Melanie Judge:

Of bondage and fruits

Melanie is a human rights activist and a queer scholar. She collaborates with non-profit organisations and donors on strategy, capacity building and communications to advance social justice. Melanie has published and presented widely on gender and sexuality. She played a prominent role in advocacy and law reform towards LGBTI equality in South Africa, and is lead editor of the book To Have and To Hold: The Making of Same-sex Marriage in South Africa. Melanie is an Associate of Inyathelo: The South African Institute for Advancement and currently serves on the governing board of the Gay and Lesbian Memory in Action She holds a Masters degree in Development Studies, an Honours degree in Psychology, a Business Management diploma, and is currently a PhD candidate. Her research focus is on representations of violence against lesbians and its implications for identities, political agency and feminist politics. She blogs regularly at www.thoughtleader.co.za/melaniejudge