My work in advocacy and social justice is driven by a commitment to advancing the rights and dignity of the LGBTQIA+ community. Through various initiatives, I aim to promote equitable healthcare access, uphold human rights, and ensure ethical, evidence-based practices for sexually and gender-diverse individuals in South Africa and across Africa.
Professional Association for Transgender Health South Africa
I am currently serving as the vice chair of PATHSA, an interdisciplinary health professional association dedicated to improving the health, well-being, and rights of transgender and gender-diverse individuals in South Africa. Our mission is to advance understanding, acceptance, and equitable healthcare access for trans communities through education, advocacy, research, and the promotion of best practices. At PATHSA, we firmly believe in the principle of “nothing about us, without us,” ensuring that TGD people are included in all debates about their lives and healthcare.
African LGBTIQ+ Human Rights Project
I am proud to be a part of the African LGBTQIA+ Human Rights Project, where I work alongside a team of dedicated clinical psychologists and human rights advocates. Our mission is to enhance the mental health and well-being of sexually and gender-diverse people across South Africa. We published the Second Edition of the Practice Guidelines for Psychology Professionals Working with Sexually and Gender-Diverse People in March 2025.
Together we contribute to the development of comprehensive, culturally sensitive guidelines that address the unique challenges faced by LGBTQIA+ individuals in South Africa. Our work involves extensive research, community engagement, and collaboration with local and international experts to ensure that the guidelines are both evidence-based and contextually relevant. We focus on creating actionable recommendations for psychologists, emphasising the importance of intersectionality, human rights, and affirmative practices. This includes:
- Promoting the affirmation and celebration of sexual and gender diversity.
- Advancing access to competent and affirmative psychological services.
- Advocating for policies and practices that protect the rights and dignity of sexually and gender-diverse people.
- Addressing the impacts of SOGIE change efforts and conversion practices.
- Enhancing the cultural competence of psychologists working with sexually and gender-diverse individuals.
- Supporting the development of non-pathologising models of sexual and gender diversity.
- Emphasising the importance of intersectionality in understanding the experiences of sexually and gender-diverse individuals.
- Ensuring that mental health professionals are equipped to address the trauma of discrimination and violence.
Addressing Conversion Practices in Africa
As a survivor of conversion practices, I am dedicated to addressing the harmful impacts of these interventions and promoting ethical mental health care for LGBTQIA+ individuals. My commitment involves supporting survivors and advocating for evidence-based practices in mental health care. In collaboration with Outright International and the Psychological Society of South Africa (PsySSA), I attended the “Meeting of Minds: The Role of Mental Health Practitioners and Associations in Eradicating Conversion Practices in Africa,” in April 2023 where I connected with other like-minded professionals and organisations. This meeting was pivotal in unifying mental health professionals and advocates from various regions on the continent to collectively address this pressing issue. This event allowed me to engage with the issue professionally, including developing strategies for effective advocacy, sharing best practices, and working towards the development of comprehensive, culturally sensitive guidelines for mental health practitioners in Africa.
Conversion practices, often referred to as ‘conversion therapy,’ are pseudoscientific interventions aimed at changing or suppressing an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity. These practices are based on the false premise that LGBTQIA+ identities are pathological and need to be ‘cured’ or ‘fixed.’ They include a range of harmful techniques, such as aversive conditioning, shaming, and even physical abuse. Despite being widely discredited by major medical and psychological associations, these practices continue to exist in various forms.
The harmful impacts of conversion practices are well-documented. They can lead to severe psychological distress, including depression, anxiety, self-harm, and suicidal ideation. These practices perpetuate stigma and discrimination against LGBTQIA+ individuals, reinforcing the notion that their identities are abnormal or undesirable. By pathologising queer identities, conversion practices contribute to a hostile and unsafe environment for LGBTQIA+ people, undermining their mental health and well-being.
Conversion practices are particularly insidious because they often involve coercion and manipulation, exploiting individuals’ vulnerabilities and their desire for acceptance and belonging. Survivors of these practices frequently report feelings of betrayal and trauma, as the very professionals and institutions meant to support them instead inflict harm. The pseudoscientific nature of these practices further compounds the damage, as they lack any credible evidence of efficacy and are rooted in outdated and harmful beliefs about sexuality and gender.
For a comprehensive understanding of the prevalence and impact of these harmful practices, valuable resources and reports are available through Outright International. Their 2024 report on conversion practices provides detailed insights into the ongoing issues and the urgent need for intervention.
I encourage visitors to support initiatives aimed at eliminating conversion practices. One significant step is to support the Johannesburg Declaration Against SOGIE Change Efforts and Conversion Practices, a document that outlines the collective stand against any form of intervention aimed at changing or suppressing an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity. By advocating for ethical, affirming practices in mental health care, we can help create a safer and more inclusive environment for sexually and gender-diverse individuals across Africa.
