Doug Cooper-Spencer: The View From Here: Part 2: Beg Gay Democratic Republic of Congo (Anonymo Corrponnce, As told to Doug Cooper Spencer)

Contents:

• GAY, OUT AND ON THE AIRWAV IN KSHASA
• GAY LIFE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
• ONLY LADS : EE GAY DATG & GAY CHAT SOCIAL WORK
• STE GAY IMPEX
• KSHASA - RENNTRE GRATUE GAY

GAY, OUT AND ON THE AIRWAV IN KSHASA

Stg at his sk a stuffy office wh a rabow flag hangg behd him, 31-year-old Patou Izai says tak a lot of urage to e out as gay Kshasa, the sprawlg pal cy of Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Although this vast, volatile Central Ain natn do not have the harsh anti-gay laws adopted by neighbors such as Uganda, eply graed nservative cultural norms routely stigmatize, silence and lead to physil threats agast LGBTI (lbian, gay, bisexual, transgenr and tersex) people. Them range om basic sexual health tips to alg wh prsn to rencilg homosexualy and relign.

A particularly popular episo asked Kois, as Kshasa rints self-intify, how they'd react to fdg out a close fay member was gay. He draws hope om the ttimony of a listener who said he regretted mistreatg his brother, who had e out as gay. He remas unsettled by repeated attempts, most recently 2014, to pass an anti-gay bill DRC's Natnal Assembly.

The proposed bill would make homosexualy punishable by prison sentence. This adds urgency to his work wh "Jniai, " Izai says: "I feel obliged to speak, to ll out, to keep remdg society that we homosexuals exist. Gays Misunrstood.

GAY LIFE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

Inspired by the LGBT movement the Wt, small groups of gays are timidly tryg to make a place for themselv Democratic Republic of Congo.

Inspired by the LGBT movement the Wt, small groups of gays are timidly tryg to make a place for themselv Lubumbashi [the send largt cy of the Democratic Republic of Congo]. But neher lol ctoms nor Congole law tolerate homosexual practic, which are nsired abnormal…. In Lubumbashi, as some other major Congole ci, is no longer rare to see homosexuals.

Gaby is part of a group of five young gay men. However, everyone knows that Congole society, and particularly that of Lubumbashi, tak a very dim view of this small muny of gay men lookg to e out of hidg.

ONLY LADS : EE GAY DATG & GAY CHAT SOCIAL WORK

Elsewhere, homosexuals have the right to marry, he says, but not here at home. Gay marriage not for tomorrow. Acrdg to Kabanga, the practice of homosexualy has always existed all societi, but different forms.

The center of the untry) 1977, he found a small group of homosexuals equented by diamond searchers, who supposedly need them to be lucky their work. A soclogist who requted anonymy believ that is the wd of globalizatn, driven by strong media verage of the prott movements of the gay muni Europe particular, that explas the willgns of young gay Congole to make their voic heard. Also see: Gay Rights Campaigner Called Antichrist.

STE GAY IMPEX

Beg Gay DRC. Bee of the social stigma associated wh homosexualy there is no public gay or lbian muny or anizatn. There is very ltle ter rmatn about gay life Congo but the followg two reports reveal the gree and extent of homophobia Congo:.

KSHASA - RENNTRE GRATUE GAY

Female Homosexualy Republic of Congo.