Liesl Theron

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Liesl Theron is a South African trans activist and the co-founder [1] [2] [3] of Gender DynamiX organisation.

Contents

Personal life

Theron was born in South Africa to an Afrikaans speaking family and has a 2+1⁄2-years-younger sister. [4]

In 1992, she came out as a lesbian at the age of 20. [4] Her mother struggled with her sexually at first, but later wrote a book about her coming to terms with it. [5] [4]

As of 2008 through 2013, she was in relationship with photographer Zanele Muholi. [6] [7] [8]

Career

Theron is the co-founder of Gender DynamiX trans rights advocacy organisation. [9] Theron was the inaugural Executive Director for Gender DynamiX from its inception, 2005 until she stepped down, June 2014 [10]

Theron supported Sasha, one of South Africa's first openly trans refugees to navigate entry into South Africa. [11] Theron continued to support a number of trans refugees and asylum seekers from various African countries. [12] Throughout her tenure at Gender DynamiX, Theron advocated for a number of important issues, such as Access to Health Care [13] and other rights for trans people in general. [14] After Theron left Gender DynamiX as Director, she became a consultant [15] In 2016, she received the Global Transgender Heroes award from the True Colors Fund. [16] Theron moved January 2018, to Mexico to live in Mexico City. [17] Since moving to Mexico, Theron explored with her consultancy to start working with LGBTIQ and specifically Trans organizations in the Caribbean. As a result, Theron was one of the two co-consultants leading on an important and first research of its kind in the Caribbean, with 1080 Lesbian, Bi, Queer and Trans masculine respondents. The "From the Fringes to Focus [18] - A deep dive into the lived-realities of Lesbian, Bisexual and Queer women and Trans Masculine persons in 8 Caribbean countries" research highlighted issues about sexual orientation, gender identity, education, health, domestic violence, access to rights, mental health and reproductive health. Theron worked with a few more activists (Julius Kaggwa, Victor Mukasa and Gabrielle le Roux) to bring alive, end of 2022 the Trans and Intersex History in Africa website [19]

Selected publications

Related Research Articles

The word cisgender describes a person whose gender identity corresponds to their sex assigned at birth, i.e., someone who is not transgender. The prefix cis- is Latin and means on this side of. The term cisgender was coined in 1994 as an antonym to transgender, and entered into dictionaries starting in 2015 as a result of changes in social discourse about gender. The term has been and continues to be controversial and subject to critique.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBT community</span> Community and culture of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people

The LGBT community is a loosely defined grouping of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals united by a common culture and social movements. These communities generally celebrate pride, diversity, individuality, and sexuality. LGBT activists and sociologists see LGBT community-building as a counterweight to heterosexism, homophobia, biphobia, transphobia, sexualism, and conformist pressures that exist in the larger society. The term pride or sometimes gay pride expresses the LGBT community's identity and collective strength; pride parades provide both a prime example of the use and a demonstration of the general meaning of the term. The LGBT community is diverse in political affiliation. Not all people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender consider themselves part of the LGBT community.

Heteronormativity is the concept that heterosexuality is the preferred or normal sexual orientation. It assumes the gender binary and that sexual and marital relations are most fitting between people of opposite sex.

LGBT slang, LGBT speak, queer slang, or gay slang is a set of English slang lexicon used predominantly among LGBTQ+ people. It has been used in various languages since the early 20th century as a means by which members of the LGBTQ+ community identify themselves and speak in code with brevity and speed to others. The acronym LGBT was popularized in the 1990s and stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender. It may refer to anyone who is non-heterosexual or non-cisgender, instead of exclusively to people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. To recognize this inclusion, a popular variant, LGBTQ, adds the letter Q for those who identify as queer or are questioning their sexual or gender identity.

