Homophobia in africa pdf

A qualitative study of the experiences of christian homosexual university students. It is also clear that south africa in general is a very homophobic nation and this might be because people have limited or no information about human sexuality, gender identity and sexual minorities. In other words, what is alien to the continent is legalized homophobia, exported to africa by the imperialists where there had been indifference to and even tolerance of samesex relations. The recent emergence of homosexuality as a central issue in public debate in various parts of africa has encouraged a stereotypical image of one homophobic africa, often placed in opposition to a tolerant or depraved west. Anal intercourse and sexual relations between women also occurred, though. Homosexuality was not uncommon in ancient greece and rome, and the. The following discussion and the 21 examples are from that report, expanded criminalisation of. Heteronormativity, homophobia and culture arguments in. We have an enormous body of historical and scientific evidence for the existence of homosexuality in every culture on every continent and stretching back in time as far as the human record goes. Most tolerant countries the afrobarometer network, which conducts public opinion surveys in africa, recently listed the continents most and least homophobic countries. Homosexuality, sexual interest in and attraction to members of ones own sex. Homosexuality and samesex relations have been documented among various modernday namibian groups. Pdf homophobia is fuelling the aids epidemic in africa. Report finds homosexuality is part of african life.

Homosexuality is still illegal in 38 african countries. Jun 30, 2016 it is also clear that south africa in general is a very homophobic nation and this might be because people have limited or no information about human sexuality, gender identity and sexual minorities. Centre for the study of violence and reconciliation centre. The pervasive homophobia that extends across africa 31 coupled with the widespread criminalization of sex between men has resulted in msm being very poorly engaged with prevention and care. The issue of homosexuality has excited deep and often extreme reactions in africa.

Thinking about sexual rights and citizenship in postapartheid south africa vasu reddy 18 n. The following chart summarizes the treatment of homosexuality in the laws of fortynine african nations. Why africa is a hotbed of homophobia world news the. The irony of homophobia in africa homosexuals are worse than pigs and dogs asserted one former african president. Pdf in this paper, i assert that the criminalization of homosexuality in africa is a result of a coconstruction process which has its roots during. Words by hamish mckenzie illustration by mahalia lodge. Africa is a large continent with diverse cultures and ethnicities, however homophobia fueled by religious intolerance and oppressive laws are remarkably similar issues most have in common. Bbc news in depth africalive homosexuality in africa. African homophobia does not exist, nor does european homophobia, asian homophobia. Of the jurisdictions surveyed, only south africa affirmatively permits samesex marriage.

What is striking is that this image of africa as homophobic is promoted by both traditionalists who insist that homosexuality is a western intrusion andby the western media that focus. In south africa, for example, certain political parties strongly frown on homosexuality andor immigration, whilst simultaneously promoting the rights of women and children. Research on the response of the main line churches to homosexuality in south africa. The precolonial african is one who has been severely handicapped in terms of sexuality.

West african writers for instance sought to present a picture of the african male where sex. In uganda, conducting research on msm, including investigations of possible human rights abuses, has become difficult or impossible. Shocking new stats show that south africans are becoming more. In these four african countries, the majority of residents say they would welcome or would not be bothered having a homosexual neighbor. Country criminal provisions laws against advocacy recognition of samesex marriage commit an unnatural offense, also a crime, is, punishable on conviction by a sevenyear prison term. The men interviewed argued that they are heterosexual.

African is part of a complex and charged debate on sexuality, which exposes various cultural and political logics that. Revitalizing the fight against homophobia in africa. According to, a website intent on presenting news from the african pointofview, homosexuality is outlawed in 29 countries. In uganda, for example, the pracitce referred to as carnal knowledge of another against the order of nature has been outlawed by president museveni, while zimbabwes president robert mugabe claimed homosexuals were worse than pigs and dogs. Homophobia and sexuality diversity in south african. The use of defence mechanisms as precursors to coming out in postapartheid south africa. Homosexuals are worse than pigs and dogs asserted one former african president. Xi preface1 all very confusing among the many myths europeans have created about africa, the myth that homosexuality is ab sent or incidental in african societies is one of the oldest and most enduring. It should maintain highlevel public and private pressure on homophobic governments and integrate gay rights within broader efforts to advance. The history of lgbt legislation south african history online. The term is a misnomer in that it implies an irrational fear of homosexuals similar to the panic of claustrophobia.

South africa is a forerunner among african states regarding the rights and protections it gives to gays and lesbians, and it is also the first country in the world to offer explicit legal protection to gays and lesbians gevisser and cameron, 1995, p. Jul 25, 2012 homophobia in democratic south africa. The argument questions whether the currently held perception of homosexuality as abhorrent is traditional to african culture or not. Homosexuality remains illegal in almost twothirds of the 55. He views it ironic that homosexuality as unafrican is sighted by african leaders to justify homophobic sentiment yet the emergence of homophobia in africa was strongly linked to colonial influence and is embedded in colonial laws which are still invoked.

