That’s South African Judge, Ratha Mokgoathleng, unable to contain his homophobia, speaking earlier to the prosecutor in the case of the murderers of Eudy Simelane, a lesbian woman brutally raped and murdered in a township outside Johannesburg. The New York Times reports that one the killers has been sentenced to life in prison.
To contextualize the outcome of the case, my friend, Dan Moshenberg, forwarded me links to the case:
What it means to be a Black lesbian, to be a gay man or lesbian of any sort, in South Africa and on the continent more generally.
South African TV clip focusing on the work of photographer Zanele Muholi.
Via Dan Moshenberg
A journalist at the Dutch newspaper, Die Volkskrant, has a story about his barber who turns out to be a leading gay rights campaigner who had earlier fled Zimbabwe because of hysterical homophobia there and ended up in Amsterdam. (Narration in Dutch, but interview in English with Dutch subtitles.)
On a recent episode of one of the hundred or so reality shows, America’s Best Dance Crew (a side project of one of the American Pop Idol judges), pop singer Beyonce presented “the Beyonce challenge” to the dance crews. In the clip she asks Vogue Evolution “to take us back to the roots of dance and bust a little African flavor.” Her own dancing is referenced in a video as African dancing. Later the presenter goes on about “adding an African spice to their dancing.” Then the judges can’t stop talking about royalty, because it is African dance.
I’ll stay out of the homophobic comments on some websites where the video has been posted (example here and here) and just ask: What is so African about the crew’s dance moves?
Malawi’s Constitution Amendment Bill banning homosexual marriages was passed on Thursday July this year, during a parliamentary sitting to pass the 2009/2010 budget. During this sitting Member of parliament, Edwin Banda proposed that the constitution should include a clause stipulating that Malawi is a “God fearing nation”, a phrase that would cast homosexuality out as it is said to be ungodly.
Banda said Malawi is a God fearing nation, “the whole front benches (Cabinet Ministers) are God fearing people, the speaker is a church elder. We should say no to same sex marriages”
Amidst applause by members of parliament Banda added “the clear position against homosexuality will help protect the sanctity of marriage and Malawi’s belief in God.”
However Minister of Local government, Goodal Gondwe, rejected Banda’s proposal stating that the phrase would be legislate people’s faith.
He said “people have different beliefs that will not be included in the constitution.” Supporting the fight against homosexuality even the speaker of parliament said “as a church elder myself I do not support same sex marriages.”
In Malawi and most countries of Africa, policy makers continue to use religion to criminalise homosexuality. Malawi’s Penal Code like in most African countries outlaws homosexual relationships and homosexuality by 14 years imprisonment or a death sentence.
[Source]
Such laws have also been passed in Burundi, while activists in Uganda are fighting back.
