Blog 3, Homophobia Not Homosexuality That's Alien To Traditional African Culture, 02/19/2014- 04:00 ET, Franca Jalloh

Summary

This news article seems to have been written in an attempt to explain why African countries are all of a sudden speaking out against homosexuality, considering the current controversial anti-gay publicity laws of Sochi Olympics and homophobia in Russia. Unlike the European country of Russia who has also announced strict laws against homosexuality in Russia prior to the Olympics games, they seem to be tolerating their diversity a little more better than Africa is at this point. The author acknowledges that though homosexual practices and identities are not new to the African continent, but rather now that the rights of the LBGTQ community is being advocated for more than ever, homophobia has also risen in that part of the world wherein it is falsely believed that homosexuality is a colonial tradition from the Western world.  

The author emphasizes that it is the misconception of traditional African’s and supposedly good Christian folks to condemn homosexuality on the basis of it being a sin and un-Godly. African’s believe the idea of homosexuality was brought to Africa to change the traditional beliefs of the continent as well as force Western ideas upon the people during colonial times. The writer of this article blatantly acknowledges that this is a baseless claim as history of sexuality in traditional African societies has always been characterized by their diversity in sexual practices and identities. However, those who oppose gay rights in Africa believe that since there was no official name for homosexuality in the African languages, it simply never existed in the African societies until most recently. Now homosexuality is being dehumanized in Africa as a means to place blame, divide and conquer the minority which they think by doing so is to reject European colonization and ideologies. Suddenly Muslims and Christians have found a common ground and are have unified as Muslims have long since had similar homophobic ideas against homosexuality.  

Analysis

I agree with the concept of the author in this news article. Homosexuality of cause has always been present in Africa, even way before colonization. Though not as common as it is now with people coming forward and openly identifying with their sexuality, we do know from science and history that homosexuality is nothing new to Africa or biblical days. However, now all of a sudden people are becoming more and more afraid of homosexuality and are somehow starting to retaliate against the rights of freedoms that gays and lesbians are now fighting for. They are fearful that this new love somehow contradicts what they want society to do. They are fearful of how far gays and lesbians are willing to go in terms of fighting for their rights and being equal in every aspect just as heterosexuals. For the life of me I don't understand why its not visible to others that homosexuality is not at all a threat to anyone and that every human being deserves to live in peace without fearing for their lives.

Not only is identifying as a homosexual in Africa a problem, most recently Brunei Darussalam in South East Asia, Russia have also joined in criminalizing homosexuality. The new laws that endanger the lives of homosexuals and their affiliates is quite popular among African people who are strongly against this. The majority seems to be in solidarity as ganging up against the minority seems to bring along a sense of social unity for the people with seemingly unsolvable obstacles such as poverty, lack of employment, lack of education etc. There is also the need for them to suddenly live righteously according to their definition of what they believe God wants them to do. They forget however that the bible says "though shall not judge' yet still they are judging a fellow human being on the pretense of religious and moral beliefs. Its ironic to see how they blame homosexuality as a sociological and psychological effects of colonization, yet ignoring the fact that unlike homosexuality, Christianity in particular was brought along by their colonizers who they so despise. Yet still the majority of Africans do not reject the idea of Christianity in order to return to traditional African spiritualist beliefs. The theory of nature is not even considered but rather homosexuality was adapted and nurtured because of the white man taking over Africa. We may not agree with homosexuality, but to criminalize homosexuality is as wrong and as unjust as saying that infidelity is a crime that deserves the death sentence. What needs to be understood here is that homosexuality was not now nor has it ever been "forced" into Africa by Westerners. It has always existed -though not as openly as today- they now just like the rest of man kind are finally coming forward and demanding to take their place in society were they rightfully belong.        

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/feb/19/homophobia-homosexuality-traditional-african-culture