Monday, February 11, 2019

Gay Africa

Angola has decriminalized homosexuality — 133 years after the passage banning same-sex relations was included in the country's penal code when the southwest African nation was still a Portuguese colony. The so-called "vices against nature" provision in its law could send same-sex couples to prison.

Parliamentarians who voted to overhaul Angola's criminal statue books didn't just remove the passage. They also banned discrimination based on sexual orientation.
Mozambique decriminalized homosexuality in 2015. Mozambique is also a former Portuguese colony and scrapped the same provision back then.

South Africa's approach towards homosexuality is far more liberal — after apartheid, the country was the first nation in the world to change its constitution to ban discrimination against sexual orientation. In 2006, South Africa became the first African country (and the fifth country in the world) to allow same-sex marriage. Even so, members of the LGBT community in South Africa often experience violence and some have even been killed, according to HRW

Human rights organizations in other African nations such as Kenya and Botswana are currently fighting against the legal discrimination of homosexuals in court. In Zimbabwe the situation has gotten a bit less tense since long-term leader Robert Mugabe lost power — he was one of the driving forces in stirring up hate against homosexuals. HRW says the new government has already met with LGBT groups.

But the LGBT community still faces rampant discrimination in Uganda, Goshal said. "Many politicians have gotten support from voters because of their negative stance towards homosexuals," she told DW, adding she doesn't believe the government is going to change their attitude anytime soon. Uganda is known to rigorously persecute homosexuals and often hands down harsh prison sentences.
Namibia still punishes homosexuality. And the LGBT community in Namibia is growing. The first pride parade was held some three years ago.

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