Triangle Project

Triangle Project is a South African LGBTQI rights organisation and community-service provider. It traces its origins to the Gay Association of South Africa, commonly identified in its early period as GASA 6010, which was established in 1981. The organisation initially combined rights-oriented activity with practical support, including counselling and medical services for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex people. In 1982 it opened a hotline, creating an additional channel for people seeking information, emotional support, and assistance in a period when LGBTQI communities in South Africa faced legal, social, and health-related pressures. From 1984, the organisation became involved in responding to the HIV/AIDS crisis in South Africa. Its work formed part of a broader movement of community-based health education, support, and advocacy that addressed the disproportionate effects of HIV/AIDS on marginalised communities. Two initiatives that later became independent organisations developed within or alongside this organisational history. The Aids Support and Education Trust, known as ASET, was established within GASA 6010 in 1989 and became independent in 1994. The Sex Workers Education and Advocacy Taskforce, or SWEAT, was formed as part of the organisation in 1994 and became independent in 1996. The organisation adopted the name Triangle Project in 1996. The new identity reflected a continuing emphasis on LGBTQI rights, community empowerment, public education, and direct support rather than a narrowly defined association model. Triangle Project has subsequently been described as one of South Africa's largest LGBTQI rights organisations. Its work has included counselling and support services, health-related education, research, public advocacy, and efforts to document violence and discrimination affecting LGBTQI people. A notable area of its public work has been documenting violence against black lesbians and other LGBTQI people in South Africa. Research published by Triangle Project in 2008 highlighted the prevalence and fear of sexual violence often described as corrective rape. The study reported that 86 percent of black lesbians surveyed in the Western Cape said they lived in fear of sexual assault. This research helped bring greater public attention to the intersection of homophobia, misogyny, racism, and sexual violence, and supported advocacy for improved protection and services. Triangle Project operates primarily in South Africa and is a civil-society organisation rather than a commercial consumer brand. Its principal offerings are therefore programmes and services: community support, rights advocacy, research, education, and health or social-information activities. The organisation's public profile also reflects the wider international network supporting LGBTQI and transgender rights. In 2025, an author-led fundraising auction organised by Lauren Beukes and Jeannette Ng collected donated items from writers and the estate of Terry Pratchett to raise funds for Triangle Project and the UK's Good Law Project. The initiative was presented as a response to funding pressure on South African queer-rights organisations and legal threats affecting transgender people in the United Kingdom. Available reference material does not establish a founder, headquarters address, executive leadership roster, annual budget, ownership structure, or a listed-company status. Triangle Project should therefore be understood as a South African nonprofit advocacy and support organisation whose identity is rooted in LGBTQI community services and rights work.

Triangle Project originated in 1981 as the Gay Association of South Africa, also referred to as GASA 6010. Its early activities included counselling and medical services for LGBTQI people. In 1982, it established a hotline, expanding its ability to provide information and support to people who could not easily access formal services or community institutions. The organisation became involved in South Africa's HIV/AIDS response from 1984. This work connected LGBTQI rights advocacy with public-health education, support, and community mobilisation during the country's HIV/AIDS crisis. Several specialised initiatives emerged from this organisational environment. The Aids Support and Education Trust was created within GASA 6010 in 1989 and became independent in 1994. The Sex Workers Education and Advocacy Taskforce was formed within the organisation in 1994 and became independent in 1996. In 1996, GASA 6010 changed its name to Triangle Project. The renamed organisation continued as a rights and support body serving LGBTQI communities in South Africa. Its activities have included counselling, health information, HIV/AIDS-related education, research, public advocacy, and documentation of discrimination and violence. Triangle Project's 2008 research on violence against black lesbians became an important part of its public advocacy. The research reported that 86 percent of black lesbians from the Western Cape surveyed said they lived in fear of sexual assault. It helped expose the social conditions surrounding so-called corrective rape and connected anti-LGBTQI violence with gender inequality and racial marginalisation. In 2025, Triangle Project was selected as a beneficiary of the Genre Creators for Trans Rights Auction. The event was established by Lauren Beukes and Jeannette Ng, with contributions from authors including Olivie Blake, Patrick Rothfuss, Ali Hazelwood, and Adrian Tchaikovsky, as well as the estate of Terry Pratchett. The auction sought to support Triangle Project and the UK's Good Law Project at a time described by the organisers as particularly difficult for queer-rights organisations in South Africa and transgender rights advocacy in the UK.

