Nigeria is a ld-blood untry for gay men -- I have the srs to prove | CNN

Contents:

• OPN: NIGERIA IS A LD-BLOOD UNTRY FOR GAY MEN – I HAVE THE SRS TO PROVE
• LGBTQ+ NIGERIANS ARE CELEBRATG PRI MONTH DEFIANCE OF ANTI-GAY LAW

OPN: NIGERIA IS A LD-BLOOD UNTRY FOR GAY MEN – I HAVE THE SRS TO PROVE

On Sunday, May 1, a number of LGBT (Lbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgenr) activists took to the streets of Abuja to prott a proposed bill crimalizg cross-drsg Nigeria. I wanted to start meangful nversatns around genr norms and masculy that speak specifilly to our reali as gay men wh a culture that is poisonoly patriarchal and eply homophobic.

Agast a backdrop of adly anti-gay vlence, A Nasty Boy dared to be a haven for gay men Nigeria and, no time, received ternatnal attentn through CNN, BBC, The Guardian, The Enomist, Vogue, and others. And yet, even this gome attack pal parison to the fatal btaly many Nigerian gay men have too often experienced the form of lynchgs or pillory wh tir before they’re set on fire and burnt alive—not for terrorism or worse, but for beg gay, for beg human, a sperately homophobic untry. A 2017 survey by The Iniative for Equal Rights (TIERS), a Nigerian-based human rights anizatn, showed 90% of Nigerians support the ntued enforcement of Nigeria’s anti-gay laws.

Homophobia is the tie that bds a divid untry; the one thg a natn of chronic ethnic loyalti, of relig tensn, of failed ernment, n agree upon. In universy, I beme a social pariah and the poster child for “faggots” after beg outed by my bt iend on a mp that waged a ‘War on Homosexualy.

LGBTQ+ NIGERIANS ARE CELEBRATG PRI MONTH DEFIANCE OF ANTI-GAY LAW

By Pelumi SalakoILORIN, Nigeria, June 23 (Thomson Rters Foundatn) — YouTuber Victor Emmanuel knows first-hand how tough life is for people who are openly gay Nigeria, where LGBTQ+ relatnships and even same-sex displays of affectn are year, he was kidnapped by seven men who blackmailed, extorted, and tortured him for two days an attack that has sce left him nstantly lookg over his shoulr. "Nigeria is a eply relig untry, where many reject homosexualy as a rptg Wtern 2014, the Same-Sex Marriage (Prohibn) Act was signed to law, which bars not only gay relatnships but also any public sign of same-sex affectn or membership of LGBTQ+ groups, wh punishments of up to 14 years prison.

Gay sex is illegal more than half of Ain untri, acrdg to global LGBTQ+ rights tracker Equalx, although Gabon, Kenya, and Botswana have all crimalised same-sex relatns recent spe the risks, activists are phg to exprs themselv and mand change this June, a month which is marked around the world wh LGBTQ+ Pri ralli and parti. The legislatn amounts to "refully nstcted state vlence" which "exacerbat queerphobia and prevents om havg a muny, " said Kayo Ani Somtochwu, founr of the Queer Unn for Enomic and Social Transformatn (QUEST) Mistry of Jtice and the police force did not immediately rpond to requts for 2018, a group of 47 men were arrted and later charged for allegedly jog a gay club, a se that drew ternatnal outcry and was wily seen as a tt of the men said they were at a birthday party and the se was thrown out by a judge due to the "lack of diligent prosecutn.

"But LGBTQ+ people are growg creasgly vol and visible, wh the ter providg a space for gay-iendly films, talk shows, and rights groups barred om formally registerg as an anisatn unr the same-sex marriage law, most anisg and support groups take place onle. (Banjul) – Nigeria’s Same Sex Marriage (Prohibn) Act, 2013 (SSMPA) has ma a bad suatn much worse for Nigeria’s beleaguered lbian, gay, bisexual, and transgenr (LGBT) muny, Human Rights Watch said a report released today. The law has created opportuni for people to engage homophobic vlence whout fear of legal nsequenc, ntributg signifintly to a climate of impuny for crim agast LGBT people.

Punive legal environments, stigma, and discrimatn based on sexual orientatn and genr inty, together wh high levels of physil, psychologil, or sexual vlence agast gay men and other men who have sex wh men, impes staable natnal rpons to HIV, Human Rights Watch found. The ernment of Nigeria should repeal the specific provisns of the Same Sex Marriage (Prohibn) Act that crimalize formg and supportg LGBT anizatns and ensure that key populatns, cludg gay men, men who have sex wh men, and transgenr people have accs to HIV servic, re, and treatment. Gay people Nigeria are at risk for beg sentenced to around 14 years prison and even the parents who knowgly hi their child’s sexual orientatn n be prosecuted and put prison for .

In Nigeria – where homosexualy is crimalised and same-sex attractn is wily nsired morally unacceptable – ltle is said about trans inti mostly bee there is a misnceptn that the inti are non-existent. Homosexualy⚢✖ Illegal (other penalty)Censorship✖ Imprisonment as punishmentNon-bary genr regnnUnknownDiscrimatn✖ No protectnsEmployment Discrimatn✖ No protectnsHog Discrimatn✖ No protectnsConversn Therapy✖ Not banned.

Imprisonment as punishment In addn to crimalizg homosexualy, Nigeria has enacted legislatn that would make illegal for heterosexual fay members, alli and iends of LGBT people to be supportive.

Acrdg to Nigerian law, a heterosexual ally "who admisters, wns, abets or aids" any form of genr non-nformg and homosexual activy uld receive a 10-year jail to change legal genr Nigeria? ” The SSMPA impos a 10-year prison sentence on anyone who “registers, operat or participat gay clubs, societi and anizatn” or “supports” the activi of such anizatns. Such provisns build on existg legislatn Nigeria, but go much further: while the lonial-era crimal and penal s outlawed sexual acts between members of the same sex, the SSMPA effectively crimaliz lbian, gay, bisexual, and transgenr (LGBT) persons based on sexual orientatn and genr inty.