Access Chapter 2

In commemoration of International Pride Month, Access Chapter 2, in partnership with Quad Care, Thato One Big Family LGBTI Society (TOBF), and Trans Guardian Alliance, hosted the Understanding SOGIESC & Gender-Affirming Care Workshop.

The session created a vital space for engagement on SOGIESC, gender-affirming care, and bodily autonomy, while advancing awareness, inclusion, and the protection of the rights, dignity, and well-being of LGBTIQ+ communities

International Pride Month, commemorated annually in June, provides an opportunity to celebrate diversity, promote inclusion, and raise awareness about the rights and experiences LGBTI+ persons. While awareness has increased in many spaces, misconceptions and stigma surrounding gender identity, gender expression, and transgender experiences remain prevalent.

This Pride Month can be traced to the Stonewall Uprising. On 28 June 1969, patrons of the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York City, resisted a police raid. At the time, LGBTIQ+ people faced intense widespread discrimination, harassment, and criminalization. The resistance that followed lasted several days and became a turning point in the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement. And it’s a known fact that it was the Transgender community that started the movement which had ripple effects globally.

Transgender and gender-diverse individuals continue to face discrimination, exclusion, violence, and barriers to accessing affirming healthcare services. Misinformation about gender-affirming healthcare, including hormonal therapy, can expose individuals to unsafe practices and poor health outcomes. In commemoration of International Pride Month, Access Chapter 2 seeks to create a safe and informative platform where participants can deepen their understanding of gender diversity, explore the lived realities of transgender persons, and gain accurate information about safe hormonal therapy and gender-affirming healthcare.

#2026