On the 9th of September 2021, a historical and critically important event was hosted during the World Association for Sexual Health's (WAS) 25th international congress, co-hosted with the Southern African Sexual Health Association (SASHA) and for the first time in its history, hosted in South Africa and on the African continent. A Transgender and Gender Diverse assembly was hosted, comprising 4 themed one-hour sessions, each with a chair and panellists totalling 15 participants. Everyone was Transgender, Gender Diverse or Intersex.
Assembly Session 1: Theme: WAS Statement Concerning Actions to Support Gender Diversity World Wide
Session Chair: Esben Esther Pirelli Benestad (WAS Advisory - Norway)
Panel: Nic Rider (The Institute for Sexual and Gender Health -USA); Savuka Matyila (Genderdynamix – RSA); Avery Everhart (Centre for Applied Transgender Studies USC - USA)
Assembly Session 2: Theme: Depathologisation - Lived Experiences & Contemporary Challenges
Session Chair: Jabulani (Jabu) Pereira (Iranti – RSA)
Panel: Mauro Grinspan (GATE- Argentina); Anastacia Tomson (MD/Activist – RSA)
Assembly Session 3: Theme: Pan African Best Practice in Transgender and Gender Diverse Sexual & Reproductive Health
Session Chair: Dzoe Ahmad (Genderdynamix - RSA)
Panel: Barbra Wangare (EATHAN - Kenya); Jholerina Timbo (Wings to Transcend Namibia Trust -Namibia); Anil Padavatan (Genderdynamix –RSA); Sean Reggee (Trans Bantu – Zambia)
Assembly Session 4: Theme: Human Rights – Priorities for Transgender and Gender Diverse Communities
Session Chair: Akani Shimange (Matimba - RSA)
Panel: Yvee Odour (GALCK - Kenya); Oumaima Dermoumi (LGBTQIA+ Advocate & co-initiator of Nassawiyat - Morocco); Taymy Caso (Randi and Fred Ettner Postdoctoral fellow in Transgender Health – USA)
Here the link to the recording of this historical assembly event:
TRANSGENDER AND GENDER DIVERSITY ASSEMBLY = https://vimeo.com/601348992/9827accaae