March 2023.

The organisations are adding their voice to the many human rights organisations and groups calling on President Yoweri Museveni not to sign the Bill into law. By exercising the Presidential right to veto the Bill as he did with the Sexual Offences Bill in 2021, President Yoweri Museveni may avoid further grievous violations of human rights against the LGBTIQ+ Community in Uganda.

The Bill is the latest reintroduction of a series of discriminatory legislation going as far back as 2009 targeting gender and sexual minorities in Uganda. In 2014, a court invalidated a previous version of the Bill for failing to meet parliamentary procedural rules. In 2021, a renewed version, titled the Sexual Offences Bill, approved by the legislature but vetoed by President Museveni on grounds that it covered offences already provided for in the Ugandan Penal Code.

The current Bill introduces new offences and is far-reaching in effect. The Bill defines a homosexual as a ‘person who engages or attempts to engage in same-gender sexual activity’ and criminalises same-sex sex, marriage, as well as the act of identifying as a member of the LGBTIQ+ community with the possibility of 10 years imprisonment or life imprisonment if read with the Penal Code. The Bill further criminalises the ‘recruitment, promotion and funding’ of homosexuality. Under the proposed statutory regime, these offences would be punishable by a fine or up to 5 years imprisonment, with ‘aggravated homosexuality’ sentencing including the death penalty and mandatory HIV testing.

Legislation of this kind is contrary to the spirit and express requirements of the Ugandan Constitution and international human rights law. Article 21 of the Ugandan Constitution provides that ALL persons are equal before and under the law in all spheres of political, economic, social and cultural life and in every other respect and shall enjoy equal protection of the law. Article 29 provides for the protection of various freedoms including that of belief and conscience, expression, assembly and association. The provisions of the Bill threaten these freedoms in a way that discriminates against individuals and communities on the basis of their real or imputed sexual orientation and gender identity. And because the Bill requires friends, family and members of the community to report individuals in same-sex relationships to the authorities, it not only potentially criminalises people who do not report such relationships, it serves to break down social cohesion, requiring citizens to spy on each other, raising the spectre of blackmail, extortion, and score settling – all of which jeopardise social cohesion and further infringe on the rights of people.

Our organisations stress that human rights are universal, and that all people everywhere are entitled to equality, dignity, safety, and freedom. Human rights groups have warned that the Bill violates the rights to freedom of expression and association, privacy, equality and non-discrimination. By its very nature the Bill will also adversely impact on the right to health, access to justice and right to life of sexual and gender minorities in Uganda. Two principled Ugandan MPs have acknowledged this much, opposing the Bill on the grounds that it is ‘ill-conceived’ and ‘unconstitutional’.

The Bill will have adverse impact on the LGBTIQ+ community in Uganda who already live in fear of violence and face discrimination and other forms of human rights violations. The passage of the Bill occurs in the context of increasing hostility and persecution of sexual and gender minorities as well as human rights groups, activists, and civil society in Uganda, including the closure of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. In a country and region where sexual and minorities already face stigma, discrimination and violence, the Bill would only further endanger the lives, safety and dignity of an already vulnerable and targeted group.

The CHR and CSA&G echo the statement of The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights that the Bill is ‘a deeply troubling development’ that is ‘among the worst of its kind in the world’.

The Bill is also a departure from progressive attitudes by other African states such as Angola, Botswana, Gabon, Mozambique, Seychelles, and South Africa that have taken judicial or legislative measures to remove discriminatory criminal laws. These are in addition to the dozens of other African states that have never criminalised persons on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

As a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (African Charter), and other international human rights instruments, Uganda is also obliged under international law to protect and safeguard the equal rights of every person without discrimination or distinction of any kind, including on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

Article 2(1) of the ICCPR affirms the obligation of State Parties to ‘respect and to ensure to all individuals within its territory and subject to its jurisdiction the rights recognised in the present Covenant, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.’

Similarly, Article 2 of the African Charter provides that ‘Every individual shall be entitled to the enjoyment of the rights and freedoms recognised and guaranteed in the present Charter without the distinction of any kind; such as race, ethnic group, colour, sex, language, religion, political or any other opinion, national and social origin, fortune, birth or other status.’

The word ‘sex’ and the phrase ‘other status’ in these instruments are settled in international human rights law as inclusive of the prohibition of discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. For instance,

Resolution 275 of the African Commission, adopted in 2014, draws on Articles 2, 3, 4 and 5 of the African Charter (the rights to freedom from discrimination, equality, life, and dignity respectively) to spell out state obligations to protect individuals against violence and other human rights violations on the basis of their real or imputed sexual orientation or gender identity. Resolution 275 recognises sexual and gender minorities as full rights holders under the African Charter and urges states to ensure that human rights defenders work in an enabling environment that is free of stigma, reprisals or criminal prosecution as a result of their human rights protection activities, including the rights of sexual minorities.

The CHR and CSA&G call on the Ugandan government to repeal outdated, discriminatory legislation criminalising same-sex and gender diverse conduct or expression (if they have not yet done so); refrain from further criminalising individuals on the basis of their real or imputed sexual orientation and gender identity; and recognise the dangers of violence and other forms of discrimination against persons based on their real or imputed sexual orientation and gender identity as called upon in Resolution 275 of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

We also call on African states and the international community to encourage Uganda to act in accordance with its human rights obligations and to protect all its citizens by rejecting the Bill.