In 1966, the first law condemning homosexuality was passed in Senegal. When you are homosexual in Senegal, you are not only considered as a sub-man but also a criminal. You have to live in hiding or expose yourself to insults, lynching in public places, harassment and you can even end up in detention.
In this fifth episode of Euronews and Africanews’ first podcast,
Cry Like a Boy, Dakar-based journalist Marta Moreiras explores what it means to be gay in Senegal, where homosexual men are targeted with the slur “Góor-jigéen” - a pejorative term which literally means “men-women” in the Wolof language, and is used to belittle their masculinity.
He never takes a taxi if he doesn’t know the driver. It is unthinkable for him to get on a bus. He lives outside Dakar, the capital of Senegal, in a small village where he feels safer. Yet his house once was burnt down. Sometimes he is assaulted.
He doesn t want to hide he is gay but sometimes has to live on the run because of threats. Although he does not want anonymity, we cannot publish his name for fear of further endangering his life.
This is the life of a gay man in Senegal, where since 1966, any man or woman caught in an “act of homosexuality” or “acts against nature” between two people of the same sex, risks a prison sentence of up to five years.
The secret is that Junior is gay.
In this episode, Dakar-based journalist Marta Moreiras explores what it means to be gay in Senegal, where homosexual men here are targeted with the slur “Góor-jigéen” - a pejorative term which literally means “men-women” in the Wolof language, and is used to belittle their masculinity.
Is it true that the Góor-jigéen were once widely accepted and respected? Are there Senegalese who still remember this? In the next episode, we will investigate the origin of homophobia in Senegal.
Make sure you listen to our next episode, which will be published on Thursday, January 7th.
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(ILGA World)
A new map displaying how laws affect people on the grounds of their sexual orientation blatantly shows there is still an immense amount of progress to be made for LGBTQ+ communities around the world.
A new report from ILGA World – the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association – published on Tuesday found that same-sex sexual relations are criminalised in 69 United Nations member states this year.
As this figure is down by just one from last year, this seems to suggest that efforts to bolster LGBTQ+ rights are stalling in many countries.
“As of December 2020, 69 States continue to criminalise same-sex consensual activity,” said Lucas Ramón Mendos, lead author of the report.
A new report from ILGA World has revealed that same-sex sexual activity is still illegal in 69 UN member states (Image courtesy of ILGA-World)
Being gay, lesbian or bisexual is still a crime in 69 United Nations member states, a new report has revealed.
There have been significant advancements on LGBT+ rights in many countries across the world over the last two decades – but progress in some territories has proven slow, with same-sex relations still criminalised in some locations.
A new report from ILGA World (the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association) has found that same-sex sexual relations are still criminalised in 69 United Nations member states in 2020.