African queers of all colors will gather in Johannesburg, South Africa to discuss the continent’s homophobic pandemic. The International Lesbian and Gay Association in Africa will address the thirty-eight African nations that still legally prohibit homosexuality and plan on releasing a comprehensive report on the matter. An ILGA press release remarks:
Although many of the countries listed in the report do not systematically implement those laws, their mere existence reinforces a culture where a significant portion of the citizens need to hide from the rest of the population out of fear.
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Whether imported by colonial empires or the result of legislations culturally shaped by religious beliefs, if not deriving directly from a conservative interpretation of religious texts, homophobic laws are the fruit of a certain time and context in history. Homophobia is cultural.
It’s no coincidence the group has chosen South Africa for its first conference – the “Rainbow Nation” has the world’s most progressive constitution, including the right to same-sex marriage. Hopefully this conference will help spread the love.