AP The writer suggests that South Africans must learn from leaders such as ArchBishop Desmond Tutu, who supports the protection of homosexuals. File photo: Ashwini BhatiaThere is a need to recruit society to amplify awareness of rights of LGBTIs to exist, writes Faith ka-Manzi.
Not believing in homosexuality does not mean it don’t exist or that LGBTI people (meaning lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex) should then be raped, killed, ostracised, stigmatised, discriminated against or treated in any inhumane way imaginable.
Many people are prejudiced towards homosexuals. And it is sad that once a very senior politician in this country was alleged to have said that as a young man whenever he came across gays, he would beat the hell out of them.
Nevertheless, how I feel and what I believe regarding LGBTI people does not mean that their right to existence should be violated.
And yes, as a Christian, I believe that homosexuality defies God’s purpose of procreation and also there are several scriptures in the Bible (whose principles I live by) which make it clear what God, my Christian God, says about the matter.
And I would like to be respected for that because my job as a human rights activist is to “speak truth to power”.
My speaking truth to power is that an injury to any LGBTI person is an injury to me. My Christian God has created me the heterosexual as well as the LGBTI person after His own image.
One of the commandments is not to commit murder. So I do not have a right to kill another fellow human being just because he or she is of a different sexual orientation.
That is why I am using my pen as a sword against this injustice committed against LGBTIs.
As much as I admire that my country protects the rights of the vulnerable and minorities such as these through the Constitution of 1996, it is still worrying that killings, stigmatisation, rape and other atrocities continue to be committed against them.
There are things each and every individual can do to make a change in this country and globally to fight for the rights of the minorities and the vulnerable either at home, at work or in our communities.
We can document human rights violations of these people, we can put pressure on the organs of state to respect and protect LGBTIs.
We can educate those who are prejudiced not to necessarily accept them (as we cannot force that) but to respect their right to life.
We need to be involved in the teaching and learning that here in our country whether it be in cities or in rural areas that not only is it unacceptable and intolerable but it also illegal, inhumane and ungodly to make life unbearable for LGBTIs.
The kidnapping of people like Moses Rakoma who was also raped and tortured but luckily found alive after three days, should stop.
Many were not so lucky like Thapelo Makutle, Andritha Morifi, Neil Daniels, Sanna Supa, Vuyisa Dayisi, Sbongile Mphelo, just to name but a few. All these victims were viciously and cruelly murdered by stabbings, stonings, shootings and some even mutilations.
This then shows that there is an imminent need to recruit all sectors of society (religion, cultural, political, etc) to amplify awareness of the rights of LGBTIs to exist.
It is crucial that we confront this challenge through tried and tested means by countries which do not tolerate disrespect or abuse of rights of the LGBTIs.
We know that 77 countries have laws which criminalise homosexuality and five which even go further as to impose death penalties.
We need to name and shame countries like Uganda and many others.
We need to name and shame organs or departments of the state which humiliate LGBTIs, like some members from the health department, members of the South African Police Services and some members of the department of Home Aaffairs.
We need to name and shame political leaders who hide behind their national laws to address violation of LGBTI people’s rights.
We need to put pressure against countries, religions, cultures etc which commit injustices against minorities and the vulnerable whether they be homosexuals, the poor, women, children, the shape of their bodies or (their noses as was the case in Burundi and Rwanda which led to the genocide of 1 300 000 people). Fighting for the rights of these people and demanding justice is not only humane but it is also godly.
A man I admire so much, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, once said: “I do not want to go to a homophobic heaven.” Neither do I, nor do I believe that heaven exists according to one’s sexual orientation.
*Ka-Manzi is a community scholar at the Centre for Civil Society in UKZN.
** The views expressed here are not necessarily those of Independent Media.
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