LGBT individuals and the struggle against Robert Mugabe's extirpation in Zimbabwe

Abstract

ABSTRACT Queer identities and non-heteronormative sexualities are increasingly becoming visible globally and Zimbabwe has witnessed an emergent queer mobilization and sexual identities politics. There have been significant attempts to expunge non-heterosexuals from Zimbabwean citizenry by drawing borders on the basis of sexual orientation. Over the years, western and local media have mediated a narrative of a thoroughly homophobic Zimbabwe, not the least emanating from the former president, Robert Mugabe's homophobic utterances which recurrently generated global news stories. A dominant discourse framed homosexual identities as on or beyond the border of what is socially acceptable, whilst the individuals with queer identities have been denied legal protection and status. Predominantly, homophobic sentiments are expressed, often reflecting the view that homosexual identities should not be given space in Zimbabwe, nor should anything associated with it be tolerated. The populist arguments are based on among other things, depicting heterosexuality as ‘natural’, homosexuality as ‘uncultural’ and ‘unChristian’, and stereotyping gay people as licentious. Drawing on ethnographic research, this paper explores how LGBT people in Harare perceive, make sense of and cope with the infamous hate speech, ‘worse than dogs and pigs’, by the former president and the implications of this on their self-perception as they defiantly express a narrative of self-affirmation challenging the marginal status in popularized discourse.