This episode addresses the current global trend toward decriminalizing homosexuality: In 2020, 81 countries had laws against discrimination based on sexual orientation in the workplace, as opposed to only 15 countries in 2020. In 2022, 28 countries recognize same-sex marriages, and 34 others partially recognize them. Nearly half of the 69 countries that criminalize homosexuality are located in Africa. Angola, Gabon, Botswana, Mozambique, The Seychelles, Trinidad and Tobago are reversing discriminatory laws against the LGBTQ community, yet in NIGERIA, the most densely populated country in Africa, (211 million people, out of which.15 million are LGBTQ) discrimination persecution and hate crimes are on the rise.
Ruti Frensdorff spoke to several experts in an attempt to better understand GLBTQ life in Nigeria.
The episode begins with a brief general overview of what makes Africa unique, by Dr. Irit Back, Head of African Studies at Tel Aviv University. We elaborate on the state of LGBTQ life in the continent with Dr. Moshe Morad from the African Centre in Beer Sheba and finally zoom in to the nuts and bolts of daily life for LGBTQ persons in Nigeria with Deyo Adebiyi, Nigerian educator and activist. Main arguments presented briefly in the beginning by one speaker are further developed by others later in the episode to enable our listeners a better understanding of the subject from a variety of perspectives.Â