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Let's Talk about Masculinities
- together.

A Journey of unlearning, healing

and becoming.

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Changing the narrative.
One conversation at a time.

Leballo Tjemolane is a writer, researcher, and speaker, deeply rooted in the rich complexities of Southern Africa. Born in Lesotho, raised in Soweto, and shaped by global journeys, his work centers on honest conversations about masculinity, identity, and transformation.

He believes masculinity is not broken — it is waiting to be reclaimed with honesty and courage.
Through research, writing, and facilitation, Leballo creates brave spaces where men can reflect, unlearn, and grow into their most authentic selves.

Currently pursuing his PhD at the University of the Western Cape, he investigates how Black South African men resist toxic masculine scripts and reshape identity in postcolonial contexts. His work blends academic inquiry, spirituality, and social engagement — building new pathways for healing and liberation.

About LTJ

Curious who I am? Ask me. But be ready for truth.

I’m Leballo — a scholar, thinker, and man who refuses to be boxed in.
My life is a tapestry of faith, struggle, music, and deep questioning. I’m on a journey to explore what Black masculinity really means — beyond stereotypes and pain.

I write, teach, speak, and coach to open space for honest conversations around identity, healing, and freedom.
This is more than work — it’s how I live.

I’m a Black man navigating identity, masculinity, and justice — not from the sidelines, but from within.
 

My Vision:
I envision a world where Black masculinity is not pathologized, but acknowledged, healed, and celebrated — in all its depth and diversity.
 

My Mission:
Through research, dialogue, and embodied practice, I co-create spaces where men can remember their truth, rewrite their stories, and radically embrace who they are.

My Work

Real Conversations.

Real Change.

Interactive, embodied sessions with men, students and organizations. Safe, guided spaces to explore identity, power, care and accountability.

Keynotes and panel conversations on modern masculinities, race, healing, and truth-telling. I bring perspective and presence – to classrooms, conferences, and communities.

I write essays, academic reflections and cultural commentary – exploring Black identity, gender, and decolonial futures. My work engages with critical theory and lived truth.

Current Projects:

Changing the narrative. One Conversation at a time.

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PhD Research: Democratic Masculinity
(University of the Western Cape)
Exploring how Black men navigate, embrace, and resist democratic masculinity in post-apartheid South Africa.

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“Community wounds are healed by community” – Auto‑ethnographic paper (AVReQ Colloquium, Stellenbosch 2023)

Presented at the “Colonial Wound & Practice of Repair” colloquium at Stellenbosch University—exploring how men’s religio-cultural identities shape collective healing

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Opinion: “A lockdown on toxic and outdated masculinities needed more than ever” (News24, Apr 2020)

Critical reflection on COVID‑19 as an opportunity to redefine masculinity, supported by ongoing Gender Studies research at UWC

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Opinion: “A cry for men to heed the call against gender‑based violence” (UCT News, Nov 2022)

A powerful co-authored essay with Aphiwe Mhlangulana, urging men to confront patriarchy & restore agency, featured on UCT’s official platform

with

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"I don't want to be a better man. I want to be a truer one."

I’m not here to teach perfection.
I’m here to walk honestly.


To show up with truth — in work, in love, and in life.
This journey is personal — and deeply human.
I don’t stand outside the system I speak about. I live it. I question it.
And I choose presence over perfection. Every time.

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