Home, Asia, Europe, North America, Latin America and Caribbean, Oceania, News, Sitemap
Home / South Africa / Your Stories
loading map..

SOUTH AFRICA

Male to Male relationships: Legal
Punishments for male to male relationships: No law
Female to Female Relationships: Legal
Age of consent: Equal for heterosexuals and homosexuals
Marriage and Substitutes for Marriage: Recognized on national level
Is it possible to change your gender on official documents?: Yes

Your Views

Are you LGBTI? We want to hear from you! Help us inform other users of the site with your views on this country. Below is a random question about this country. If it is relevant to you please answer it.

Have you experienced transphobia from your healthcare provider?
Yes, I have trouble finding a doctor (0 %) Yes, but I was able to find other healthcare (0 %) No (0 %)

The Your Stories section is all about you! Please take a minute to tell visitors of the ILGA website about what LGBTI life is like in reality. Please submit your personal story and share your experience!

YOUR STORIES
Share your experiences in SOUTH AFRICA - Let others know what it’s like to be LGBTI in your country! If an experience is meaningful for you, it will probably be meaningful for someone else. On whatever topic, whether good or bad, your story is how the world knows about your country and LGBTI life. By selecting tags that mark the topic your story, others can learn from your experience.
Note this is a public forum so take care when attaching any e-mail addresses or phone numbers. Nasty people may be viewing this site as well as friends! There is no need to be registered on the website, and your story will be completely anonymous.
Let us know a bit more about your story by clicking on the following (optional):
name:
relevant to..
What does your lived experience relate to?
I currently live in..

Readers Experiences

This is what people are saying about life for LGBTI people in SOUTH AFRICA...
sort by: [most recent] [most popular]

showing stories 1-3

Lee (user currently living in SOUTH AFRICA) posted for gay lesbian transgender bisexual intersex straight readers on 25/04/2010 tagged with health
link
To whom it may concern:

Hi

Please contact me regarding the possibility of placing a small GLBT Alcoholics Anonymous AD post on your site.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Thank you.

