Women experience marginalisation on multiple levels, but transwomen often experience added layers of marginalisation within movements, because their experience of womanhood is constantly questioned and policed.

Social Health and Empowerment Feminist Collective of Transgender Women of Africa (SHE) understands the necessity of having an organisation for women who find themselves within larger movement spaces but not at the centre of them and experience unique discrimination because of that. SHE was formed by transwomen of colour in South Africa, to give Transwomen a voice within the LGBTI movement.SHE was founded in 2010 by Leigh Ann van der Merwe, a Transwoman from rural South Africa in 2010. This trailblazing organisation works with transgender women, women living with HIV AIDS, as well as LGBTQI organisations, serving as an invaluable resource to its community.

As part of its work with AWDF, SHE organised a one week feminist movement building school for 20 transwomen to help them better engage within the women’s movement and advocate for themselves. This would allow them to have a strong voice during key development processes, and ensure that their voices are at the forefront of important governmental change and policy making decisions.

SHE recognises the need for our future to be intersectional. SHE is a #FaceofAdvocacy.

For more information on Transwomen and the Gender binary click HERE