The provisions on criminal penalties only include penalties for acts involving adults, as all nations penalize sexual acts, whether homosexual or heterosexual, involving children. The work that has been undertaken by both government and civil society to tackle homophobia appears to have had little impact on the general. Homophobia is an irrational fear of, hatred or aversion towards lesbian, gay or bisexual people. It details the costs of this surge in legislative homophobia to u. Nov 20, 2008 implications for practice are considered in the context of south africa s new constitution and the implementation of curriculum 2005. Francis, d, msibi, t 2011 teaching about heterosexism. While there is some correlation and association between religion and homosexuality, it is homosexuality in africa.

The idea that african homosexuality was a colonial import. The early roman criminal law expressly prohibited unnatural practices. Western liberals eager to see the best in africa must face an inconvenient truth. Homophobia increased in africa when missionaries and colonial administrations categorized homosexuality as a perversity, dunnink remarks. Pdf on jan 1, 2016, elias kifon bongmba and others published homosexuality, ubuntu, and otherness in the african church in advance find, read and cite all the research you need on researchgate. Out of the 54 states recognised by the united nations or african union or both, the international gay and lesbian association stated in 2015 that. Thinking about sexual rights and citizenship in postapartheid south africa vasu reddy 18 n womens rights and lesbian rights. Criminalization of samesex conduct in subsaharan africa. Homophobia and sexuality diversity in south african schools. While literally translating to an irrational fear of homosexuals, it has. Parental views of morality and sexuality and the implications for south african moral education 2012 bhana, d understanding and addressing homophobia in schools.

Criminalization, protection and recognition of samesex love. The voices of strident homophobic leaders in africa have been amplified by large infusions of money from american rightwing culture warriors such as howard f. This has ultimately resulted in dra conian responses, often using colonial antisodomy laws, directed against those who claim a gay identity, or. Progressive prudes, one of the first surveys conducted on the attitudes towards homosexuality and gender nonconformity in south africa, noted that 51% believe that gay people should have the same human rights, but a staggering 72% feel that samesex activity is morally wrong. New research seeks to dispel myth of african homophobia. Why africa is a hotbed of homophobia world news the guardian. The workshop for lesbians on internalized homophobia was an examination of how living in a homophobic world damages lesbians. A number of debates have taken place both within the church and the media concerning the future direction of the church on homosexuality and same sex marriages in south africa and the world over. Out of the 54 states recognised by the united nations or african union or both, the international gay and lesbian association stated in 2015 that homosexuality is outlawed in 34 african countries. The other states that homophobic relations may have in fact been an integral part of african history and hence african life.

Clearly, homosexuality existed in early african history. The irony of homophobia in africa request pdf researchgate. An exploratory study of the social contexts, practices and risks of men who sell sex in southern and eastern africa. Homosexuality is still taboo in many african countries the. The latter school of thought claims that after the colonial invasion and the missionary contact in africa, many african social structures as well as traditions were reshaped to suit the colonial legacy they left behind. It was enforced legally by colonial administrators and ideologically by christian missionaries. The second section problematizes the now longstanding assumption of a sodomitefree africa and uses foucaults concept of genealogy to challenge the notion that samesex desire is a western. The myth of western decadence exposed semantic scholar. Clearly, it is not homosexuality that is unafrican but the laws that criminalized such relations. Consequently, the following list is the top homophobic countries in africa. Homophobic rhetoric, and the violence it supports, is often premised on the idea that homosexuality is unafrican and that it is a degenerate byproduct of.

Homophobia is a form of cultural prejudice rather than a manifestation of an individual phobia. We discuss three ironies inherent in african homophobia, and their consequences not only for increasing risk of hivaids in men who have sex. In the 18th century, the khoikhoi people recognised the terms koetsire which refers to a man who is sexually receptive to another man, and soregus, which refers to samesex masturbation usually among friends. We discuss three ironies inherent in african homophobia, and their consequences not only for increasing risk of hivaids in men who have sex with men msm but also for threatening peoples health in. Homosexuality and the legalisation of homophobia in africa. Pdf homosexuality, ubuntu, and otherness in the african. Shocking new stats show that south africans are becoming. Human rights watch notes that another two countries, benin and the central african republic, do not outlaw homosexuality, but have certain laws which apply differently to heterosexual and homosexual. The th edition of the statesponsored homophobia report is authored by lucas ramon mendos for the international lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex association ilga. Nigeria is known for homophobic discrimination, with numerous cases of torture and attacks on homosexuals.

