Moja Love's Tholang Motsumi talks making​ hormone replacement therapy easily available for transgender people

Tholang Motsumi is determined to educate parents and schoolteachers about the LGBTQIA+ community as they can play a huge role in destigmatising society's views.

Since making her reality TV debut on Moja Love's The Way Ngingakhona in 2019, Tholang has considered herself an activist for the queer community to help them through their journey to owning their truth.

“I believe in fairness and equality of the LGBTQIA+ community. I go an extra mile, even on TV to educate people about the queer community as a whole and educate parents as well because I do not want children to grow up as I did,” she told TshisaLIVE.

From a young age when attending primary school, Tholang says she's always known that her love for men and being feminine was beyond just being gay, but since being transgender was still taboo for the people around her, her transition was met with a lot of judgment and challenges with many people questioning her.

“The journey was not easy because the teachers at primary school were not adequately educated about the LGBTQIA+. I remember in grade 7 my English teacher hated me with all her heart because she didn't understand why I was identifying as a girl instead of just being a boy, 

“My teachers and fellow classmates would swear at me and it would leave me with anger. My mom was also not accepting of my transition and also forced me to go to school wearing pants.”

In 2010, Tholang decided to shamelessly step into her womanhood but soon realised that the world had a lot of hurdles and hoops for her to jump through before she would get her way.

She recalls being turned away by nurses at the clinic who denied her HRTs (hormone replacement therapy).

“They'd say that the government provides them (hormones) for women to prevent pregnancy ... I eventually got to have a medical card which provided access to a doctor to provide me with the HRTs which are equivalent to contraceptives necessary for the transition as a transgender woman.”  

Today, the 31-year-old from the Free State, says she is the woman she's always wanted to be.

“I have a pair of boobs that are beautiful and a feminine face. I, however, did not do the bottom surgery and still have the same genitalia as I was born with but I know that I am a woman and that the surgery could never define who I am,”

She now aims to venture onto more platforms as an actress to inspire other people who have to undergo a similar journey. 

“I was one of the first trans women to make it on reality TV in Mzansi, I had a cameo on The River and now I want to do more. I've always known I had something different to offer and inspire so many people to live their lives.

“I want to inspire little kids that their sexuality or gender doesn't matter. You can reach your goals by just knowing who you are, the sky is the limit.”

Speaking to TshisaLIVE, Dr Kgaudi Lebitsa explained when transitioning, you need hormonal supplements to suppress androgens which are male dominated hormones.

Long-term use of oestrogen-based contraception can cause the breast tissue to develop and it can affect your sex drive and fertility. Hence, it is encouraged that you seek advise from a doctor.

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