As a American Black Gay Man, I’m starting to feel that I have no good reason to go to pretty much any African country. Seriously. Between the few Cypher Avenue stories on the gay discrimination in Africa; the depressing stories of African Homophobia seen on Rod 2.0 and Sebaspace and the recently passed law in Nigeria making Gay Marriage and Gay PDA illegal with 10-14 year prison sentence for anyone even helping to advocate Gay Equality…I don’t want to spend hard earned money traveling to a countries full of people who want to see me Hanged for being gay.
Then came this great documentary, Call Me Kuchu, which tells a balanced story of what it’s like for both gays and people against gays in Uganda. We not only see the views of the editor of the Rolling Stone, Uganda’s tabloid newspaper that Outs gay men by publishing their photos and addresses; we also see the life of a prominent gay rights advocate, David Kato, who is brutally killed during the making of the film.
The funeral scene for the slain Gay Rights Advocate David Kato is both heartbreaking and infuriating. Religious Anti-Gay protestors interrupted their peaceful memorial (with the deceased’s mother present) to spew their rhetoric. You would think that Uganda and Nigeria would have bigger issues to tackle than a supposed “gay influence” from the West. Seriously, is Homosexuality really that much of a threat in Uganda? It almost seems like the “straight” people there are either jealous or obsessed with gays and the happiness of these men and women.
This detailed, balanced and thought-provoking film made the rounds at film festivals all over the globe and will be released on DVD in September 2013.
I am going to get right to the point. Africa is in a pathetic state of disarray and mismanagement. This can be attested to by the fact that Africa has a vast repository of some of the most sought after resources in the world and still hasn’t come up with the plan on how to best develop these resources for the good of all of it’s people. That is where you must start. President Obama spoke of the rampant corruption throughout Africa and at first I wasn’t to keen on him saying this, but after giving his statement much thought I have to agree. His message was on point. Uganda and Nigeria fit the bill of the most corrupt nations on the continent of Africa. Their corruption is so rampant, and unabashedly so, that it would make Bernie Madoff look like a mere petty criminal. Africa has plenty of Black Billionaires, but at what and who’s expense. All of the dictators of Africa have been and are now BILLIONAIRES. That being said, lets’ get to the meat of this discussion.
This is a propaganda game being played out in the minds of Africans. In one breath you have African “leaders” stating that the west is trying to homosexualize their populations for population control and immorality. But they are using a “Western” book to justify their heinous and barbaric approach to “rid” their country homosexual behavior. Passing antiquated and outdated laws to further push homosexuality underground is akin to Hitlerism – Nazism in Black face. It’s sad and pathetic. I am beginning to believe that Africa is hopelessly in a perpetual state of decline.
This is one of my pet issues with Africa, along with many others. They are using Christianity, a western religion, to combat a supposed western imposed “problem.” The studies all confirm – Gay people drive economies around the world. Gay people spend money; Gay people are creative; Gay people are innovative; Gay people hold leadership positions; Gay people are doctors, lawyers, business owners, builders, music moguls, etc.. The list is endless. Thus we have this backward bs going on in Africa. It’s no wander Africa cannot free itself from the yokes and throes of poverty. They continue to perpetuate ignorance and backwardness. I am beginning to wander what will eventually become of a continent that is mired in the death throes of poverty and ignorance while the rest of the world is moving forward with educational institutions and innovations – advanced medical treatments and high speed internet networks, major research establishments across all fields of study and Africa continues to talk about issues that are insignificant and inconsequential to the real issues at hand, namely hunger, poverty, and education.
I would say more, but I’ve said enough. Africa is in a state of perpetually pathetic ignorance and they have only themselves to blame. GAYS ARE TOURIST AND GAYS SPEND MONEY. Just plain old dogmatically stupid. HOPELESS. If ever their was a case of ignorance on steroids – this would be the case. It is no longer that we can pull punches. Just call it as you see it. The world is moving fast, and faster daily. If you’re gay and living in Africa I would be trying to get the hell out of their, either that, or kill those so called leaders. How do you move forward with an Anti-intellectual establishment operating within government. It’s like it’s 500 years behind the rest of the world. SAD, just plain old SAD.
We should try to help those GAY people that want to leave. That’s our responsibility. No one should have to live in fear of their life, because of who they choose to love.
I remember the situation with David Kato. All the organizing and demonstrations that he was putting forth all at the cost of him losing his life. Africa is sick! Now what are we going to do about it?
Your analysis only looks at the surface level of the issue. In fact, it perpetuates imperialist and racist notions. Saying that “they only have themselves to blame” is completely ignorant. Yes, many countries in Africa suffer from corruption and extreme poverty, but how do you think they got that way? The west! The west has been exploiting the developing world for centuries and has only within the last 60 or so years completed its formal decolonization. Solving the issue of poverty is not as simple as changing your behavior. That’s some capitalist Eurocentric imperialist bullshit that we’ve been forced fed since day one. The issue is completely systemic and western powers are still benefitting from it today while African nations and many countries in the developing world are still suffering. Do you honestly think Europe and the United States are wealthy nations simply because they have better practicies? No, it’s because they were the first ones to start screwing everyone over. That’s the problem with looking at issues. People only look at the surface level and don’t look any deeper than that. Christianity was mentioned, but it wasn’t tied back to imperialism and colonialism. The irony of everything is that now that the west is developed and wealthy thanks to the exploitation, rape, murder, theft, and destruction of African people and African culture from the continent as well as the diaspora, they are able to facilitate this idea that Africans are backwards and barbaric due to their own “messed up culture.”
