Jordan Chanetsa

Jordan Chanetsa (born ) is a Zimbabwean human rights activist and artist. A trans woman, she was the founded of the Harare Queer Collective, an organisation promoting the establishment of safe spaces for LGBTQ people in Zimbabwe.

Biography Chanetsa was born in Bulawayo, Matabeleland, and raised in Harare. Her parents, who were both of mixed ancestry, were ministers at a megachurch; her father was also a radio host. Chanetsa attended the National School of the Arts in Johannesburg, South Africa, where she was first exposed to ballroom culture.

Chanetsa participated in Women Deliver's Young Leaders Programme in recognition of her work promoting gender equality, LGBTQ rights and sexual health.

Chanetsa was critical of established LGBTQ organisations in Zimbabwe, which she felt were led by older activists who were unwilling to consider the different struggles and experiences of younger LGBTQ people in the country; she also felt that international aid was often earmarked for sexual health and HIV prevention as opposed to the emotional and social wellbeing of LGBTQ people. In 2019, Chanetsa founded the Harare Queer Collective (HQC), with the aim of establishing safe places across the city where it would be safe for LGBTQ people to meet and socialise. The HQC has held events including balls and open mic nights. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the HQC raised to support with relief efforts. In 2020, her own show, The Naked Truth, which focused on gender, sexuality and health, premiered; she also began hosting a podcast, Her Hour. In 2022, Chanetsa released a short film, A Trance, consisting of a collage of images and sounds; she also featured in the documentary Transgender in MugabeLand.