The Africa Report — July-August 2017

Yes

Prior to the colonial encounter, West African

societies had a variety of attitudes to same-sex

conduct but none of these included

criminalisation, or discrimination. Homophobic attitudes were

introduced and have been cultivated by a culture of ignorance.

Increasing evidence shows that sexual diversity is a normal part

of human existence. Recently, the Academy of Science of South Africa

published a study emphatically clarifying that sexual orientation is not

a choice, and that homophobia harms African societies. It would

be disingenuous to say that homophobia is on its way out immediately,

but in the face of greater awareness and education many people have

become more enlightened. Recently, TIER ran a poll which showed

that in Nigeria 39% of people accept that homosexuals should have

equal access to public services like healthcare, housing and education

• up 9% from 2015; it is likely this shift comes with greater social
  awareness of homosexuals, and the knowledge that they do not pose
  a threat to society, nor do people willingly choose a sexual orientation
  that puts them at risk of stigma and discrimination. Africans,
  when faced with the overwhelming social and scientific evidence
  that homophobia, not homosexuals, is a threat to our societies,
  are increasingly turning to positions of tolerance and acceptance.•

No

No, it’s not and never has! Even in countries where

they enjoy gay marriage and civil unions,

homophobia is still very real and alive. Not to talk of

West Africa where we have laws that stigmatise LGBTI communities.

I have a problem with the view that homophobia is a thing of the

past – how can it be? When just last week [on 1 June] a journalist

was kidnapped in Nigeria for an article about homosexuality in the

country. When the government is still enacting laws that seek to

punish people who do not conform to the norm of heterosexuality.

It is dangerous to assume that the visibility of the LGBTI community

in Africa has resulted in the reduction or eradication of homophobia

on the continent. A lot of Africans still believe that “the gay agenda

by the West” is taking over African society – which is completely bizarre!

There is no gay agenda! If there is any agenda at all, it is just that

we want to live in a country or continent where everyone respects

each other. I think this idea of homophobia being a thing of the past

can be related to one of the lies people in Africa try to tell themselves,

that homosexuality is un-African. I mean what is even African?

Anyone who thinks homophobia is a thing of the past in Africa

should just google ‘latest attacks on LGBTI community in West Africa’

and you will see almost daily news of attacks on the community.•

Is homophobia in West Africa

becomingathingofthepast?

A report by The Initiative for Equal Rights reveals an increasingly positive

portrayal of LGBT people in media and culture in West Africa, but across

the sub-region, activists continue to feel the full force of anti-gay laws.

DELE M.

FATUNLA

Director,

Research &

Knowledge

Manage­

ment,

The

Initiative

for Equal

Rights

(TIER),

Nigeria

MICHEAL O.

IGHODARO

Assistant

Professor,

Global

LGBTI

Studies,

The New

School

University,

New York,

US

Not really! By signing

the Same Sex

Marriage (Prohibition) Act

into law, Nigeria not only

publicly opened the debate

into its mainstream media

but also gave their courts

of law mandate to try

proponents and/or actors

involved in advancing

the social erosion of

human rights with regard

to same-sex marriage.

Oduor P. Ojwang

Not even remotely

so. Those who feel

this way are living in urban

isolated bubbles.

Homophobia is rife and

anti-gay violence persists

in West Africa.

@Ekow_bk

Your question

completely ignores

the fairly recent anti-gay

legislation in Nigeria

and the Pew Global Polls

that indicate homophobia

in West Africa.

@abena_serwaa

We will never

accept homosexual

acts, get over it.

@YoungAfricanist

Though there are

laws to protect the

human rights of all persons,

LGBT people in Ghana

sometimes do not enjoy

the freedoms and justice

the laws promote. The

prevalence of homophobia

has increased in recent

times. Homophobic

statements by state officials

and religious groups mainly

incite violence and attacks

against LGBT people.

Abubakar S. Yussif

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