Nthabiseng Mokoena, whose pronouns are they/them/theirs is the first black South African to publicly advocate for intersex rights. In South Africa intersex babies are believed to be the product of witchcraft and are usually killed by the midwives so as not to curse their families. Thankfully, this was not Nthabiseng’s fate, and their parents opted not to have reconstructive genital surgery, wanting Nthabiseng to be able to decide for themself when they reached 18. At 23 Nthabiseng was diagnosed with partial androgen insensitivity syndrome (AIS) and was exploring medical options. Their doctors offered medical treatment if they agreed to be a case study. Nthabiseng refused. They began advocating for intersex rights and competent healthcare. They participated as the South African representative at the Second International Intersex Forum, joining the international advisory board for the Intersex Human Rights Fund ( by the Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice) and serving as the Regional Training and Capacity Strengthening Officer for the AIDS and Rights Alliance of Southern and East Africa. They are also a proud parent and they are working on their Masters in Public Health. #LGBTQHistory #QTPOCHistory #IntersexHistory #NthabisengMokoena #Intersectionality
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