A few words
About Us
Who We Are
We are a group of trans and gender-diverse individuals from various nationalities, beliefs, ideologies, and cultures. We voluntarily founded this knowledge-based project to promote scientific, cultural, and legal awareness of gender issues among Arabic speakers in general, and specifically for those facing crises due to their gender diversity—a community to which most of us belong. Our goal is to support them in understanding and empowering themselves, while providing a platform to express their identities to the world freely and without fear. We work toward their economic, legal, and psychological empowerment, aiming to shift the balance of power in their favor and raise collective awareness about our issues and rights in both private and public spheres.
The History of Transat
Transat was founded in 2017 as a social media platform dedicated to gender issues and diversity. It aimed to provide a space for trans and non-binary individuals to express themselves and share their own narratives, rather than having others speak for them. Recognizing the lack of Arabic-language content on gender transition and diversity, Transat collaborated with writers, translators, editors, and graphic designers from across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Over the past five years, Transat has produced 100 articles and visual pieces to raise awareness within the broader community and provide trans and non-binary individuals with cultural and knowledge-based empowerment.
In 2020: We launched the English and Amazigh departments. The English department serves as an advocacy tool to share the lived realities of trans individuals in the MENA region globally. The Amazigh department provides essential gender identity content in the indigenous language of North Africa, addressing a long-standing gap caused by political and cultural marginalization.
In 2021: We launched the first phase of our Emergency Fund, providing psychological and legal support in Egypt and Morocco.
In 2022: We introduced subsistence and relocation services to support those facing eviction, security risks, or social violence.
In 2023: Transat was officially incorporated in the Netherlands as a non-profit organization. We also launched a Capacity Building project in Egypt and Morocco, training individuals in gender, law, mental health, and advocacy to integrate them into the local queer movements.
Vision, Mission, and Goals
Our Vision: A society free from all forms of violence, discrimination, and stigma against transgender individuals.
Our Mission: To promote the rights of trans individuals in a safe environment, empowering them culturally, cognitively, and economically while advocating locally and internationally for just and inclusive laws.
Our Strategic Goals:
Abolish laws that criminalize the existence and movement of trans individuals in the MENA region.
Advocate for legislation that recognizes gender identity and criminalizes discrimination.
Highlight the socio-economic violence faced by our community and its impact on their participation in society.
Create a permanent Arabic and Amazigh reference for gender diversity.
Provide safe alternatives for work, housing, and healthcare.
Build the capacities of trans and non-binary individuals to lead the movement in the future.
Eliminate internal hierarchies and promote non-authoritarian grassroots activism.
Fields of Work
Transat achieves its goals through:
Advocacy and Discourse: Developing new tools and narratives based on the lived experiences of trans and gender-diverse individuals in the region.
Intersectional Analysis: Applying a feminist intersectional lens to gender issues, considering class, religion, race, and ethnicity.
Legal and Psychological Support: Providing pro-bono legal consultations, criminal justice defense, and psychological support for those facing identity-based challenges or social discrimination.
International Advocacy: Pressuring legislative and executive bodies to improve detention conditions and protect the rights of trans citizens.