Current Events > Botswana decriminalises homosexuality in landmark ruling.

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Botswana decriminalises homosexuality in landmark ruling.

Botswana's High Court has ruled in favour of decriminalising homosexuality in a landmark decision for campaigners. The court rejected laws that impose up to seven years in prison for same-sex relationships, stating they were unconstitutional.

The move contrasts with Kenya's recent ruling against campaigners seeking to overturn laws on gay sex. "Human dignity is harmed when minority groups are marginalized," Judge Michael Elburu said.

Three judges came to the decision unanimously.

Judge Elburu labelled laws banning gay sex as "discriminatory" and added: "Sexual orientation is not a fashion statement. It is an important attribute of one's personality."

The law has been in place since 1965 when it was brought in by the colonial British government.

The case was brought to court by a student who argued society had changed and homosexuality was more widely accepted.

Activists welcomed the decision and described it as a significant step for gay rights on the African continent. Laws outlawing same sex relations exist in 31 out of 54 African countries, according to the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA).

Gay sex can be punishable by death in northern Nigeria, Sudan, Somalia and Mauritania. Tanzanian laws mean homosexuality can result in a life sentence.

Angola, Mozambique and the Seychelles have all scrapped anti-homosexuality laws in recent years.

On 24 May, Kenya's High Court ruled against overturning a law banning gay sex.

Full Article: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-48594162




Man check out the expression on that lady

She's like "Are you for real?"

Wonder who she was looking at.
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Good on them for shaking off one of the poisons given to them by colonialism
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Blue_Inigo posted...

Good on them for shaking off one of the poisons given to them by colonialism

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WhinyZach posted...

Hopefully other countries in the continent continue this.

Yes
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UnfairRepresent posted...

WhinyZach posted...

Hopefully other countries in the continent continue this.

Yes

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UnfairRepresent posted...

What's that dot south of Hawaii?

EIiza posted...

Th3Truth posted...

Does that mean homosexuality was allowed before the British came in?

Of course it wasn't

Homosexuality and same-sex relations have been documented among various modern-day Botswanan groups. In the 18th century, the Khoikhoi people recognised the terms koetsire, which refers to a man who is sexually receptive to another man, and soregus, which refers to same-sex masturbation, usually among friends. Anal intercourse and sexual relations between women also occurred, though more rarely. The San people similarly did not regard homosexuality negatively, and various rock paintings depicting anal intercourse between men exist to this day.[5] The Tswana people, a Bantu ethnic group who make up the majority of Botswana's population, also have a local term to refer to homosexuality. The Tswana term matanyola, which literally translates to "anal sex", has long been used to refer to homosexuals. Prior to colonisation, Tswana society did not share the Western concepts of sexuality and gender. Many Tswana men would have sex with men, but also have wives. Homosexuality was not viewed as an antithesis to heterosexuality. Indeed, there was widespread liberty to move between the two, and engage in sexual activity with both men and women.[6] Traditional dikgosi (local Tswana chiefs) argue that homosexuality has always existed in Tswana society, and that such individuals should be respected.[7]

This relative openness and indifference towards homosexuality disappeared after Botswana (then known as the Bechuanaland Protectorate) became a British protectorate in the 19th century and began enforcing Victorian era laws and social policies.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_rights_in_Botswana#History
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RoboLaserGandhi posted...

UnfairRepresent posted...

What's that dot south of Hawaii?

I was also wondering about that, cause there are no countries in that area that have an execution for homosexuality.
All countries are in Africa or Middle East. Pretty sure you can go to jail for it in Indonesia though, since it's Islamic

Good for Botswana. It's one of the nicer African countries.
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vocedelmorte posted...

RoboLaserGandhi posted...

UnfairRepresent posted...

What's that dot south of Hawaii?

I was also wondering about that, cause there are no countries in that area that have an execution for homosexuality.
All countries are in Africa or Middle East. Pretty sure you can go to jail for it in Indonesia though, since it's Islamic

It might be Kiribati.
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It isn't, here is the list of the countries. Not trying to nitpick, but fail map
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_penalty_for_homosexuality

vocedelmorte posted...

