Have you ever been asked at a security checkpoint if you a man or a woman? Or found yourself being laughed at with nowhere to hide? Have you ever sacrificed relieving yourself in lieu of possible commotion and citizen arrest? What about paying a premium for relief from gawking and amuse in public transport to rather use a cab/taxi/uber?
These scenarios of self-conflict are reflective of the world we live in. Finding your existence confusing, conflict inducing and policed by repressive laws, gender norms, ignorance and insult. Many advancements have been made within the LGBTIQ+ spectrum. Ranging from decriminalisation to depathologization – however, pockets of exclusion have denied those who do not conform to binaries or norms the same dignities. The ‘safe spaces’ we advocate in were ‘technical experts’ and bureaucrats misgender and caution their beliefs have slowly allowed for transgender to be one of the boxes ticked when sending invites of panels and needs assessments. Little remains in areas of programming and resourcing and virtually non-existent for those non-conforming, non-binary and intersex.
We live in a world where boxes of identity must be ticked before conversations occur. Usually, these conversations are far from the inclusion of these boxes in development programming work. Even worse, even within community response interventions that have been created. The politics of identities should never manifest itself in impact-driven work. However, where structures exist; this is evident. Intersecting politics of poverty and under-resourcing are further exasperated by the extractive nature of evidence building and other forms of engagement. Often doing the bare minimum and perpetuating dependency in a way that reduces lived experiences to numbers and indicators.
No year-long M&E indicator framework has resulted in changing systemic impediments to freedoms and liberty. Neither have the most successful forms of organising, political leadership transitions or youth movements been well resourced, structured or pre-determined. The ways of working and narratives that inform civil society and/or development work within the African context need to change. Particularly around issues that can not, in the foreseeable future, be considered people power. Issues of the minority, taboo, immoral or misunderstood are too political and inconvenient for the many. This includes the complex nuances of those who are outliers and do not fit into the safe spaces or solutions.
We have been conditioned to work within boxes and identities that remain to fail us. In some instances, one can never find themselves in the right space or path if living their truth. This is largely because of the prescribed ways of thinking, financing, employing or solutions building. The ecosystem in itself needs to be recalibrated. Servicing on the basis of being human should be universal and the only requirement for any intervention for the beauty of our diversity. This is because the world we live in is ugly and continues to objectify our bodies, thinking and experiences. We have been commodified and those that do not conform are left behind.
What does inclusion look like?
Decolonising the naming and framing of what we do. Bridging through language and enabling for flexibility to respond to emergent opportunities and challenges. It means context, even within the indigenous forms of solutions building. No academic theory based on historical success can be as impactful community asset-based solutions. These centre lived experiences first, before building solutions, without the limitations of privilege or power. What you have learned, survived out of or know does not matter if you do not feel, live and pain in the way the community does. More importantly, the community has a plethora of skills, talent and diversity that can work towards changing its experiences for the better.
The only thing an outsider can do is either amplify, support, strengthen, resource and help build. Relinquishing your power in disposition to lived experiences isn’t easy. Like a mother that cares too much for her child but denies them the value of learning from experience. Investing in a community and not outside it, is the most sustainable way to safeguarding rights and dignity. This includes all identities, diversity and experiences.
Dumiso Gatsha is a third year PhD (Law) candidate, Chartered Global Management Accountant and researcher. Founder of Success Capital NGO; an LGBTIQ+ youth led, managed and serving grassroots organisation working on moving its community from survival to success. IG: dumi.activist
The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this Op-Ed by the Writer are theirs alone and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Rustin Times.
