Learning from those fighting for the LGBTQI+ rights

by | Feb 2, 2025 | News & Activities

As part of Learning Experience I, a group of Cohort 6 fellows had the opportunity to visit Bayanda Ndumiso, a lifelong fellow and advocate for LGBTQI+ rights, at The Triangle Project in Cape Town. During the visit, Bayanda shared his personal journey of working within the social change space, specifically focusing on improving access to health for the LGBTQI+ community. His experiences highlighted the challenges and progress in advocating for LGBTQI+ rights, offering valuable insights into both the personal and systemic efforts involved in creating a more inclusive society.
René Sparks

Bayanda explained that the main focus of this session was to explore how intersectionality manifests within the LGBTQI+ space and shared his experience of being a Tekano fellow. Itumeleng Mothlabane, from Cohort 6, reflected on the visit, emphasizing the importance of understanding how LGBTQI+ rights are interconnected with other human rights issues. “It was important for us to learn about the anti-gender movement and how everything is interconnected. LGBTQI+ rights are not isolated; they are part of human rights, the rights of poor people, and the rights of other minority groups. Even if you are not part of the community, you need to stand behind LGBTQI+ rights because we live in a community and are not isolated,” said Itumeleng.

Jongisizwe Ntshuntshe, another Cohort 6 fellow, also shared how the visit influenced his perspective, stating that “the visit informed my project. I thought I was inclusive of everyone, but I realized there are many people excluded from healthcare systems simply because of their gender identity or due to a lack of education about their struggles”. The fellows gained a deeper understanding of the intersection between social advocacy and health access, learning about the broader impact of these efforts in the community.