By Teboho Serutla
Members of The People’s Matrix have called for the need for protection of their rights, especially access to health facilities.
The organisation is an umbrella body of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex (LGBTQI+).
One of the members Relebohile Motaung, a transgender person, regretted that the government was not satisfactorily protecting them as normal members of the society. She said they were disregarded when services were being dished out to citizenry based on their needs.
A trans-sexual woman, Motaung wishes to undergo transplant surgery but she cannot afford it due to high costs in the private health facilities. She believed that the government could come to their relief and “do something” for those who wish to undergo such operation.
“I was not sure of the state of my self-esteem until I met The People’s Matrix back in 2014, where I came across friendly people who made me feel proud and confident about myself,” Motaung says, adding that over that confidence, she even joined the local Miss Gay competition from 2014 which she won the following year.
“I learned that we also contribute to the discrimination and harassment burden that is being applied to us, by putting a judgement on what various people think of us. By accepting myself, I learned that not many people care much about my natural condition, yet there are those who still criticize us.,” she explained.
She has observed that they have come under fierce criticism from some members of the public although they are still normal people.
Motaung said life was becoming difficult especially for those of their members who have no stable sources of income as they face heated discrimination from those who undermine them.
Reanetse Khobotlo, a lesbian member of the LGBTQI+ adds that due to such discriminations, most of them turn to abuse drugs in order to withstand any challenges and ease their sorrows.
Khobotlo says she began falling in love for girls at the age of 11 but could not take it serious then.
“Due to the aggressive discrimination I began experiencing at tertiary level by some students, I began the abuse of marijuana and beer. Upon realizing my situation one of my lecturers who taught Psychology gave me counselling sessions, to help me deal with the ordeal.
“I almost quit school after the news broke into my family, through the same lecturer. My mother could not find it easy to accept my condition, which discouraged me from going home during holidays when schools were closed. I began another habit of drug abuse, which let me to failing my studies in another year,” she remembered.
She continued: “My sister who seemed to understand my situation for some time, encouraged me back on my feet and told me to live life as I choose notwithstanding whatever our detractors thought of me.”
Khobotlo said she had not been open about her condition until she met a friend while enrolled in the tertiary. Her secret was exposed by some of her friends and cousins, but she stood the ground in denial.
In her experience, she was nearly raped by someone who had pretended to be her colleague.
“I reported this matter to the police station, but the police officials told me to forgive the guy. I had to refrain from pursuing the case,” she added, suggesting that some guys attempted to rape her in a bid to discourage them from being lesbians.
She warned that not enough was being done to put in place policies that focus on the safety and freedom of the LGBTIQ+ in the country, such as being offered suitable healh services at hospitals.
“We have been pleading for same sex legal marriage and transplantation service deliveries within the government health facilities, but the government does not seem to hear much from us. There is no much difference in terms of treatment from the government and the churches. Some religions do not even accept people like us in their congregations,” she remarked.
According to her, the members are denied services such as hormone treatment at the government run health facilities although such are open to other people “considered to be normal.”
As a way of celebrating an International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOT), which is celebrated annually on May 17, The People’s Matrix took to Upper Moyeni, Quthing on May 22 to mark the day under the theme, “Together: resisting, supporting and healing.”
The executive director of The People’s Matrix, Mothopeng Tampose suggested that the organisation was receiving more support from the government, given the attendance at the event in Quthing.
“Since we began marking this international day, we have seen the support growing from both the government and the civil society organisations,” Tampose said.
“We were joined by United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the ministry of health (MoH) and other supporting organizations which proved to us that indeed, there is more potential support for LGBTQI+ not only from the non-governmental organizations,” he urged.
Strongly, he called for putting in place policies that would guard against violation of the rights and privileges of the LGBTQI+ people..
The Peoples Matrix, is a local non-governmental organization striving to strengthen the sex, sexual orientation, gender Identity and expression (SSOGIE) movement in Lesotho.
May 17 is now marked in more than 130 countries, including 37 where same sex relationships are illegal.
The day represents a major global annual landmark to draw the attention of decision makers, the media, the public, corporations, opinion leaders as well as local authorities to the conditions faced by people with diverse sexual orientations, gender identities or expressions, and sex characteristics.
The International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia aims to coordinate international events that raise awareness of LGBTIQ+ rights violations and stimulate interest in LGBTIQ+ rights work worldwide.