Lee

0728505141
add response to story
link
WOW AMAZING WEBSITE.(sorry for caps im blind in right eye and sometimes its better to see with big letters)........GOSH IM SO PROUD OF U ALL....I WILL DEFINTELY GET BACK TO YOU BUT ...........AT THE MOMENT IVE GOT ;LOTS OF WORK AS WHOLE OF SOUTH AFRICA WANTS MY STORY......BUT I WANT TO USE MY EXPERIENCES GOOD AND BAD TO CONTRIBUTE FOR MORE AWARENESS AND PREVENT ABUSE ETC TO ""OUR"" PEOPLE.......... I HAVE BEEN YEARS AND YEARS ACTIVE IN THE CYBER WORLD ..............SPREADING TOLERANCE, PEACE, LOVE AND RESPECT FOR TRANSGENDER,INTERSEX, GAY,LESBIAN AND BISEXUAL FOLK AS INTERNET HAS BEEN FOR A LONG WHILE IN THE NETHERLANDS ALSO KNOWN AS HOLLAND(EUROPE)...OFFCOURSE I DID FOCUS MORE ON TRANSGENDER AS I WAS BORN THAT WAY BUT AFTER GENITAL CORRECTION I REFER TO MYSELF AS A TOTAL FEMALE. NOT ONLY FACING GENDER ISSUES BUT ALSO BEING A CHRONICALLY ILL PATIENT AFTER SUFFERING A DUBBEL NECKHERNIA AND MANY PTSD'S.......BUT BAD EXPERIENCES MADE ME A BITTER AND ANGRY WOMAN ....... I WASNT ALWAYS A LOVING PERSON ON THE NET BUT MOSTLY THERE WHEN PEOPLE NEEDED MY ADVICE AND BY THEM READING MY BLOGS OR VIEWING MY SLIDESHOWS AND PICS THEY BECAME MORE AWARE OF ""A DIFFERENT TYPE OF HUMAN BEING"""
I ALSO BECAME A ""VIRTUAL EXHIBITIONIST"" AS I WANTED OTHERS TO SEE WHAT WE LOOKED LIKE AND THE WAY WE LEAD OUR LIVES......YES I DARED.....
But EH VIEWERS,READERS, LISTENERS ALSO SHARED THEIR EXPERIENCES TOO EVEN MOMS WITH KIDS BORN LIKE ME.........THEY GAINED COURAGE FROM ME PUTTING MYSELF OPEN AND WIDE FOR ALL TO SEE AND READ.......INTERNATIONALLY.....RECENTLY WAS YET ANOTHER BLOW HERE IN SOUTH AFRICA........SEXUAL ASSUALTS AFTER SPIKING MY DRINK AND
ALMOST CAUSING RAPED BY TWO CHUBB AND BLUE SECURITY ARMED RESPONSE OFFICERS(SERVE AND PROTECT EXCUSE ME!!!) THESE GUYS STIL WORKING AND NOT PROSECUTED, NOT BROUGHT INTO COURT, NO JAIL SENTENCE NADA...OOOPS SOUTH AFRICA U DID IT AGAIN....BY THE WAY I WAS ALL ALONE 2 HOURS ALMOST NAKED IN THE BUSH DARK DARK BLEEDING AND CRYING AND TERRIFIED AND THIS TOOK PLACE IN OCTOBER 2009......
HAVING
RENTAL DISPUTES,( I APPRENTLY DIDNT FIT INTO THE MOSLIM DOMINATED GARDEN FALT I RENTED IN AUGUST 2009 IN OVERPORT CITYBORDER MNORNINGSIDE....
THEY SAID IM A MAN AND "TRANSVESTITE"" AND THEY DONT BELIEF IN THAT
TYPE OF PEOPLE AS IM NOT NATURAL AND IM TOO EXTRAVAGANT CAUSE THERE WERE LADIES IN BOERKAS AND CHILDREN THERE AND IM ""TOO MUCH""
WHICH LEAD ME TO GO TO HOUSING TRIBUNAL CAUSE THEY DIDNT WANT TO FUMAGATE PLACE NOR REMOVE BORER FILLED CUBBOARDS AND CARPETS....THIS SHOIWS HOW EVEN MORE TREACHEROUS LIVES WE LEAD AS THEY WOULD HAVE DONE IT IF I WORE A BOERKA THATS WHAT I SAID WHEN POLICE ARRIVED..ASSOMEONE ELSE THERE TOLD ME CAUSE IM DIFFERENT AND NOT MOLSIM THATS WHY IM NOT BEING HELPED./..THEIR MOUTHS WERE SHUT.............

STILL GOTTA GO TO EQUALITY COURT BOTH FOR POLICE AND LANDLORDS CAUSE WHEN THEY FOUND OUT I WAS TRANSGENDER ALL HELL BROKE LOSE.............
POLICE CORRUPTION(LANDLORD AND SAPS TENANT DOING EACH OTHER FAVOURS)
I WAS ARRESTED FOR DEFAMTION OF CHARACTER AND APPEARED WITHIN 3 DAYS IN ""H"" COURT AMONGST RAPIST AND MURDERS JUST TREACHEROUS AND DISGUSTING AS IVE GOT NO CRIMINAL RECORDS NO WHERE.....FINGER PRINTED LIKE A THIEF, RAPIST OR LIKE A HIJACKER,
WAISTING TAXPAYERS MONEY BY THE WAY AS I GOT MY OWN CASE THROWN OUT OF COURT SAME DAY,
DISCRIMINATED BY A BAR LADFY WHO SAID""IM A REAL WOMAN YOUR A FAKE WOMAN NOW FUCK OFF"" THIS AFTER A GUY HIT ON ME AS IMN A PRETTY FEMALE AND SHE GOT JEALOUS AND TOLD HIM ":""YOU KNOW THATS A MAN"" HE WAS OFFCOURSE ASHAMED AND ""DISGUSTED"ALL OF A SUDDEN
POLICE LISTENS TO HER AND WANTS TO ARREST ME AGAIN IF I CANT PROVE IM A FEMALE.......I APPARENTLY AM AN """HIV MOFFIE"" PPPFFFFF LOOK AT MY PICS