Recent recognition of lesbian and gay rights and approval of equality laws in several countries confirms the. Criminal laws on homosexuality in african nations library of. Laws on homosexuality in african nations the following chart summarizes the treatment of. The global gay rights movement has just entered a dark new chapter with rising economic giant nigeria snatching the limelight as africas new poster child of homophobia. Institutional and personal homophobia in subsaharan. Homosexuality is also recorded among the siwa of egypt. A homosexual is broadly defined to include any individual who touches another person with the intention of committing the act of homosexuality. Afro asian journal of social sciences volume 1, no. Queer youth in south africa today key aids acquired immune deficiency syndrome anc african national congress arvs antiretrovirals few forum for the empowerment of women gala gay and lesbian memory in action hiv human immunodeficiency virus hsrc human sciences research council humcc hope and unity metropolitan community church iam inclusive. Mar 05, 2017 rising homophobia in africa homosexuality is illegal in 38 african countries and, in recent years, legal rights for lgbt people across the continent have been diminishing, according to amnesty. The data regarding these perceptions is in line with the data.

This publication compiles data on laws that affect people on the basis of their sexual orientation a fundamental resource for researchers, civil society organisations, governments and the general public. The recent emphasis on rising homophobia in africa is disingenuous. Homophobia is a colloquial expression that refers to negative, fearful, or hateful attitudes and behavior toward gays and lesbians. The editors are also planning a special issue on homophobia in africa for publication in septembe 20r th. Experiences from nigeria dorothy akenova 16 n identity, law, justice. How the church affects lgbt repression religion news service religion news service rns in the last month, many westerners watched in horror as uganda, and then nigeria, enacted laws that are brutally repressive to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. Anyone who says that homosexuality is unafrican is racist.

The idea that african homosexuality was a colonial import is. Revitalizing the fight against homophobia in africa aws. Working through local activists is crucial for the effort to counter homophobia in africa. Recently, leaders in namibia, zimbabwe and uganda openly condemned homosexuality and are seeking. With the exception of south africa and cape verde, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender lgbt rights in africa are limited in comparison to western europe and much of the americas and oceania. At least 21 cultural varieties of samesex relationships have long been part of traditional african life, as demonstrated in a report that was designed to dispel the confusion and lies that surrounded ugandas anti homosexuality bill of 2014 which has since been overturned.

Pdf the invention of homophobia in africa researchgate. The homosexual nature of africas past you didnt know. Homophobia is fuelling the aids epidemic in africa. Homosexuality is still taboo in many african countries. Africa is regularly perceived as a homophobic continent.

Feb 28, 20 homophobia corrective rape south africa has extremely high rates of sexual violence, and rape has been used in the country as a way to punish women who do not conform to normative ideals of femininity in different ways over time. Feb 22, 2014 the real import into africa was not homosexuality but homophobia. Coming out experiences, gay and lesbian youth, homophobia, qualitative research, secondary education, south africa. The report, launched at the seventh south african aids conference in durban, south africa, last night 10 june, examines scientific evidence on sexual practices.

Defining homophobia and the theoretical scope as a term, homophobia has been utilized in a vast array of settings, which has contributed to a misleading meaning. It is a bargaining chip in order to hold countries to ransom. V summary the proposal of the anti homosexuality bill in uganda in 2009 led to a situating of uganda as the focal point for an international debate on the rights of samesex people. Apr 26, 2014 in other words, what is alien to the continent is legalized homophobia, exported to africa by the imperialists where there had been indifference to and even tolerance of samesex relations. Homosexuality in africa the issue of homosexuality in african culture remains complex and controversial. Samesex relations are illegal in 36 of africas 55 countries, according to amnesty international, and punishable by death in some states. This often translates into blatant hatred and violence against this community under the umbrella of laws enacted to criminalize lgbt people. In uganda such laws were introduced by the british and have been part of our penal law since the late 19th century. Mar 08, 2014 the idea that african homosexuality was a colonial import is a myth.

Gay and lesbian youth experiences of homophobia in south. Scientific evidence shows that human sexual behaviour is naturally varied, and should not form a basis for discrimination, says a highly anticipated report from the academy of science of south africa assaf. We discuss three ironies inherent in african homophobia, and their consequences not only for increasing risk of hivaids. Subsequently, even though it is now established that laws criminalizing homosexuality in many countries have their roots in the colonial period. The term gay is frequently used as a synonym for homosexual. Because the term homophobia is widely understood, it is often used in an allencompassing way to refer to fear, hatred and. Uvadare digital academic repository homophobic africa. By situating homosexuality within african culture, cosmology and spirituality, the article refutes the claim that homosexuality is a colonial import. Homosexuality was a common occurrence in the gold mines of south africa during the 1950s and 1960s and even now dunbar moodie, vivienne ndatshe and british sibuyi, 1988. Lgbti people, the often populist incitements by politicians in media out lets close to the regime to attack homosexuals and.