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Loading ...Namibia city hosts first gay rights march
About 40 people are expected to march in Keetmanshoop’s first-ever march for gay and lesbian rights on Saturday.
Keetmanshoop, in the southern part of Namibia, near the gay-friendly South Africa, is marking the inauguration of Ada Ma/Hao (We stand together), a new project advocating for equal rights for gender minorities in southern Namibia.According to Jacobus Witbooi, sexual minorities coordinator for the Czech NGO People in Need, which is sponsoring the march, Ada Ma/Hao will focus on “enhancing empowerment of marginalized sexual minorities in areas of human rights and HIV/AIDS.”
Sodomy is illega in Namibia, though LGBT rights groups like Sister Namibia and Rainbow Project operate freely in the country’s major cities. The last sodomy case was tried in the late 80s.
Lenworth,
Yeah, I think they’re very brave and I’m also scared for them. I wonder if there is anything we can do here to draw national attention to them… Perhaps with more external media involvement they would be safer? Who knows.
Drewski…. You’re comments still seem broken and evasive. You seem to forget you started the attacks. Lay off the coffee.
Am I the only pessimist absolutely terrified for these guys! Good lord, was there any sort of news about police protection for them? They’ve definitely got balls
Jud, I’m not allowed to call you out on your own comments? You can’t have it both ways, but you clearly have a need to have the last word because you can’t sustain your own point. You also didn’t refute anything I said. It is what it is. I can let you bully me, I can call you out, or we can have a conversation. Option 1 is most assuredly out, so would you prefer real conversation or me bullying back? If I’m wrong, I can apologize, and I’ve done it here before.
Here’s your initial post:
What a fascinating and inspiring story. Few people in the Western world realize that Namibia was the site of one of the first genocides in the 20th century (The Germans decimated a large portion of the population in 1904-1907. Although the genocide is not recognized by many of German descent in Namibia, it is recognized internationally.
It’s very easy to read into that post a guilt by association for any sorry Namibian who happened to descend from any of those Germans–that would include anybody of mixed ancestry. It also ignores the fact that South Africa was generally involved in (and engaged in de facto annexation of) Namibia until 1994 (recall that white Namibians were in the South African parliament until then). Your presentation is selective and sloppy. I didn’t say that your core statement–as you’ve since explained it–was entirely erroneous. I said that it was murky, and I have a right to respond to murky. You’ve done nothing to refute me, but you have attacked me. Your attacks show that you can’t acknowledge the weakness of your original comment–you seriously think that “German” and “genocide” together in the same sentence isn’t still a red flag? You refuse to acknowledge even that aspect, but instead tar it and me with the label of “paranoid.” Missouri, baby–show me.
Drewski,
Yes. I realized that to some very paranoid individuals who drink to much coffee in the back of college coffee bars that I was somehow trying to find fault with Namibia or the Germans. Which is why I decided to post a second comment clarifying the first (which apparently you also needed to attack?). Although one could ask how you were so certain of the content and intent of my original comment while simultaneously claiming that my comments were “murky” full of multiple meanings, I’ll just assume you wanted it clarified for the readers. Also in media people actually shoot for a sixth grade level of reading/writing comprehension. I understand it makes it easier for people like you to read.
As I clarified the second time, for those who needed it, I think the journey to an inclusive laws in this country is especially courageous considering the fact that Namibia has such a violent history. Obviously I didn’t have time in the short space allotted to cover all of the regions history up to and including such developments as Kwaito music, or the impact South African politics in determining the current political landscape of Namibia. But hey, I didn’t know I needed to!
Thanks for letting me know.
I think its great as we make progress all over the world for equality & rights.
i know there is so far to go but I feel like I most treasure every step of the process instead of just dwelling on our loses!!
Judderwocky, those of us who moved beyond Grade 6 English could easily find multiple meanings in your statement. Your primary reference was to genocide, with not much to temper it. Context makes a difference. Just because you may have been noting that to yourself as you typed does not mean that your thoughts magically inserted themselves in text. Your post was murky. Own it instead of attacking me.
Drewski,
I brought that up because I find it amazing that the country is moving towards inclusion despite the history its had. Clearly you’re idiot and frankly people like you are the reason we don’t have progress in the world.
@ judderwocky–You do realize that not only was that genocide over before there was any Namibia, it’s also fascinating that you would mention such violence in isolation to all other sub-Saharan history of the past 100 years. Let’s leave SA National Party years out of this too, despite the fact that SA all but annexed Namibia. Let’s talk about the Somalis and Egyptians [and others] who come to Western countries and still insist on holding their daughters down to “uphold tradition” (read: excise clitoris head with a blade or piece of glass, no anaesthetic and no real concern for sanitary standards). My observation has nothing to do with this event, and neither does yours, except both of us can find fault. What does finding historical fault have to do with a gay presence in a Namibian city?
Just like small cities here, they’re not in the most gay-friendly place but they have the guts to stand up. Good on ‘em.
Won’t you please start telling us sooner of these things? I’d go and rally with them, but it would take a private jet to make it there by tomorrow…
Hmmm…just because same-sex marriage is legal in South Africa doesn’t make it necessarily ‘gay friendly’…case in point: http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-13907.html
This is a very important march. Throughout most of Africa, our LGBT brothers and sisters suffer legal persecution and face either prison terms or the death penalty. Our community there is a community of great courage as they fight for even the most limited of rights to exist.
What a fascinating and inspiring story. Few people in the Western world realize that Namibia was the site of one of the first genocides in the 20th century (The Germans decimated a large portion of the population in 1904-1907. Although the genocide is not recognized by many of German descent in Namibia, it is recognized internationally.