Women’s Health and Equal Rights Initiative provides free therapy services for members of the LGBTQI+ community in Nigeria. To initiate contact with the therapist kindly fill out the “THERAPY INTAKE FORM” by clicking ont the “SPEAK TO A THERAPIST” button on the homepage then fill out the form, we will take it from there.

We provide free legal services for community members who are the victims of sexual and gender-based violence and also in cases of human rights violations. To access our legal team kindly click on the “Emergency Response Initiative” on our website.

WHER Initiative is an LB (lesbian and bisexual) led organisation, focused on promoting the rights and well-being of lesbian, bisexual and queer (LBQ) women in Nigeria by addressing the psychosocial effect of the dual discrimination faced by LBQ women and their under-representation in Nigeria. WHER aims at promoting a deeper conceptual knowledge of sexuality and sexual orientation, providing access to health and other support services to LBQ women through research, advocacy, education, empowerment and other direct services.

There are two easy ways to donate to our organisation: A. You can click on the “Donate” button on our website to support our missions and programs. B. You can send us a mail at wher@whernigeria.org or call us on +234 909 284 5190.

For collaborations and partnerships for events and programs kindly send a mail to wher@whernigeria.org or call us on +234 909 284 5190.

WHER initiative provides a platform for the promotion of the healthy well-being of sexual and genders diverse women, and the protection of our human rights through advocacy, education, empowerment, psychosocial and research.

All vacancies and available positions are advertised on our website and social media handles, kindly be on the look out for them. On occasions of special services or proposals kindly reach us at wher@whernigeria.org.

Event attendance is strictly by RSVPs only. Kindly read and follow the instructions on event fliers as posted on our social media pages and websites or call +234 909 284 5190 for reservations.

All WHER Initiative events are LGBTQI+ themed and are open to all LGBTQI+ persons except those indicated otherwise on the fliers and posts.

To report all human rights violations and gender-based violence cases kindly click on the “Emergency Response Initiative” on our website and our team will reach out to you as swiftly as possible.

Email: wher@whernigeria.org

Phone: +234 909 284 5190

Twitter: WHERInitiative

Instagram: Wher_Initiative

Tiktok: whernigeria

Facebook: WEAREWHER

We recommend asking respectfully rather than guessing. You could say, “I want to be respectful. What gender pronoun do you use?” It is very important to respect each person’s self-identification. Individuals may use female pronouns, male pronouns, gender-neutral pronouns such as ze or hir, or a mix of pronouns. Never use the word “it” when referring to someone.

We think that whether sexual orientation is something people are born with or something they choose should not make a difference in how individuals or groups are treated.

There is no consensus among scientists about the exact reasons that an individual develops a heterosexual, bisexual, gay, or lesbian orientation. Although much research has examined the possible genetic, hormonal, developmental, social, and cultural influences on sexual orientation, no findings have emerged that permit scientists to conclude that sexual orientation is determined by any particular factor or factors. Many think that nature and nurture both play complex roles.

No. Bisexual, pansexual, and omnisexual people are open to attraction and physical/sexual connections to people of various gender identities. This question is an example of an issue that is unique to the experiences of bi-/pan-/omnisexual folks. The stigma attached to bisexuality exists within lesbian and gay communities as well as within heterosexual communities. Some bisexual people may hide their identity from both the heterosexual and lesbian and gay communities, believing neither will accept them. Bisexual identification is often met with skepticism in the gay & lesbian communities and is seen as an attempt to avoid the stigma of homosexuality. Other common misperceptions are that bisexual people are promiscuous or are unable to be in monogamous relationships.

The gender binary is a social classification system that divides gender identity and gender expression into two mutually exclusive categories (i.e., male/masculine and female/feminine) with narrowly defined limits of what is appropriate for each in terms of appearance, behavior, interests, attire, professional occupations, roles, and responsibilities. Adherence to the expectations for these categories is privileged and rewarded where as deviation or non-conformity results in marginalization, harassment, or discrimination. Sandra Bem (1995) used the phrase “gender polarization” to refer to the system and practices of (a) defining mutually exclusive scripts for being male and female and (b) categorizing any person or behavior that deviates from these scripts as problematic. Problems, in this case, are defined as immoral acts that defy religious perspectives or which are psychologically pathological.

Typically, people use “sex” to refer to a person’s assigned sex at birth based upon physical anatomy and chromosomes. “Gender” is typically used to refer to roles, appearance, interests, and one’s psychological sense of themselves as a gendered being.  Historically, a distinction has been made between sex and gender centered on the ways in which gender is socially constructed around a designation that has been presumed to be ‘objective’ and not socially constructed. When you look closer at the realities that assigned sex at birth (i.e., sex) is socially constructed based on what is considered to be ‘normative’ anatomical and chromosomal characteristics (consider the frequency of intersex conditions; estimated at 1 in 2000), some are now calling into question this rigid distinction between ‘sex’ and ‘gender’.

“Gender identity” is the gender an individual identifies as psychologically, regardless of the sex/gender they were assigned at birth. “Gender expression” is how someone expresses their gender through appearance, behaviour, or mannerisms. A person’s gender expression may or may not be analogous to their gender identity, and a person’s biological sex may or may not be analogous to their gender identity or gender expression.

Language is fluid and contested. Language changes over time, and different people may use the same term differently. A good practice is to educate yourself on the ways concepts and terms are used in your geographic region. You can do this by attending LGBTIQ community events, participating in Safe Zone training, or reviewing resources such as the terminology page on this website.