The politicisation of sexuality and rise of homosexual movements in post-colonial Cameroon

Awondo, Patrick

doi:10.1080/03056244.2010.510624

Cited by 53 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…All these cases were extensively reported and discussed in the media. They illustrate the recent politicization of homosexuality in Zambia, as in many other African countries (Awondo 2010;Van Klinken and Chitando forthcoming).…”

Section: Homosexuality and The "Christian Nation"mentioning

confidence: 85%

Queer Love in a “Christian Nation”: Zambian Gay Men Negotiating Sexual and Religious Identities

Klinken¹

2015

J Am Acad Relig

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On the basis of a study of a group of Zambian men identifying both as gay and as Christian, this article explores the negotiation of sexual and religious identity and critically addresses the "surprise" some scholars have expressed about the general religiosity of LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex) people in Africa. The study demonstrates that participants are not just victims subjected to homophobic religious and political discourses but have agency: resisting discourses of demonization, they humanize themselves by making claims towards the universal category of love-both their own inclination to loving relationships and their share in God's love. Hence they claim space for themselves as full citizens of Zambia as a Christian nation. This article particularly highlights how some aspects of Pentecostalism appear to contribute to "queer empowerment", and argues that the religiosity of African LGBTIs critically interrogates Euro-American secular models of LGBTI liberation.

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Section: Homosexuality and The "Christian Nation"mentioning

confidence: 85%

Queer Love in a “Christian Nation”: Zambian Gay Men Negotiating Sexual and Religious Identities

Klinken¹

2015

J Am Acad Relig

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“…In recent years, with the globalization of originally Western notions of lesbian and gay identities and rights, this ideal has taken explicit anti-homosexual proportions such as expressed in the popular notion of homosexuality being "un-African" and a "Western invention" (Msibi 2011). Indeed, issues of homosexuality, LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) rights, and sexual diversity more broadly, have become a key site for the contestation over sexual citizenship in contemporary Africa (Awondo 2010;Currier and Cruz 2013;O'Mara 2013;cf. Evans 1993).…”

Section: Politics Of Sexuality and Citizenship In Africamentioning

confidence: 99%

Christianity, sexuality and citizenship in Africa: critical intersections

Klinken

Obadare

2018

Citizenship Studies

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Citizenship in sub-Saharan Africa has undergone profound changes in recent decades as part of wider social and political dynamics. One notable development is the emergence of Christianity, especially in its Pentecostal-Charismatic forms, as a public religion. Christian actors, beliefs and practices have increasingly come to manifest themselves in the public sphere, actively engage with politics, define narratives of nationhood, and shape notions of citizenship. A second major development is the emergence of sexuality as a critical site of citizenship and nationhood in postcolonial Africa. On the one hand, many political and religious leaders are invested in a popular ideology of the heterosexual family as the basis of nation-building, while on the other hand, LGBT communities are becoming more visible and claim recognition from the state. The contributions to this special issue engage these two contrasting developments, examining the interconnections between Christianity, sexuality and citizenship empirically and theoretically through case studies in various African contexts and from several academic disciplines and critical perspectives.

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“…They are symbols of mystical and shameful behaviour between political leaders and the former colonial power within which national leaders were forced by colonial masters to have sex. Such practice was aimed at making clear who was the headman (Awondo 2010). These formalities are also suspected of being perpetuated by national political leaders as they maintain the power of the ruling class, while the population live in extreme poverty.…”

Section: Homosexuality and (Therapeutic) Citizenship In Cameroonmentioning

confidence: 99%

LGBT rights in aRepublic of Therapy. HIV/AIDS policies and the redefinition of citizenship in Cameroon

Kojoué

2017

Critical African Studies

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The links between the fight against HIV/AIDS, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) mobilizations around the world have been extensively demonstrated. However, there are few empirical studies on the effects of new strategies based on access to treatments for homosexuals in Africa, especially in countries where same-sex relationships are punishable by law. In discussing the relationship between HIV/AIDS policies and the formal recognition and inclusion of homosexuals, we ask if it is possible to speak of a therapeutic citizenship. From a sociological and legal perspective, what is important is how the recent global strategies and human rights discourses on HIV/AIDs are impacting the emergence of engaged social actors whose claims go well beyond access to treatments but challenge the Cameroonian legal and health systems. However, LGBT rights advocates' claim for full citizenship through participatory inclusion in public life may not turn out to be successful as it encloses their rights within a pathologized identity, the HIV epidemic. This paper also raises a crucial issue (citizenship) associated with the politics of homosexuality in Africa and offers an empirical dimension on how global health and human rights discourses affect the relationship between State and society in Cameroon.Les liens entre la lutte contre le VIH/SIDA et les mobilisations LGBT dans le monde entier ont été largement démontrés. Cependant, il existe quelques études empiriques relatives aux effets de nouvelles stratégies fondées sur l'accès aux traitements pour les homosexuels en Afrique, en particulier dans des pays où les relations entre partenaires de même sexe sont sanctionnées par la loi. Discuter de la relation entre les politiques en matière d'VIH/SIDA et la reconnaissance et l'inclusion formelle des homosexuels, est l'occasion de nous demander s'il est possible de parler d'une citoyenneté thérapeutique. D'un point de vue sociologique et juridique, ce qui importante est la façon dont les stratégies mondiales récentes et les discours sur les Droits de l'homme sur les VIH/SIDA ont un impact sur l'émergence d'acteurs sociaux engagés dont les revendications dépassent largement l'accès aux traitements et questionnent les systèmes juridiques et de santé du Cameroun. Cependant, la prétention des défenseurs des droits des LGBT revendiquant une citoyenneté complète à travers une inclusion participative dans la vie publique pourrait ne pas réussir puisque cela enferme leurs droits dans une identité pathologisée, l'épidémie de VIH. Cet article soulève aussi une question essentielle *

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The politicisation of sexuality and rise of homosexual movements in post-colonial Cameroon

Cited by 53 publications

References 16 publications

Queer Love in a “Christian Nation”: Zambian Gay Men Negotiating Sexual and Religious Identities

Queer Love in a “Christian Nation”: Zambian Gay Men Negotiating Sexual and Religious Identities

Christianity, sexuality and citizenship in Africa: critical intersections

LGBT rights in aRepublic of Therapy. HIV/AIDS policies and the redefinition of citizenship in Cameroon

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