ALSO ABSA BANK REFUSES TO CHANGE GENDER AND FIRST NAME TO DUTCH FMEALE GENDER AND NAME JENNIFER KISTEN CAUSING SO MUCH PROBLEMS FOR ME MOTNHS NOW AS THEY SAY ARE YOU MR GJ KISTENS WIFE......AND THEY STILL DIDNT CHANGE IT YET..........STILL GOTTA FACE ALL RESTAURANTS OR WOOLWORTHS OR MUG AND BEAN WERE IM REGULAR CUSTOMER AND ITS SAYS CREDIT CARD MR GJ KISTEN ..DEBET CARDS TOO.....SALES PEOPLE ARE SUSPICIOUS SOMETIMES THEY THINK IM FRAUDING WITH A MANS CARD OR HAVE A HUSBAND WHEN I SAY I DONT AND IT SAYS NOT MARRIED EVERYWHERE...THIS IS WHEN THEY KNOW IM SINGLE AND JUST ARRIVED TO SOUTHA FRICA AFTER 20 YRS AND MAKING A NEW START.....THERES DUTCH MISS KISTEN AND SOUTH AFRICAN MR GJ KISTEN.....PPPFFFFFFFFF I AM NATURALLY PASSABLE AS WOMAN AND LOOK AT THE DRAMA AM I THE DRAMA QUEEN?? my adoptive parents gave me that male name i didnt...im female.
AND EMAIL POST ALSO"" DEAR GORDON""" ETC ETC ETC............ABSA IS UNBELIEVABLE EVEN I ASKED THEM TO CHANGE THE REWARDS CARD THEY DIDNT.....
YET I PULLED MYSELF TOGETHER AND PREVAILED.....OFFCOURSE IM STILL TROUBLED BUT HEY WE SHOUL
D LET OUR EMOTION GO RIGHT....BUT......NOW ITS TIME TO SERVE MY COUNTRY AND COMMUNITY.......... I AM AWARE YOU ALL HAVE BEEN HERE SOMETIME NOW AND I APPRECIATE PEOPLE LIKE YOU......CHAPEAU!!
. IVE HAD TO DO MANY TESTS ON MY OWN AS THE GENDER HELP IN THE NETHERLANDS WAS UNSATISFACTORY CAUSE EVEN THERE I ALSO HAD TO DO DEAL WITH RACISM, ....RAPE, ....BEATINGS. ....POLICE BRUTALITY AND UNJUSTICE....,GENDER DISCRIMINATIO(TRANSFOBIA).....UNEQUALITY......BIASNESS ETC ETC ETC.........YET I AM A TRUE SURVIVOR WANTING TO MAKE CHANGES ALSO IN MY OWN BIRTH COUNTRY SOUTH AFRICA.(CITY DURBAN) WHICH IS REALLY NOT WHAT I EXPECTED TO BE CONCERNING HUMAN RIGHTS FOR TANSGENDER PEOPLE.AS I HAD THE IDEA THAT IT WAS A TOTALLY PROGRESSED COUNTRY REGARDING PEOPLE WHOM ARE DIFFERENT......... CAUSE .I FOUND LOT OF SMILIARITIES AS IN ZIMBABWE.AND OTHER AFRICAN COUNTRIES....I READ ON THE INTERNET THAT WE ARE ONE OF THE MOST PROGRESSED COUNTRIES I ASK MYSELF IS IT THEN ONLY LEGALLY........
AMENDING LAWS IS WONDERFUL BUT SOCIETIES PRACTICE WORRIES ME TERRIBLY AND I MUST MAKE MY CONTRIBUTION SOON AS 8 MONTHS LIVING HERE AFTER 20 YEARS BEING A DUTCH CITIZEN IN THE NETHERLANDS AND HAVING DUAL NATIONALITY MADE ME LOSE EVERY RIGHT AS A HUMAN BEING WHEN I ARRIVED FROM,16TH AUGUST 2009...WHICH IS TOTALLY OUT OF PLACE FOR THIS DEMOCRATIC COUNTRY..
BUT I REFUSE TO STUMBLE AND FALL AND BECOME CRIPPLE.......EVEN IF I WERE IN A WHEELCHAIR I WILL CAUSE A STIR AND MAKE AWARENESS............
........I AM 2010 BUT IM ALSO FOR ALWAYS...TRANSFOBIA IS NOT LIKE A WORLD SOCCER CUP WHICH COMES AND GOES AND CREATES JOY,HAPPINESS, SATISFACTION AND WEALTH NO IT STAYS AND CAUSE MISERY, STRESS, DEATHS,INTOLERANCE AND NO RESPECT ATALL BUT WE CAN CHANGE THIS LETS JUST DOT IT COS WE ARE WORTH IT..........IM HERE T STAY SO I WILL CREATE AND PLACE MY OWN FLAG AND LET IT ""WAPPEREN""(BLOW) FLY IN THE WIND SO I CAN BE A PROUD SOUTH AFRICAN ALL OVER AGAIN......
THNX FOR YOUR TIME...MAYBE ITS TIME FOR ME TO WRITE A BOOK.......
GOD BLESS


