CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020
| Author | Brimmer, Jesse Joseph |
|---|---|
| Title | "Un-African" African Sexualities: Post-Colonial Nation Building and the Conditioning of Citizenship in sub-Saharan Africa with Analysis of Uganda and Kenya |
| Summary | This thesis explores the phenomenon of the labeling of same-sex sexual behavior as “un-African”. It begins by exposing the myth that same-sex sexual behaviors were non-existent in pre-colonial sub-Africa. Following this, it moves into the colonial-era regulation of sexuality in sub-Saharan Africa and reveals the racialized basis for the first iterations of the “un-Africanness” of same-sex sexual behavior. This first iteration was based on the idea that same-sex sexual behavior was a result of the descendance of more “advanced” cultures. Black Africans did not exhibit this behavior because they were perceived to be more “primitive” and “closer to nature”. This background informs the rest of the thesis which examines the modern “un-African” framing as a post-colonial nation building project which defines the idealized sub-Saharan African citizen as sexually productive and homophobic. The deviance of those who practice or are perceived to practice “un-African” same-sex sexual behavior from this idealized citizen allows homophobic leaders in sub-Saharan Africa to depict them as allied with Western forces. This justifies the exemption of these individuals from having human rights as their citizenship and sometimes personhood is removed. This is accomplished in less formally as states in sub-Saharan Africa deny the protection of these individuals which leads to a culture of impunity and more formally as states enact laws and courts uphold and laws persecuting those who practice or are perceived to practice same-sex sexual behavior. The degree to which the human rights of these individuals are limited is specifically examined in Uganda and Kenya. This is followed by a critique of current Western advocacy strategies attempting to address these issues which often try to directly copy strategies that have worked in Western counties without accounting for differences in political circumstances. This often results in strategies that are easily portrayed by nationalist, populist, homophobic leaders in sub-Saharan Africa as Western imperialism. The final section demonstrates the global nature of the struggle for sexual rights which is in constant interaction with national politics. The purpose of this thesis is to expose the complexity of the struggle for sexual rights in sub-Saharan Africa to better inform advocacy strategies. |
| Supervisor | Polgari, Eszter |
| Department | Legal Studies MA |
| Full text | https://www.etd.ceu.edu/2020/brimmer_jesse.pdf |
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