Exactly! And getting the pseudo religious all up in arms over a “homosexual agenda” only serves to make them look more backwards. Which will perpetuate more forces against them. Furthering the exploitation.
This is what “Arab Spring” is all about. Order out of chaos. False beliefs will be the downfall of these radical and violent bigots against gays.
Their god they think they serve does not approve.
You make some good points. Just wanted to know, could I get the name of the studies that confirm gay people drive economies around the world?
Also, why is it that when we mention extreme cases of homophobia, we automatically go to Africa? What about Russia and other Eastern European countries? Gay folks there have been dealing with some fucked up shit there too. But of course, they’re white, so it’s different.
Good point Will…but keep in mind Discreet City is themed for gay men of color. There has been much news of late about anti gay sentiment in Russia and France.
Websites aside color shouldn’t matter but it does.
I feel you Ocky. I kinda just went off on a tangent. I’m just tired of the narrative that Africa is this uniquely homophobic place when homophobia exists in many places including Europe. You’re rght though, this site is excused because it focuses on people of color.
As I have already communicated with you guys (Nick & Ocky) about how people from my country of Nigeria view homosexuality, I want to say thank you for posting this. When I learned that my home country passed that law in the past 2 days, my heart sunk. I’ve been wanting to go back home and visit all my family but now I’m so scared. None of them know about my sexuality however, I feel like going back home would make me feel uneasy and uncomfortable.
In Nigeria, people are extremely religious and from childhood when kids start going to nursery and primary school, they’re conditioned by their teachers, parents and other adults to be very religious and be against most Western influences that native Nigerian people see as a negative influence on the country.
Thanks Discreet City for raising awareness once again and my heart goes out to all of my Nigerian LGBT brothers and sisters.
The sad part is that Africa is such a beautiful place visually. There are many countries to visit and there’s so much to do but it is just the bribery, corruption, religious extremism and political unrest that causes many problems in many countries back in Africa.
I hope with time that things will improve but I don’t see that happening anytime soon.
To anyone reading this that is first-generation African living in America, an immigrant from a country in Africa, or if you’re still living back home… my heart goes out to you…
I pay honor and reverence to the soul of David Kato and I pray that hes at home in the land of the ancestors.
What David has done is admirable, courageous, and inspiring. IMO he was the epitome of manhood because he took up this issue knowing that his life could end. How many of us would do the same?
I will not even address the madness that is happening in most countires in Africa with this gay propaganda. Rather, I would suggest that communities should come against rampant poverty and the proliferation of these western pastors looking to establish mega churches. Some communities are trying to eradicate indigenous language and culture trying to fit in.
I greatly appreciate anything that will raise our awareness of the soul crushing challenges brothers and sisters in Africa and parts of the Caribbean face in simply being gay. Yet., the idea of a “balanced’ anti-gay documentary that examines the perspective of the homophobes is on its surface kinda disturbing to me. The problem with such “balance” is the possibility of neutralizing or explaining down the universal social /cultural deficit of social intolerance (in this instance manifesting as homo hatred) with any strong emphasis on a specific cultural context in which a particular homo hatred emerges. The potential implicit message conveyed to the average viewer is the idea that their specific homo hatred is a natural, intrinsic and fixed aspect of their culture thus possibly making them inclined to being sympathetic to give African homophobes a slight pass on the universal human (regardless of cultural specifics) responsibility to transcend or grow beyond a morally deficient and murderous social intolerance or xenophobia. In my mind intense homophobes can never be “balanced” to the degree that I will see them (regardless of cultural context), as anything more than morally problematic murderers.
I hear what you are saying but let’s not take for granted the mob mentality that exists. Balance is always necessary regardless if you agree with it or not. The balance comes from attempting to understand those who oppose you. From that point it is possible to attack and chip away in hopes of enlighten. To overcome your obstacle you have to understand your obstacle.
Is true balance really something that can be achieved?. Isn’t there is an agenda or socio-political perspective (hidden or overt) in everything created? I’m just more inclined to rally around a cultural product whose agenda is expressly, unambiguously in the political interests of the oppressed group, in this case Ugandan homosexuals. Also I think LGBT people understand the immense social obstacle of strident homophobes from our lived experiences of being victimized or oppressed by them, therefore an examination of the socio-cultural psychology that makes them seems kind of redundant.
This pisses me off… I feel like the imperialist have completely conquered Africa. Did anyone notice the Judges in the court with the white wigs and robes? This one image shows how minds have been corrupted, cultures stolen and traditions erased…all through Europeans conquering and enslaving Africa. Wearing white wigs in court…WTF? No one in Africa has white curly hair!
Of all the problems and ills this continent has, homosexual is at the top billing of conversation? This is a prime example of how religion and obsession destroys a society. This is beyond mind boggling.
As I have said before, out of the 660 plus sins and 50 plus abominations in the Bible (depending on the version), homosexuality (Leviticus 18:22 You shall not lie with a male as with a woman) is technically the only sin or abomination that cannot be committed or broken by heterosexuals. Therefore religious zealots focus on homosexuality to divert attention from their own sinful damaged lives.
It saddens me to see that my Gay and Lesbian Brothers and Sisters abroad face such persecution as a result of their sexual preference.As Gay People here in the states we have made inroads and many gains in regards to equality but just like Dr.King reminded us in his speech that until all of us is free then none of us is free.