JENNIFER KISTEN
Durban, South Africa
DONT ABUSE WOMEN AND CHILDREN..... GIVE TO CHARITIES LIKE THE AIDS FUNDS, GENDER DYSFORIA ORGANISATIONS AND FOR ANIMAL PROTECTION AND PROGRESS LIKE THE SPCA.
SOUTH AFRICA HAS A LONG WAY TO GO YES IT WILL CHANGE....... AND BE A MUCH BETTER PLACE TO LIVE IN FOR ALL OF US BLACK, WHITE, INDIAN, COLOUREDS..........
MR MANDELA LAID THE FOUNDATION FOR RESPECT ALLOWING SUCCESS BUT WHAT DID WE DO? TAMPER WITH THE CONCRETE AND SLOWLY WHAT HE BUILT IS CRUMBLING DOWN....... ITS UP TO YOU TO PATCH-UP, REBUILD AND LET IT RISE AND SHINE AGAIN......
WE ARE ALL ONE....... HAVE RESPECT AND TOLERANCE FOR ALL HUMAN KIND..... BE YOURSELF BUT HELP OTHERS BY DOING SO...... SHARE....
ALSO RESPECT TRANSGENDER, INTERSEX, GAYS, LESBIANS AND BISEXUUAL PEOPLE.......I AM,AN HETEROSEXUAL XO CHROMOSOME TRANSGENDER(INTERSEX) FEMALE AND IM PROUD OF BEING ME.......... BUT I WONT ALLOW NOBODY TO UNDERESTIMATE MY URGE FOR SURVIVAL IN THIS UNIVERSE AS IT BELONGS TO ME TOO.......WE ARE HERE TO STAY GET USED TO US!!!

jenniferkisten@gmail.com
Keep Smiling, Keep Shining!!
Blijven Lachen!!
""DENK EROM ""IK BEN DE MOIETE WAARD"""
DUS KOM OP!!! LAAT JE ZIEN EN WEES VOORAL JEZELF WANT ZOALS IK EEN HELEBOEL IN HET LEVEN MEEMAAKTE HET IS OOK AAN JOU ONZE TOEKOMST TE WAARBORGEN EN ONZE KINDEREN TE EDUCATEREN. IK BEN ZOALS IK BEN.

God Bless You!!
add response to story
:-( (user currently living in SOUTH AFRICA) posted for lesbian readers on 18/02/2010 tagged with human rights, laws and leadership , religion, marriage / civil unions
link
This is a sad day in South Africa. Today a lesbian minister was fired for marrying her life-partner. The Methodist church was happy to ordain her as a lesbian minister, even assign a church to her care, and dating was never a problem either. But when she fell in love and married, that was when she was suspended and today, they fired her.

Our country recognises gay marriages. Our constitution protects all people from any type of discrimination, including discrimination because of sexual orientation. But we are still targeted. The church will not marry us, and many will not even accept us through the door. We are raped and murdered, ostracised and mocked. The country and the constitution are merely pieces of paper, impotent. Ineffective and obviously unenforced.

Yes, today is a sad day for all GLBTI people in South Africa.
add response to story
Bookmark and Share