There has always been homosexuality in Africa.

[elshiva]

Thank you for all your support. Please pray for our parish priest. She is not that open about her own identity in the pulpit, but she does speak out about how we should support homosexual rights in our church. Her argument, though, was passed more on the idea that Episcopalians should not be controlled by overseas officials who do not know our dioceses. The only trouble I see with that argument is that it can all to often be stood on its head by anti-gay Anglicans in Africa. Some of the African hierarchy has said that we are imposing "Western Values" on Africans by introducing gay rights. This is a nice trick because it turns the gay rights activists into imperialists imposing white cultural decadence on pure, heterosexual black Africans. Unfortunately, homosexual black Africans are suffering the most in this equation because their history is being silenced. Even worse, is that there are laws against homosexuality in Nigeria and other neighboring countries.
There has always been homosexuality and transgenderism in Africa. The most important evidence is in a book called "Boy Wives, Female Husbands"
http://www.amazon.com/Boy-Wives-Female-Husbands-Studies-African-Homosexualities/dp/031221216X
It is a big myth to think that the Greeks invented homosexuality. Audre Lorde, the African-American feminist, entitled her autobiography "Zami: Another Spelling of My Name," because it is an African name for women who prefer the company of other women. "Traditional marriage" in many African cultures has always included polygamy and woman to woman marriage.
It seems to me that what has been imported to African countries is homophobia and not homosexuality. Since traditional religions blessed same-sex marriage, it seemed to some homophobic missionaries a terrible "barbarism." A certain kind of colonial, nineteenth century image off the Victorian, heterosexual, male lead family is still pretending to be "the ideal Christian family." Unfortunately, this is locks out a lot of other healthy sexual expressions. Jesus did NOT endorse the nuclear family or any set family structure. Instead, we are called as a church to be a large family, to be brother and sisters in Christ. Since we are called to love our neighbor as ourselves whether male, female, Gentile, Jew, free, slave. Yes, those are Paul's words, but they capture the Spirit of Christ's teachings. Jesus surprised the crowds when he said that a Samaritan could, through his compassion, be a better neighbor than the Priest who shirks his duties. Also, he said there would be eunuchs for the kingdom of God.
Yes, we do need to help God's reign along here. I need to do more research on this subject. Please pray that we find a way as a church to truly love all our neighbors.


Saints Perpetua and Felicitas of Carthage were martyred in 203 for being Christians. There is a probability that they were lovers. Perpetua writes that Felicitas was a great comfort to her in prison and before they were exposed to the wild beasts, they embraced and kissed.

[elshiva]

1. Kicking this for our oppressed brothers and sisters

[JackBeck]

2. Isn't it interesting that South Africa

has moved from Apartheid to including Gay rights in their Constitution in the last 20 years, yet America has moved in the opposite direction.

We are such a young country and have a long way to go.

[elshiva]

3. Amen. God grant that other African nations can heed

South Africa's example. Unfortunately, Nigeria's and Uganda's government is much more influenced by fundamentalist Islamic law than South Africa. That's another issue about homophobia in Islam, but it's similar. The Koran does not have any specific prohibition about homosexuality. There is a lot of concern about adultery and fornication, but very little (arguably none) about same sex issues. That's another religion controlled by way too many homophobes. :(

[JackBeck]

4. And you give excellent examples

of how ALL religions bastardize the original translations to further an agenda.

[elshiva]

5. Thank you. But do ALL religions bastardize

for homophobia? I don't know. What about Buddhism or neo-paganism? :shrug:

On edit: It seems that the indigenious religions of Africa and North America were in many cases accepting of different sexualities. Not to say that it was a perfect for gays in those societies. Maybe there were some homophobes before colonization, but it seems that religions like Christianity and Islam that took over Africa and America were often homophobic and hierarchal.

[fishwax]

6. thanks for the interesting info

:kick:

[elshiva]

7. You are welcome!

[uppityperson]

8. Very interesting, thanks elshiva.nt

[xchrom]

9. neither homosexuality nor homophobia was

introduced from anywhere.

howevre colonization breaks down peoples cultures and their histories in some horrible ways.

and those who are oppressed often go on to oppress others in some weird notion of liberation.

there has always been homosexuality -- everywhere.
it's just dealing with that truth that has become so damn difficult.