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to transgender topics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBT culture</span> Common culture shared by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people

LGBT culture is a culture shared by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals. It is sometimes referred to as queer culture, while the term gay culture may be used to mean either "LGBT culture" or homosexual culture specifically.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBT stereotypes</span> Stereotypes around LGBTQ people and communities

LGBT stereotypes are stereotypes about lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people are based on their sexual orientations, gender identities, or gender expressions. Stereotypical perceptions may be acquired through interactions with parents, teachers, peers and mass media, or, more generally, through a lack of firsthand familiarity, resulting in an increased reliance on generalizations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lesbophobia</span> Irrational fear of, and aversion to, lesbians

Lesbophobia comprises various forms of prejudice and negativity towards lesbians as individuals, as couples, as a social group, or lesbianism in general. Based on the categories of sex, sexual orientation, identity, and gender expression, this negativity encompasses prejudice, discrimination, hatred, and abuse; with attitudes and feelings ranging from disdain to hostility. Lesbophobia is misogyny that intersects with homophobia, and vice versa. It is analogous to gayphobia.

Various issues in medicine relate to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people. According to the US Gay and Lesbian Medical Association (GLMA), besides HIV/AIDS, issues related to LGBT health include breast and cervical cancer, hepatitis, mental health, substance use disorders, alcohol use, tobacco use, depression, access to care for transgender persons, issues surrounding marriage and family recognition, conversion therapy, refusal clause legislation, and laws that are intended to "immunize health care professionals from liability for discriminating against persons of whom they disapprove."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zanele Muholi</span> South African artist and visual activist (born 1972)

Zanele Muholi is a South African artist and visual activist working in photography, video, and installation. Muholi's work focuses on race, gender and sexuality with a body of work that dates back to the early 2000s, documenting and celebrating the lives of South Africa's Black lesbian, gay, transgender, and intersex communities. Muholi is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns, explaining that "I'm just human".

Nazariya: A QueerFeminist Resource Group is a non-profit queer feminist resource group based out of Delhi NCR, India. The group was formed in October 2014, and has since established a South Asian presence. The organization undertakes workshops/seminars, helpline- and case-based counselling, and advocacy to affirm the rights of persons identifying as lesbian and bisexual women, and transgender persons assigned female at birth. Nazariya QFRG also works to inform queer discourse in institutions, and build linkages between queer issues, violence and livelihoods. They focus on the intersectionality between queer, women’s and progressive left movements in India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Outline of LGBT topics</span> Overview of and topical guide to LGBT topics

The following outline offers an overview and guide to LGBT topics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBT ageing</span> Issues and concerns of older LGBTQ people

LGBT ageing addresses issues and concerns related to the ageing of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people. Older LGBT people are marginalised by: a) younger LGBT people, because of ageism; and b) by older age social networks because of homophobia, biphobia, transphobia, heteronormativity, heterosexism, prejudice and discrimination towards LGBT people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">African-American LGBT community</span> African-American population within the LGBT community

The African-American LGBT community, otherwise referred to as the Black American LGBT community, is part of the overall LGBT culture and overall African-American culture. The initialism LGBT stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Intersex and LGBT</span> Relationship between different sex and gender minorities

Intersex people are born with sex characteristics that "do not fit the typical definitions for male or female bodies". They are substantially more likely to identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) than endosex people. According to a study done in Australia of Australian citizens with intersex conditions; participants labeled ‘heterosexual’ as the most popular single label with the rest being scattered among various other labels. According to another study, an estimated 8.5% to 20% experiencing gender dysphoria. Although many intersex people are heterosexual and cisgender, this overlap and "shared experiences of harm arising from dominant societal sex and gender norms" has led to intersex people often being included under the LGBT umbrella, with the acronym sometimes expanded to LGBTI. Some intersex activists and organisations have criticised this inclusion as distracting from intersex-specific issues such as involuntary medical interventions.

Queer erasure refers to the tendency to intentionally or unintentionally remove LGBT groups or people from record, or downplay their significance, which includes lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people. This erasure can be found in a number of written and oral texts, including popular and scholarly texts.

Homonormativity is the adoption of heteronormative ideals and constructs onto LGBT culture and identity. It is predicated on the assumption that the norms and values of heterosexuality should be replicated and performed among homosexual people. Those who assert this theory claim homonormativity selectively privileges cisgender homosexuality as worthy of social acceptance.