• 2025

  Beneficiary of Genre Creators for Trans Rights Auction

  [1]Triangle Projecten.wikipedia.org

  An author-organised fundraising auction named Triangle Project as a beneficiary alongside the UK's Good Law Project.

• 2008

  Research documents fear of sexual violence

  [1]Triangle Projecten.wikipedia.org

  Triangle Project published research reporting widespread fear of so-called corrective rape among black lesbians in the Western Cape.

• 1996

  SWEAT becomes independent and GASA 6010 becomes Triangle Project

  [1]Triangle Projecten.wikipedia.org

  SWEAT became independent, while GASA 6010 adopted the name Triangle Project.

• 1994

  ASET becomes independent

  [1]Triangle Projecten.wikipedia.org

  The Aids Support and Education Trust became independent from the organisation.

• 1994

  SWEAT formed

  [1]Triangle Projecten.wikipedia.org

  The Sex Workers Education and Advocacy Taskforce was formed as part of the organisation.

• 1989

  ASET founded within GASA 6010

  [1]Triangle Projecten.wikipedia.org

  The Aids Support and Education Trust was established as an initiative within GASA 6010.

• 1984

  HIV/AIDS response begins

  [1]Triangle Projecten.wikipedia.org

  The organisation became involved in responding to the HIV/AIDS crisis in South Africa.

• 1982

  Hotline opened

  [1]Triangle Projecten.wikipedia.org

  GASA 6010 opened a hotline to provide an additional route to information and support for LGBTQI people.

• 1981

  GASA 6010 established

  [1]Triangle Projecten.wikipedia.org

  The organisation was founded as the Gay Association of South Africa, also known as GASA 6010, beginning work that included counselling and medical services.

A South African LGBTQI rights and community-support organisation combining advocacy, research, education, health-related work, and direct services for marginalised communities.

• Community services · 1981

  LGBTQI support and counselling

  Triangle Project's origins included counselling and medical services for LGBTQI people. These activities form part of its broader role as a community-support organisation rather than a commercial product provider.

• Health education · 1984

  HIV/AIDS education and support

  The organisation became involved in South Africa's HIV/AIDS response from 1984. Its health-related role has been associated with education, support, and advocacy for communities affected by HIV/AIDS and wider health inequalities.

• Rights advocacy

  LGBTQI rights research and advocacy

  Triangle Project conducts or publishes advocacy-oriented research and uses public education to document discrimination and violence affecting LGBTQI people. Its 2008 research on corrective rape brought particular attention to violence against black lesbians.

• 2025Genre Creators for Trans Rights Auction

  South Africa · United Kingdom · International

  Lauren Beukes and Jeannette Ng organised an author-led auction with donated items from several writers and the estate of Terry Pratchett. Triangle Project was one of the beneficiaries, alongside the UK's Good Law Project.

  Outcome. The auction was intended to raise funds and visibility for trans-rights and queer-rights work. The available reference does not provide a final amount raised.

  Source

• 1996

  Adoption of the Triangle Project nameStrategy

  Background

  After operating for many years as the Gay Association of South Africa or GASA 6010, the organisation changed its name in 1996.

  Action taken

  It adopted the name Triangle Project while continuing its LGBTQI rights, support, education, and advocacy work.

  Aftermath

  The renamed organisation continued as a major South African LGBTQI rights organisation. No financial impact is specified in the available sources.

  Source

1. 1Triangle Projecten.wikipedia.org
2. 2Triangle Project official websitetriangle.org.za