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25 August 2022 | Story Rulanzen Martin | Photo Rulanzen Martin
Vency Mupupa, Jessica Lynne and Dr Nadine Lake
From the left: Vency Mupupa, Jessica Lynn and Dr Nadine Lake.

Creating residences and other spaces that adapt to change without it being forced is a process that requires time, patience, and nurturing. Through recent engagements with Jessica Lynn, a transgender activist from the Kinsey Institute in the United States, the Centre for Gender and Africa Studies (CGAS) and the Housing and Residence Affairs (HRA) division at the University of the Free State (UFS) are committing to creating dialogue and engagements that will foster gender-, transgender- and LGBTQI-positive attitudes for residences on and off the UFS campuses. 

Most of the advocacy and educating work envisaged by the CGAS and HRA did not materialise due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “There are issues coming to the forefront amongst the student community in terms of gender identity and gender fluidity on all three UFS campuses. It is visible that these issues exist, but they are not being discussed,” said Dr Nadine Lake of the CGAS. She added that the Centre would like the UFS to continue addressing issues like acceptance, inclusion, and diversity, but to also focus on gender identity and not just on race.  

Inclusive living spaces: The seed has been planted 

“We reached out to Housing and Residence Affairs (HRA) around creating more education and advocacy for students and staff within HRA around transgender identity specifically, but then also gender,” Lake said. According to Vency Mupupa, Senior Officer: Accommodation Services at HRA, the seed for a broad-based gender awareness project within on-campus residences started in 2019, when HRA was tasked with conducting research into inclusive housing. 

“The focus is not only on transgender people but the LGBTQI community at large. We are starting small, but eventually it will affect the larger student population,” Mupupa said. 

She emphasised that the focus is not only on students in residences but also on staff within HRA and the residences. “We have 25 000 students, and on-campus residences can only accommodate around 6 000 students, so it is a drop in the ocean, but if we can educate everyone else the space will move away from being unaccepting and become more inclusive.” 

Transgender awareness breaks down walls 

Referencing her own experiences, Lynn, who is a transgender woman, said that advocating for gender awareness is all about creating safe spaces for people to be their authentic self. “It is a very closeted feeling,” she said. “When I transitioned, I experienced a lot of bad things, and I wanted to use my experience to help educate others so that are not trapped the same way I was. There is a very small percentage of people worldwide who identify as transgender… It is not like there are no transgendered people here, it is just that they are scared of coming out.” 

Universities are the perfect space

Lynn decided her awareness campaigns should focus on university students because the students she reaches are the next generation of doctors, lawyers, politicians, and judges. “It is all about how we can educate the next generation.”

Most university or college students are going to progress in their careers and will be able to use their influence to educate the next generation. “But, most importantly, most of these students are going to become parents – and sooner or later one of them might become a parent to a bisexual, transgender, or gay child, and through my presentations it would have hopefully opened a lot for them to comprehend,” Lynn said. 

Lynn is internationally renowned for her transgender awareness work and advocacy, and her longstanding relationship with CGAS widened the scope to intensify this project. “Jessica’s work is very important, firstly because of her affiliation with the Kinsey Institute, but most importantly her work in transgender identity,” Dr Lake said. Lynn has presented classes, seminars and talks at some of the leading universities around the globe and in South Africa has delivered talks at the UFS and Rhodes University.

• The Department of Social Work at the UFS will host a Gender Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Seminar with Jessica Lynn on 2 September 2022. Click here for more information. 

News Archive

Statement: Visit of the Portfolio Committee on Education to the UFS
2005-02-25

The chair of the Portfolio Committee on Education (PCE) Prof Shepherd Mayatula has commended the management of the University of the Free State (UFS) for its positive approach to the incorporation of the Vista and Qwaqwa campuses.

According to a statement issued by the university’s communication section, Prof Mayatula said that while there were outstanding issues to address, a platform had been created through the visit of the portfolio committee for the UFS to find solutions.

Speaking at the end of a visit to the Bloemfontein campus of the UFS, Prof Mayatula said: “You know the issues that exist between the three campuses and you know the solutions. You don’t need recommendations from the Committee.”

Earlier today the PCE held a three-way meeting between the PCE, the management of the UFS and the Vista Task Team, representing staff and students at the Bloemfontein campus of the former Vista University .
 

The Bloemfontein campus of the former Vista University was incorporated into the UFS in January 2004.

The multi-party delegation from the PCE was led by its chairperson, Prof S Mayatula, while the delegation from the UFS was led by the Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Prof Frederick Fourie, while the Vista Task Team was lead by Mr Paseka Mokoena.

Following a presentation by the Vista Task Team and a presentation by the UFS management, other committee members also commended the UFS for the spirit in which outstanding issues were being handled.

It was indicated by portfolio committee members that other universities have far more serious problems than the UFS, and that some of these universities have also been visited by the PCE. The UFS appears to be on the road to be an important pilot case for incorporations and mergers.

The issues that were discussed during today’s meeting included the following:

  • outstanding issues in the process of incorporating the Bloemfontein campus of the former Vista University into the UFS, including:
  • staff issues and conditions of service
  • issues of student aid and pipeline students
  • governance of the UFS
  • the long term utilisation of Vista as a site

The Rector and Vice-chancellor of the UFS, Prof Fourie, expressed his appreciation for the role played by the Portfolio Committee on Education in bringing about a common understanding of the transformation issues facing the UFS.

Prof Fourie said the Portfolio Committee’s visit was a useful intervention to bring about a sense of urgency in resolving matters affecting the Vista campus as well as the Qwaqwa campus.

Issued by: Mr Anton Fisher
Director: Strategic Communication
Cell: 072-207-8334
Tel: 051-401-2749
25 February 2005

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