By Kabelo Mollo
This past week was one of the most interesting in my adult years. There is so much happening, all at once. It’s political splinters locally, in-fighting and suspensions across the border, while the third wave seems to have landed as promised. In India the COVID-19 pandemic continues to show how unrelenting it will be if not shown the necessary respect by the higher ups.
Palestinians, in the meantime, are facing mass evictions from the tyranny that is apartheid Israel. In the realm that I occupy which is sports, most leagues are coming to the business end. Some are wrapped up already, while others are drawing to exciting climaxes. It’s all happening as a school friend of mine used to opine. The subject of this column though is something that happened online. Homophobia reared its ugly head and left me feeling quite disheartened.
I read with great sadness of an African state reinforcing some homophobic laws. I was reminded that the majority of the continent either doesn’t recognise or actively disallows homosexuality. It beggars belief that in 2021 this kind of bigotry not only exists but continues unabated by nation states of a continent that has seen untold bigotry by “others”.
I often wonder what difference it makes to anybody what choice two consenting adults make. How can people see no harm in polygamy but have strong dissenting opinion on homosexuality? So, a man can marry as many women as he wants, but should a man want to marry another man then the state has a problem? There’s no logic to this.
A popular online series this past week featured an openly gay participant for the first time. The participant was to confess his feelings to somebody outside the LGBTQ+ Community. Well and good. The amount of online vitriol that emerged from the preview snippets immediately unmasked the insidious bigotry that exists in our society.
Suddenly, the moniker “Somizi” (referencing the infamous gay personality in South Africa) was bandied about. I watched with great shock as the people of social media sneered and sniggered as the preview appeared on social media. I was offended to learn that one viewer enquired why the participant hadn’t taken in to consideration that his appearance on the show would potentially bring his workplace in to disrepute. What archaic thinking in 2021, I thought to myself.
The LGBTG community is growing in the country and on the continent. Gay pride parades and marches of the sort are going to become more and more part of the norm. A society that takes its self seriously and views it’s self as democratic will have to not only make peace with that, but actually ensure the safety of this minority community. Any bigotry sponsored by the state will prove beyond any doubt that our leadership is disconnected from the realities of the world.
There’s a case in Namibia- where homosexuality continues to be illegal-of a married gay couple who have had children via surrogacy in neighbouring South Africa where bigotry has been fought and defeated (constitutionally at least). This family is being torn apart because the Namibian government refuses to grant the twins born in South Africa legal documents to cross the border. Home affairs of Namibia now demand a DNA test that will prove the kids are biologically those of the couple.
The first time I read the story I wondered what kind of deep hatred had to be in the hearts and minds of those drafting laws like that. I was reminded of the apartheid government putting together the “sobukwe clause” to ensure the continued detention of Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe. It is only hate that can sustain laws like that.
Many of us have gay colleagues, relatives, friends and acquaintances and we either choose to accept them or we choose the bigoted path sanctioned by a non progressive state or a misinterpreted religious belief, either way we as people who make up the society make a choice daily how we’re going to engage the community. We laud so much power over said community that it’s actually awkward. The only reason the power dynamic exists is because they’re a minority. Rather than give them a platform to just exist comfortably the way every other member of the community exists we instead judge them for a choice not of their choosing. This bigoted approach is what is going to ensure myopic thinking of lawmakers. As a society we must choose to do better, for the sake of our legacy!
I’m aware that even penning this column in support of the community will call in to question my sexuality. Those who continue to be bigoted will wonder out loud and to their friends why anyone who isn’t in the community would support them, but it’s those of us outside the community who need to offer our loud and unbiased support! We need to advocate for our brothers and sisters and create a safe open society that will cease the judgement, and bullying online. Let’s accept the community in our hearts and minds, and let’s stand up to the bigotry they face daily.
