Wave of homophobic legislation hits Africa
African legislatures are being barraged by a wave of proposals seeking repressive new anti-LGBTQ laws.
The LGBTQ rights group Rightify Ghana pointed out on Twitter the extent of the homophobic surge, which has fed on fears about LGBTQ people in Uganda, Ghana, Kenya, Senegal, Nigeria and elsewhere. The series of tweets is below. Hyperlinks were added for readers seeking further information. Rightify Ghana tweeted:
Uganda‘s Speaker of Parliament pushes for discussion on anti-gay bill [which now is close to passage].
This comes as a Kenyan lawmaker is sending an anti-gay Bill into Parliament and Ghana‘s Parliament has a far-reaching one still under consideration.
[In 2021], Senegalese lawmakers [blocked] from passing to parliamentary vote, a draft bill that sought to toughen already severe laws against same-sex relations.
It’s disheartening to see a wave of anti-gay bills being pushed in Africa. Uganda, Kenya, and Ghana are just a few examples of countries where lawmakers are proposing or considering legislation that discriminates against the LGBTQ+ community.
As humans, we should strive to promote inclusivity and respect for all individuals regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. We stand with the our community and urge governments to protect their rights and dignity.
In Nigeria, a bill seeking to prohibit cross-dressing failed to pass a second reading at the House of Representatives in December 2022. The Bill threatens especially trans and non-binary people.
