In the 21st century, Africa is waking up to the realization that changes are happening in the cultural and social norms that many parts of the world are embracing. Some of these changes are regarded as normal human behavior in some parts of the world while they remain taboo in Africa. And among those controversial human behaviors is homosexuality, the tendency of people of the same gender becoming sexually attracted to each other (Anderson 125). So much conflict has been witnessed in many African countries because there are a few people who are in support of it while a majority of it does not support this ‘unbecoming’ behavior. It is for that reason that homosexuality has been criminalized throughout the continent. Many African nations are religious, and thus anything that seems to go anoints their religious beliefs are termed as morally unacceptable, and homosexuality is one of them
A lot of studies has been done to investigate the attitudes of Africans towards homosexuality. In 2007, the International Gay and Lesbian Association did a survey across the fifty-three African states to investigate how different African nations viewed homosexuality. It turned out 40 out of 53 African countries criminalized same- sex relationships and 37 out of the 53 nations considered the issue illegal (Anderson 126). That is an indication that a bigger percentage of the African population believed it is illegal to engage in same- sex intercourse. By 2011, the percentage of the countries that discriminated same-sex marriages fell from 77% to 69%. By 2015, it had fallen to 61 % (Anderson 127). That is an indication that Africa has not yet fully embraced the cultural shift of human relations and the family like most western countries have.
Some countries such as Algeria and Sudan have imposed a death penalty for anyone engaging in same-sex relationships. But in South Africa, same-sex relationships have been legal since 2006. One wonders why that is the case while many other African countries remain neutral. The difference lies in the religious and traditional belief systems that have existed in the different African nations. Each country is independent and whereas another accepts some cultural norms others go against them. It all boils down to how the different governments look at the issue. Political and socioeconomic factors cannot be ignored because they too, help in making decisive judgments on the kind of laws each country formulates and implements. The political space is given a lot of power, considering that many countries are still led by dictators who do not give the judicial justice systems and parliament to make such decisions on behalf of the population (Mwangi 190).
In 2015, the president of the United States visited Africa and many anticipated that he would raise the issue of same- sex relationships so as to help create awareness. In one of the conventions he attended in Kenya, the question was raised. But the president of Kenya was quick to respond that homosexuality was a non- issue and the country was not ready to have an open forum to discuss it, President Obama, on the other hand, openly proclaimed that legal equality ought to be embraced in all aspects of human life (Mugo, Para. 2). That perhaps shows how much homosexuality is considered taboo and that people shun away from talking about it openly. The most important lesson picked from how these two presidents handled this issue show how much Africa and its leaders abhor homosexuality considering it a vice that should not be tolerated in and around the continent. What stands out from the incident is the fact that no one is willing to discuss this issue in public and homosexuals cannot come out in public.
A few homosexuals have tried to create awareness and calling out to the world to call for Africa to respect the rights of gays and lesbians. Binyavanga Wainaina, a celebrated author, and winner of The Caine Prize for African writing came out of the closet two years ago and was met with widespread criticism from his home country Kenya and the wider African continent. It turns out that people who are in the limelight are not expected to discuss openly this issue, let alone come clean about their sexuality. They are supposed to be ‘a good example’ to society, at least morally. Many others fear to come out because of the fear of rejection from friends and family (Murphy 10), as has been the case in many instances. Anyone who is homosexual is said to be a disgrace to their families, and many parents look forward to their children continuing their family names when they are dead and gone. But if they turn out to be homosexuals there is a possibility that their family or clans will never be recognized by future generations.
The African continent has achieved so much in its stride to embrace the homosexuality issue as many people are becoming aware of the rights of minority groups. Many have embraced homosexuality even though there are some who are still hell- bent on making the issue criminal. It is also imperative to acknowledge the fact that many African societies are conservative and pay strict adherence to their tradition African beliefs and practices (Murphy 19). Therefore, integrating this issue of homosexuality might take a long time for many to embrace it. As it has been seen before, it has been difficult integrating homosexuals into mainstream society; they are seen as outcasts and are met with a lot of negativity even from family and friends. It is until society opens up to the fact that homosexuals are just like everyone else that a lot of tolerance will have been achieved.
Works Cited
Anderson, Ben. “The Politics of Homosexuality in Africa”. Africana. Vol. 1 (2007) 126 133
Mwangi, Evan. Africa Writes Back to Self: Metafiction, Gender, Sexuality. New York: SUNY Press, 2009. Print
Mugo, Kari. It Is Time: The Need to Rethink Homosexuality in Kenya and Africa. Web. 30th July 2015. Retrieved on 15th March 2016. http://africasacountry.com/2015/07/it-is-time-the-need-to-rethink-homosexuality in-kenya-and-africa/
Murphy, Timoty. Reader’s Guide to Lesbian and Gay Studies. New York, Routledge, 2013. Print
