Colonialism, African Sexualities, and Marriage

In sub-Saharan Africa, issues of same-sex relationships are often the subject of social and political controversy. On one hand, sexual minorities seek legal reform of the laws criminalising same-sex relationships and sexual non-conformity. Conversely, politicians, religious leaders, and the public oppose the recognition of LGBT rights, arguing that same-sex relationships are against African norms, traditions, and religion. The first part of this chapter will explore the current attitudes in sub-Saharan Africa towards same-sex relations. This will take into consideration the influence of culture, religion, and politics. To understand how the current attitudes towards same-sex relations were in/formed, the second part of the chapter will discuss pre-colonial sexuality and the nature of African marriage to determine if and how these relationships were transformed under colonialism and embedded heterosexuality as the acceptable relationship status in African society. Finally, the chapter will examine the origins of the laws governing same-sex sexual conduct and analyse the colonial ideology and its contradictions.