The LGBT situation in Malawi: an activist perspective (original) (raw)

Malawians, sad to say, remain steadfast in their resistance to homosexuality. The perception that same-sex practices are deviant and alien to the social and cultural fabric of Africa (Muula 2007) is still deeply ingrained in the minds of most Malawians, which makes the fight for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights much harder. Some authors have argued that much of the homophobia being witnessed in Africa today is not 'home-grown' (Mutua 2009). I share the same view. In the case of Malawi, much of the revulsion to homosexuality can be traced to its colonial past. This chapter begins with the historical background so as to place homophobia in context. It then presents an overview of recent developments in Malawi in relation to LGBT issues, and the various ways in which these issues are resurfacing and being debated in the country. It concludes with a call for recognition and widespread acceptance of LGBT rights as human rights. Historical background Malawi, like most of Southern Africa, experienced British colonialism, which fundamentally altered and even destroyed many positive values. Tolerance and respect for the otherness of the other, the hallmark of the ubuntu concept, was replaced by hatred and extreme fanaticism. There were no laws criminalising consensual same-sex acts before colonialism-these were introduced by the colonialists. When the country finally gained independence in 1964, it adopted all the laws that were in force during colonialism, including those regarding 'unnatural acts'. After independence, it was expected that the country would speedily embrace democracy and guarantee rights and freedoms previously denied to Malawians. Unfortunately, this did not happen. Instead, the country endured three more decades of a brutal dictatorship under a native regime remembered as much for widespread human rights violations as for strictly enforcing its 'four cornerstones', namely unity, loyalty, obedience and discipline. Failure to Chapter 13, pp. 359-79 of Corinne Lennox & Matthew Waites (eds.) (2013) Human Rights,