Miles Rutendo Tanhira of GALZ (Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe) has come all the way from southeast Africa to talk about oppression and hatred towards LGTBI people, and about what has to be done to improve the Zimbabwean society.
– GALZ exist to promote, represent, and protect the rights of the LGTBI community.
Back in Zimbabwe they run a leisure center where LGTBI people meet and socialize in a safe environment. They can read books and have fun together.
– But LGTBI still face criminalization, and threats to their rights and existence. It occurs unwarranted arrests, detention, disappearances, torture and harassment to human rights defenders. We have had the GALZ office raided.
Zimbabwe has no laws protecting LGTBI people. Reporting assault or rape leads to nothing. Perpetrators never face any consequences. On top of that, in 2006 Zimbabwe introduced a new law, where sex between two men was banned. The new law stated:
“Any male person who, with the consent of another male person, knowingly performs with that other person anal sexual intercourse, or any act involving physical contact other than anal sexual intercourse that would be regarded by a reasonable person to be an indecent act, shall be guilty of sodomy and liable to a fine up to or exceeding level fourteen or imprisonment for a period not exceeding one year or both.”
Miles explains that even though the legislation at the moment only concerns men having sex with men, the situation for lesbians is very uncertain. They do not dare to say lesbian sex is allowed, since the law might be changed to include sex between women. That was the case in Bolivia, before same-sex sexual acts were legalized, and before LGBT people of Bolivia were protected by law in 2009.
– To work as an activist is challenging. You don’t feel safe, and it is not always easy. But it has to be done!
Watch Stockholm Prides exclusive video interview with Miles:
In cooperation with Dagny & Lillebror, www.dagnyochlillebror.com.