Lesbian erasure is a form of lesbophobia that involves the tendency to ignore, remove, falsify, or reexplain evidence of lesbian women or relationships in history, academia, the news media, and other primary sources. Lesbian erasure also refers to instances wherein lesbian issues, activism, and identity is deemphasized or ignored within feminist groups or the LGBT community.

References

  1. ↑ Devor, Aaron; Haefele-Thomas, Ardel (2019-02-15). Transgender: A Reference Handbook. Bloomsbury Publishing USA. ISBN   978-1-4408-5691-4.
  2. ↑ "Liesl Theron: Making South Africa A Better Place for LGBTI Persons". Human Rights First. Retrieved 2023-08-26.
  3. ↑ "Liesl Theron -". 2021-07-20. Retrieved 2023-08-27.
  4. 1 2 3 Reclaiming the L-Word: Sappho's Daughters Out in Africa. (2011). United Kingdom: Modjaji Books. p68-88
  5. ↑ Theron, Lidia (2005). Jy Bly My Kind: 'n Ware Verhaal (in Afrikaans). Hemel en See Boeke. ISBN   978-0620351133.
  6. ↑ Blignaut, Charl (17 July 2011). "Love in a time of murder". Times Live.
  7. ↑ "Five Years of Zanele Muholi's Photos of LGBT Lives in Africa Stolen From Her Apartment". Autostraddle. 2012-05-16. Retrieved 2022-06-23.
  8. ↑ Chernis, Linda. "Guide to the Archival Collections of GAY AND LESBIAN MEMORY IN ACTION (GALA), p 68" (PDF). gala.co.za.
  9. ↑ Lavers, Michael K. (2013-12-10). "African LGBT activists seek international support". Washington Blade: LGBTQ News, Politics, LGBTQ Rights, Gay News. Retrieved 2022-06-23.
  10. ↑ Liesl Theron, GDX , retrieved 2023-08-27
  11. ↑ Camminga, B. (2018). Transgender Refugees and the Imagined South Africa: Bodies Over Borders and Borders Over Bodies. Germany: Springer International Publishing. p174-176
  12. ↑ Getting Out - Trailer , retrieved 2023-08-27
  13. ↑ "Transforming Health: International Rights Based Advocacy for Trans Health". www.opensocietyfoundations.org. Retrieved 2023-08-27.
  14. ↑ "Transgender killings in spotlight on 'Day of Remembrance'". NBC News. 2011-11-16. Retrieved 2023-08-27.
  15. ↑ "SNID Talk "Trans Nation: What has changed for Trans people in South Africa?"". www.queensu.ca. Retrieved 2023-08-27.
  16. ↑ INQUIRER.net (2016-03-17). "LGBT rights advocate Bemz Benedito receives Global Transgender Heroes award from New York". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved 2022-06-23.
  17. ↑ Living on the Other Side of the Wall , retrieved 2023-08-27
  18. ↑ Carrillo, K. and Theron, L. (2020) From Fringes to Focus - “A deep dive into the lived-realities of Lesbian, Bisexual and Queer women and Trans Masculine Persons in 8 Caribbean Countries”. Amsterdam: COC Netherlands. (October 2020). "From Fringes to Focus - A deep dive into the lived-realities of Lesbian, Bisexual and Queer women and Trans Masculine persons in 8 Caribbean countries".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  19. ↑ "Trans Intersex History Africa -". 2021-07-07. Retrieved 2023-08-27.
  20. ↑ "Admitting the flaws of LGBTI activism; seeking solutions". Erasing 76 Crimes. 2016-05-25. Retrieved 2022-06-23.
  21. ↑ Camminga, B., Marnell, J. (2022). Queer and Trans African Mobilities: Migration, Asylum and Diaspora. United Kingdom: Bloomsbury Publishing. p56
  22. ↑ Trans Lives in a Globalizing World: Rights, Identities and Politics. (2020). United Kingdom: Taylor & Francis.
  23. ↑ Scott, Jessica; Theron, Liesl (March 2019). "The promise of heteronormativity: Marriage as a strategy for respectability in South Africa" . Sexualities. 22 (3): 436–451. doi:10.1177/1363460717713384. ISSN   1363-4607.
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