The Professional Association for Transgender Health South Africa (PATHSA) would like to reach out to the parents who were present at, or impacted by, the meeting held by the Western Cape Education Department on 16 October 2020 about the Draft Guidelines for Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in schools. We understand that this has been experienced by many as pathologizing your children, traumatising and infuriating.

We recognise the importance and crucial role that parents, family and friends play in supporting trans and gender diverse people and wish to applaud you for your compassion and understanding. As parents, you know first-hand the lived experience of trans and gender diverse young people and that this is a reality, and not an “ideology” as alleged by FOR-SA.

 

The standards of care for trans and gender diverse individuals have improved to a point where professionals world-wide realise that they should be committed to supporting and helping all trans and gender diverse individuals, and in particular those who are teens and adolescents, as they are especially vulnerable.

As an association we recognise that many harmful practices were allowed in the past and were driven by fundamentalist, conservative and subjective thinking.  We are committed to correcting these inhumane practices and encourage all professionals to have compassion and empathy for all trans and gender diverse individuals.

Whilst we know that some professionals may still have outdated or historical approaches to care, we are committed to bringing them up to date with current standards of care that aim to help, support and affirm our young people’s gender identity.

PATHSA would like to be an ally for parents of trans and gender diverse young people.