Sheila Lapinsky

Sheila Lapinsky is a South African anti-apartheid and LGBT rights activist. Born in Johannesburg in 1944, she became politically active as a student and later served as Secretary-General of the National Union of South African Students. She was banned by the apartheid government in 1973 and remained in South Africa throughout her five-year banning order. She later became a founding member of Lesbians and Gays Against Oppression and the Organisation for Lesbian and Gay Activists, and campaigned for the constitutional recognition of lesbian and gay rights. Quotes OLGA, in consultation with other lesbian and gay organisations in the country, is engaged in compiling proposed amendments to the guidelines such that they will make specific provision for the protection of lesbian and gay rights - thus we find ourselves in the unique situation of possibly being able to have an influence on the shape of the new constitution… ILGA & ILIS History Collection We had then the chance to write our own constitution. We asked that, in the clauses against discrimination on grounds of sex, religion, race, the word ‘sex’ should be replaced by ‘gender and sexual orientation’ and it seems that we will have no difficulty in obtaining this. We shall then have the first constitution in the world to say that! Lesbia Magazine We are going to try to bring together a national convention of all the gay and lesbian groups and then it won't just be the voice of the 150 people in OLGA, but that of several thousand participants. Lesbia Magazine That said, the time is one of optimism, enormous optimism and we know how lucky we are to be able to build a country. Lesbia Magazine External links Category:1944 births Category:Feminists Category:Anti-apartheid activists Category:LGBT rights activists Category:Women activists from South Africa Category:Living people Category:Women born in the 1940s