It isn't, here is the list of the countries. Not trying to nitpick, but fail map
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_penalty_for_homosexuality

The map isn't saying Kiribati has the death penalty for homosexuality, though. Only the ones with the orange dots have that. The map is showing countries with laws against homosexuality and then showing the ones that have the death penalty by putting an orange dot over them as well.
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Better late than never
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Th3Truth posted...

Does that mean homosexuality was allowed before the British came in?

Sort of.

They might be abused or killed on the local level

but No one really cared enough about it to make it into a law since Christianity wasn't a big deal
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Yeah, colonialism really fucked things up. People got infected by religion, hence the homophobia that exists today.

Looking at that map, Jamaica and Guyana must feel silly. Maybe Lithuania too for being the only one in Europe not counting Russia.
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KainWind posted...

Looking at that map, Jamaica and Guyana must feel silly. Maybe Lithuania too for being the only one in Europe not counting Russia.

that's not lithuania. that's still russia. they have a leftover piece of europe there from the soviet union
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Blue_Inigo posted...

Good on them for shaking off one of the poisons given to them by colonialism

LOL.

"How can I blame the west for barbaric practices in third-world nations that pre-dated colonialism?"
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The Admiral posted...

Blue_Inigo posted...

Good on them for shaking off one of the poisons given to them by colonialism

LOL.

"How can I blame the west for barbaric practices in third-world nations that pre-dated colonialism?"

source?
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The Admiral posted...

Blue_Inigo posted...

Good on them for shaking off one of the poisons given to them by colonialism

LOL.

"How can I blame the west for barbaric practices in third-world nations that pre-dated colonialism?"

Close your account lol
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KainWind posted...

Looking at that map, Jamaica and Guyana must feel silly. Maybe Lithuania too for being the only one in Europe not counting Russia.

Jamaica does not feel silly.

It's like the chillest nation on Earth
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The Admiral posted...

Blue_Inigo posted...

Good on them for shaking off one of the poisons given to them by colonialism

LOL.

"How can I blame the west for barbaric practices in third-world nations that pre-dated colonialism?"

There are posts right above yours detailing how attitudes in "Botswana" towards homosexuality were different before colonialism. (I put Botswana in quotes since there was obviously no Botswana before colonialism).
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ThyCorndog posted...

KainWind posted...

Looking at that map, Jamaica and Guyana must feel silly. Maybe Lithuania too for being the only one in Europe not counting Russia.

that's not lithuania. that's still russia. they have a leftover piece of europe there from the soviet union

Ah okay, didn't realize that.
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EIiza posted...

boxington posted...

EIiza posted...

Th3Truth posted...

Does that mean homosexuality was allowed before the British came in?

Of course it wasn't

Homosexuality and same-sex relations have been documented among various modern-day Botswanan groups. In the 18th century, the Khoikhoi people recognised the terms koetsire, which refers to a man who is sexually receptive to another man, and soregus, which refers to same-sex masturbation, usually among friends. Anal intercourse and sexual relations between women also occurred, though more rarely. The San people similarly did not regard homosexuality negatively, and various rock paintings depicting anal intercourse between men exist to this day.[5] The Tswana people, a Bantu ethnic group who make up the majority of Botswana's population, also have a local term to refer to homosexuality. The Tswana term matanyola, which literally translates to "anal sex", has long been used to refer to homosexuals. Prior to colonisation, Tswana society did not share the Western concepts of sexuality and gender. Many Tswana men would have sex with men, but also have wives. Homosexuality was not viewed as an antithesis to heterosexuality. Indeed, there was widespread liberty to move between the two, and engage in sexual activity with both men and women.[6] Traditional dikgosi (local Tswana chiefs) argue that homosexuality has always existed in Tswana society, and that such individuals should be respected.[7]

This relative openness and indifference towards homosexuality disappeared after Botswana (then known as the Bechuanaland Protectorate) became a British protectorate in the 19th century and began enforcing Victorian era laws and social policies.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_rights_in_Botswana#History

Interesting

yes
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vocedelmorte posted...

RoboLaserGandhi posted...

UnfairRepresent posted...

What's that dot south of Hawaii?

I was also wondering about that, cause there are no countries in that area that have an execution for homosexuality.
All countries are in Africa or Middle East. Pretty sure you can go to jail for it in Indonesia though, since it's Islamic

Afghanistan and Pakistan are South Asian, and Brunei is Southeast Asian.
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