Some views from across the Continent

Remember the article on an anti-gay demonstration in Takoradi, Ghana that I did post about here? Well, seems the ‘talk’ about gay people in that West African country is taking the usual path. And, a very interesting one at that. Just gotten across a dissection of the whole hypocrisy of being ‘anti-gay’. Good reading.

The recent story of a gathering of gay men at a party in the port city of Takoradi generated a predictable rash of comments dripping with hatred, disgust and condemnation. Whilst many called for the burning, execution, decapitation or stabbing of these ‘vile’ men with their ‘disgusting’ lifestyle, others lamented the decline of Ghanaian culture and the concomitant importation of depraved western cultural values. For good measure, the bible, the Koran and African traditional religion were invoked ad nauseum as justification for the hatred of such men and their bedroom habits. Under no circumstances, it was argued, should the notion of human rights be extended to such persons, because after all, they were sub-human, doing stuff that even animals would not do. Ghanaians are at their most righteous when it comes to the sex lives of others

I love the conclusion. Rather apt….!

An amusing observation in conclusion. Many have called for the death sentence for homosexual conduct-after all the bible considers it an abomination. Fair point. Then some Ghanaian Muslims started calling for sharia law in order to deal with gays and other such ‘deviants’. Under sharia the punishment is the death penalty. You would expect the ‘Christian’ rabble rousers to nod in agreement over a common cause. But puzzlingly, they descended heavily on the Muslims and screamed that Ghana is a secular state. Really? Rather smartly, all the heterosexual adulterers and fornicators ( also abominations in the eyes of the good Lord and punishable by death according to the bible) realised that if Sharia came into being, then they would be stoned and hanged along with the sodomites, hence their outrage and protestations that Ghana is not a theocracy.

What rank hypocrisy. I am no Muslim, but I say recruit the Taleban to bring on sharia and let’s have a stoning party to deal with adultery, pornography, masturbation and sodomy, among other sins. Then let’s see how many Ghanaians--including those doing the stoning-would be left standing

You know the absurd notion that we gay Africans are not really Africans? The author of that article touches on it briefly-

At the coastal secondary school in Ghana I attended in the mid-seventies, homosexual conduct was rampant but latent, and I have no reason to believe it is any less the case now or that this was/is limited to my school. Yet most of those involved had never come into contact with a white man or seen gay pornography. It may very difficult to understand that some men drool over Michael Essien’s naked torso and tight muscles but are completely indifferent over the lovely Beyonce’s shapely figure , but that is a fact of life-. The strict Ghanaian societal expectations of yesteryear simply meant men who had sexual feelings for men were forced to bury them whilst they went through the tortuous and sometimes unhappy ritual of marriage and procreation that was expected of them, and in many instances, led double lives

And, there is this poignant letter from a gay Rwandese.

I am a Rwandan, but I am considered different because of my sexuality.

Growing up, I faced many problems in my social life, being called silly names like (Cyabakobwa and so on), or being mistreated.  This is something that still affects me in my everyday life.

I always wanted to change and be like everyone else, but after a long fight I failed: I never changed.

When I reached puberty, I started being attracted to men instead of women. I am gay.

Many people think that gay Rwandans were influenced by western cultures. This is a big lie and an insult.

I take myself as a living example: I’ve been in contact with Western Culture through the Internet for two years but I knew I was different since I was 12.

Right now, I am in my twenties and nothing has changed. I am still attracted to men. I’ve never told anybody since it would be called a shame and I would be an outcast in my family. It really is not easy; I didn’t choose that, and I wasn’t influenced by anybody.

I know that there are many children out there, many men and women who are in the same situation as myself.

They are misunderstood, humiliated and forced to act against their conscience, like marrying a person they don’t love.

Take heart brother. Life is tough, but, we are still there. Used to moan like so. It is true, life is real tough, being gay, and African. Great that we still are, and are here.

Pastor Dr Martin ‘eat da poo poo’ Ssempa is still going strong. Here he is featuring at a mass wedding in the northern city of Gulu, with some special friends of his.

The stadium was [decorated] with placards reading: No sodomy, No polygamy and No AIDS. Officials from Omega International said sh290m was spent in organising the mass wedding, which they said was one of the biggest so far in the north.

Pastor Martin Ssempa of Makerere Community Church prayed that the couples use their wedding rings as ammunition to fight homosexuality and sodomy in the country.

Imagine, at a mass ‘heterosexual’ wedding ceremony, taking the fight against homosexuality there…. Oh well, we Ugandans seem to have the only real, obsessive anti-gay credentials.

Now, I speak as a realist. And from lots of experience... most of the older gay Africans are in heterosexual marriages..... Hey, life is tough, and survival is not an option.

Just remember, over in Zimbabwe, a couple of activists are being very obviously accused of political offences, while everyone does know that the problem is that they are gay, and out. I didnt blog about the raid on the GALZ offices in Zimbabwe. But it is another feltering boil.

gug