The Resistance Lab presented our comparative analysis of the existent social science literature on queer persons experiences across Africa. It was a pleasure to be at such an important event with such brilliant scholars, activists, and scholar-activists. Thank you for everyone who attended and participated in the conference.

 

Below is a summary of our presentation, as well as some images from the event:

For years, researchers have argued that one cannot assume equivalence within the LGBTQ+ community. However, we frequently assume equality across the continent of Africa. Therefore, while it is important to examine differences within LGBTQ+ persons, it is just as critical to examine differences between regions in Africa. As such, we conducted a comparative analysis which highlighted similarities and discrepancies across regions on LGBTQ+ persons in Africa. The current existent literature on LGBTQ+ persons in Africa demonstrates several themes across the continent. These include: health (physical and psychological), politics (policies and justice), culture (stigma and acceptance), and personal agency (i.e., sexual agency, personal identification). Regionally, themes varied from an emphasis on religion and underrepresentation in North Africa, to HIV/AIDS in East Africa, to activism and advocacy being central in South Africa and Egypt. Consistent with rhetoric in western literature, a focus of research in Africa has been on HIV/AIDS and men who have sex with men (MSM). Furthermore, policy and stigma primarily focus around MSM, with limited mention of female sexuality. In our session, we will further discuss these themes and suggest areas for future research and intervention.