INVITATION TO A SIT DOWN PROTEST

Rainbow Identity Association (RIA) is a nonprofit organization based in Gaborone, it is an association for transgender and intersex individuals. It aims to challenge trans-phobic laws and trans-phobia in Botswana. Because of the recent rise in violence against women, children and LGBTI+ community in Botswana, Rainbow Identity Association have become concerned and would like to give their contribution in the fight against gender based violence. 

RIA would like to invite you to join us on the Friday 31^st August 2018 for a sit down protest at the open space by Cresta President Hotel in Main Mall from 9:00 am. In addition to having the protest we will be inviting the Minister of Nationality, Immigration and Gender Affairs to receive a list of demands from the community which we hope you can contribute to. 

The statement should be clear and have plausible solutions that can be implemented not only as policy change but as mandate that the minister and other members of government office can carry out.

RIA would like for you to make protest signs speaking against gender based violence and the solutions you would like implemented against the situation. Please do join us for the protest, your input is very important. Let’s take action to end gender based violence.

UNTIL YOU BREAK THE SILENCE YOU CANT STOP THE VIOLENCE

Condolences to all the families of the women who have been found dead last week at the hands of men and to every other woman who is a victim of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV). IPV is a menace in our communities. It is fueled by patriarchal notions premised on the belief that women are men's properties. These toxic masculinities must be rooted out in our communities. Men must be held accountable for their behaviors, this includes developing adequate policies that respond to the challenges of Gender Based Violence (GBV) and Violence Against Women (VAW). Prevention is key in this respect.

Leadership is crucial in these efforts. It is encouraging to see President Masisi taking leadership in this instance in a statement, Masisi called on Batswana to unite and become part of the solution to end violence against “hapless young women.”

He said he was deeply disturbed by “recent reports of violent abuse against our women and children, ranging from assault and rape to murder.”

“This is not who we are as a people and I urge us all to stand together in solidarity, particularly us men, to fight against this growing phenomenon that has plagued our nation,” Masisi said.

He warned that the perpetrators of crimes against women would “face the full wrath of the law.”

Our country has reported a spike in the number of murder cases committed by men against their spouses in recent months. This must be followed up by a clear action plan for the country of dealing with GBV. Such a plan must involve all key stakeholders in Botswana; government departments, civil society and the private sector. Prevention is key in this regard to avoid the needless loss of lives. We owe this to these women and the many victims and survivors of GBV. It is easy to point a finger rather than take action Rainbow Identity Association (RIA) would like to call out everyone in the society and country to stand together in fighting against IPV and GBV.

The perpetrators who in this case are men need to be held accountable and the boys in our community need to be groomed and natured in a way that they will not conform to the notions that women are their property and need to be tamed by violence or any other way. If we natured the boy child and protected him as much as we protect and nature the girl child RIA feel future GBV cases can be avoided. We need to change the way the society looks at gender roles and behaviors, believing that men are the head of the family and women should be submissive even when they are being ill-treated and abused. Every day that passes without us standing against this as a nation means more victims will pile up silently until they turn up dead or in a hospital bed. We can’t keep quite anymore, we can’t just write Facebook status and Whats-App status, it can’t be business as usual we need to put those words into action and need to collaborate to make it happen and to be heard.

By Urbenia Unaswi Kgwarae

RIA Media and Advocacy Officer

RESPOND TO THE MIDWEEK SUN , ITS “CONFESSION OF AN ASEXUAL PERSON” NOT “CONFESSION OF AN ASEXUAL WOMAN”.

Rainbow Identity Association an organisation that advocates for the human rights of trangernder and intersex people and their inclusion. This article concerned RIA because it completely misgendered Blu subjecting them to gender stereotypes, discrimination and stigma to both Blu and other transgender people. On behalf of  Phio Blu Kenosi RIA would like to clarify a few things regarding the article that was published on the Midweek Sun dated 6/06/2018 which’s headline read “Confessions of an Asexual woman”. The reason for this clarification is not only was Blu misgendered but also that the article By Yvonne Mooka deliberately kept labled Blu even captioned their picture as an asexual woman and referring to Blu as a woman which we understand Blu had explained to Yvonne that was not Blu’s preferred pronoun, Blu is a Transgender Asexual person whose preferred pronoun is They and/or Them. Even though Blu is female bodied they do not identify as a woman and it is rather insensitive and discriminatory to refer to them as she especially after Blu explained to her what transgender and being asexual means. We would like to apologize to the public for being misinformed by the article. To add more clarity to this:

 TRANSGENDER: Transgender people are those who have a gender identity or gender expression that differs from their assigned sex. In simpler terms a tran person is a person whose body does not conform to the gender they identify with for example someone female bodied may identify as a he therefore being transman or does not identity with any gender hence gender non-conforming..

ASEXUAL: a person who has no sexual feelings or desires.

Rainbow Identity Association (RIA) fight, advocate and lobby every single day to sensetise people about the importance of accepting and respecting trans and intersex people in our communities and Editors come up with such headlines creates misconception around the whole article, in this context The Midweek Sun make RIA efforts to make the world a better place free from transphobia go to waste and impossible to get positive results. Such headlines makes it difficult for other trans people who want to share their stories with the media question if they too will be subjected to such headlines disregarding their stories. It is important that you know that such articles affects the sources emotionally and mentally even the families they come from with so much discrimination as is already. While speaking to Blu about this ordeal this is what they had to say ”I was interviewed by The Midweek Sun and the resulting article was “Confessions of an asexual woman” I would like to clarify that the part about me being a woman is false, I was assigned female at birth (AFAB) but I do not identify as such. The article tries to explain this concept but fails to convey my sentiments. I am a trans identifying person and the article should have included this aspect of my identity because it is an important aspect of my life. I was asked questions pertaining to my identity and because this is one such detail I explained in the beginning of the interview that I am a Trans Non Binary person meaning I am neither male nor female bit rather fall within the spectrum that is gender and express in a masculine manner. The truths about my sexuality conveyed within the article and it is true that I do not experience sexual attraction”

 RIA is are hoping that the newspaper will mobalise their journalists and editors and find a date in which RIA can come and train them on Transgender and Intersex issues. The newspaper can then write a follow up story and clarify these issues to their readers as the headline of the article distorts the entire article.

For more information please contact Rainbow Identity Association on:

Facebook- Rainbow Identity

Website-Rainbow Identity Association

Phone- 3905493 

By Urbenia Kgwarae

RIA Media Officer