22th October 2022
Boatle
Sello Motseta
Despite a lot of social media advertising and publicity only around 150 people attended Botswana’s first ever Rainbow Pride Fest with popular local artists like Shanti Lo, Luzibo and Khoisan performing to help soften historically conservative attitudes towards lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer and transgender (LGBTIQ) in Botswana.
Same-sex sexual acts have been legal in Botswana since 11 June 2019 after a unanimous ruling by the High Court of Botswana. Despite an appeal by the government, the ruling was upheld by the Botswana Court of Appeal on 29 November 2021.
Tsarona Molomo, Gaborone Pride Stage Manager, said “I feel that this is something that needed to happen on a celebratory note. We have a lot to celebrate like the recent court case.”
She said, “I wish there was a larger turnout of allies so that we can celebrate together. We need to celebrate the trials and tribulations of transgender people and appreciate the use of pronouns.”
There were no incidents of violence or police harassment against attendees. Church lobby groups and ultra conservative community projects were nowhere to be seen.
A reveller who described herself as Tumie, said “It is a stepping stone. We are coming out and people are relaxed,”
She said, “There is no harassment. We are peaceful and joyous.”
In recent years, the LGBT community in Botswana has become more visible with the Botswana High Court setting the tone in some societal attitudes. In 2016, it ordered Government to register the main LGBT organisation, LEGABIBO, and in 2017 it ruled that transgender people have a constitutional right to change their legal gender.
In 2019, it struck down colonial-era laws banning homosexuality, and ruled that “sex”, as defined in Section 3 of the Botswana Constitution, should be “generously and purposively interpreted” to include sexual orientation.
Employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation has also been banned since 2010, making it one of the few African countries to have such protections for LGBT people.
Katlego Sechele,Programmes Co-ordinator for Botswana Network on Ethics, Law and HIV/AIDS (BONELA), said “People are coming out at event and marching. They are accepting themselves. Community also has to accept them.”
She said, “We still have negative perceptions and stereotypes fuelled by cultural norms that perpetuate stigmatisation.”
Botswana’s third National Strategic Framework for HIV/AIDS and the Multi-sectoral Strategy for the Prevention of Non-communicable Diseases is regarded as progressive, encouraging healthcare providers to provide equitable health services to LGBTIQ community.
One of the events performers Shanti Lo, aka Kagiso Tumediso Loeto, who is an openly gay local artist said “Botswana is a very conservative society. It is therefore very encouraging that Government is more accepting of gays.”
He said, “I have been singing for over 30 years. It was a shock to have a person like me on stage.”
But some NGO’s complain more needs to be done with many hurdles still remaining barring LGBTIQ community from being allowed to adopting children or legally marrying.
“The right to marry is a basic human right. Not permitting same sex marriages does take away a right to LGBTIQ fundamental rights to association and to family,” said Sechele.
One member of the public publication approached by the The Tswana Times questioned whether gays in Botswana’s conservative land locked country could be described as discriminated against when they were not subjected to any evident form harassment.
Dimpho Motlhabi, Taxi Owner, who has been in the business for over 20 years said “I do not think gays are discriminated against in Botswana. I have so many gay friends. I do not have a problem with them. They also have many platforms where they are able to express themselves and share the challenges they face such as local radio.”
He said, “It is not a matter of community not accepting them. They need to come forward and be involved in community activities helping to address social ills like rape and ritual killings. They need to make themselves more visible and relevant.”
