Sexuality and Social Justice in Africa

The persecution of people in Africa on the basis of their assumed or perceived homosexual orientation has received considerable coverage in the popular media in recent years. Gay-bashing by political and religious figures in Zimbabwe and Gambia; draconian new laws against lesbians and gays and their supporters in Malawi, Nigeria and Uganda; and the imprisonment and extortion of gay men in Senegal and Cameroon have all rightly sparked international condemnation. However, much of the analysis thus far has been highly critical of African leadership and culture without considering local nuances, historical factors and external influences that are contributing to the problem. Such commentary also overlooks grounds for optimism in the struggle for sexual rights and justice in Africa, not just for sexual minorities but for the majority population as well.

Based on pioneering research on the history of homosexualities and engagement with current lgbti and HIV/AIDS activism, Marc Epprecht provides a sympathetic overview of the issues at play, and a hopeful outlook on the potential of sexual rights for all.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Demystifying sexuality studies in Africa
3. Faiths
4. Sex and the State
5. Strategies and Struggles
6. Conclusion
Notes
Works cited

About the Author:

Marc Epprecht is a Professor in the Department of Global Development Studies at Queen's University, Canada. He has consulted and published extensively on the history of gender and sexuality in Africa including Hungochani: The history of a dissident sexuality in southern Africa (winner of the 2006 Joel Gregory Prize from the Canadian Association of African Studies) and Heterosexual Africa?: The History of an Idea from the Age of Exploration to the Age of AIDS (finalist for the 2009 Mel Herskovits prize from the African Studies Association). He recently received the Desmond Tutu Award for 'Outstanding Contributions to the Study of Sexuality in Africa' from the International Resource Network-Africa. Marc holds his PhD in History from Dalhousie University, and has also taught at the University of Zimbabwe.