Landa Mabenge

Landa Mabenge is the author of “Becoming Him – A Trans Memoir of Triumph.” He is the founder and managing director of Landa Mabenge Consulting, which creates awareness of the transgender experience. He is the first known transgender man in South Africa to receive medical aid to finance his gender alignment surgeries.#Phoner | Overall the LGBTQI+ community ( lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer , non-binary etc) experience significant discrimination, across many areas of life. These South Africans experience barriers to economic and social inclusion related to structural inequality and social stigma along multiple axes (e.g., race, sexuality, gender, sex) even with South Africa’s progressive ConstitutionIn the fight for LGBTQ+ rights on the African continent, South Africa leads the way for marriage equality and legal protection against discrimination. In fact it was the first country in the world to protect against discrimination based on sexual orientation and the fifth to legalize same-sex marriage.On paper, this country is a haven for people like me, but there lies a stark contrast between the written policies and lived experiences. What are the daily experiences and challenges of this community in SA today? How do you cope with being stigmatized? Do you feel safe? Do you feel accepted and included? Are you hiding your authentic self because you don’t feel safe? What are your real life stories?