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Activists in the African nation struggle for equality against a tide of violence.
Not a week goes by without a news report detailing yet another vicious attack on members of Africa's LGBT population. These hate crimes are not confined to just a few African countries but can be found across the continent, even in progressive South Africa.
Although in 2006 South Africa became the first, and to this day is the only, African nation to legalize same-sex marriage, so-called corrective rapes have become prevalent. Rapes and other violent crimes are not uncommon in South Africa, however, corrective rapes specifically target lesbians in an attemptto change their sexuality; the attackers believe victims will be "fixed" by the rape and become straight. Gangs of men usually commit these crimes and often transmit AIDS and other diseases. But lesbians who live in Johannesburg's affluent Sandton neighborhood will have a drastically different experience from those who inhabit one of Cape Town's townships. Lesbians in poorer South African townships bear the brunt of these assaults and then are left to fend for themselves due to the lack of police-or to the prejudice they face when reporting their injuries.
Recently, the West African nation of Nigeria overtook South Africa to become the largest economy on the continent. Nigeria has become a major economic power: But this rapid financial development has not been matched by progress toward social equity for the LGBT community. Being out and open in Nigeria is extremely difficult due to the many social, political, and economic barriers, but courageous lesbian organizations that aim to address sexual and reproductive health concerns are emerging in the country.
Akudo Oguaghamba, executive director of the Women's Health and Equal Rights Initiative (WHER), is at the forefront of the call for equal rights for Nigeria's LGBT citizens. "In the wake of the antihomosexuality crusade, there have been a lot of push-backs in advocacy efforts. These negative reactions also toughened up LGBT activists in these areas, as our worst fears became reality and...