Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people living in Rwanda face legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBT residents. While neither homosexuality nor homosexual acts are illegal, homosexuality is considered a taboo topic, and there is no significant public discussion of this issue in any region of the country and LGBT persons face stigmatization among the broader population.[1] No special legislative protections are afforded to LGBT citizens,[1] and same-sex marriages are not recognized by the state, as the Constitution of Rwanda provides that "[o]nly civil monogamous marriage between a man and a woman is recognized".[2] LGBT Rwandans have reported being harassed, blackmailed, and even arrested by the police under various laws dealing with public order and morality.[3]
Rwanda is a signatory of the United Nations joint statement condemning violence against LGBT people and is one of only a few countries in Africa to have sponsored the declaration, and stands in sharp contrast with neighbouring Uganda, Tanzania and Burundi. Rwanda and Djibouti are the only East African countries where homosexual acts are legal.
In the old Kingdom of Rwanda, male homosexual relations were common among young Hutus and Tutsis. In 1986, a 19-year-old Tutsi man was recorded as saying that "traditionally, in his tribe, there was an extended period during which boys lived apart from the rest of the village while they are training to be warriors, during which very emotional, and often sexual, relationships were struck up... Sometimes these relationships lasted beyond adolescence into adulthood. Watusi still have a reputation for bisexuality in the cities of East Africa." Tutsi boys training at court would often be made sexually available to guests. Homosexuals were referred to as umuswezi or umukonotsi, which literally translate to "sodomite". Several terms exist for male homosexuality: kuswerana nk'imbwa, kunonoka, kwitomba, kuranana inyuma and ku'nyo. In addition, there were traditions of "cross-dressing priests", known as ikihindu or ikimaze, first described by the colonialists as "hermaphrodites", who would play the role of shamans and healers. Sexual relations are believed to have included mutual masturbation, intercrural sex and anal intercourse.[4][5][6]
Societal acceptance quickly disappeared after the arrival of the European colonialists and Christianity.[7]
Republic of Rwanda
On 16 December 2009, the Parliament of Rwanda debated whether to make homosexuality a criminal offense, with a punishment of 5–10 years imprisonment.[8] This legislation was similar to the controversial anti-homosexuality bill in the neighboring country of Uganda.[9] Justice Minister Tharcisse Karugarama, however, condemned and refuted reports that the government intended to criminalize homosexual acts, saying that sexual orientation is a private matter, not a state business.[10]
Legality of same-sex sexual activity
Same-sex sexual activity is legal in Rwanda. The age of consent is 18, regardless of sexual orientation or gender.[11]
Recognition of same-sex relationships
Rwanda does not recognize same-sex marriages, civil unions or similar unions. Most gay people who have been interviewed stated that they are not open about their sexuality to their family for fear of being rejected.[12]
The Constitution of Rwanda, adopted in May 2003, defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman.[2] Article 26 states:[13] "Only civil monogamous marriage between a man and a woman is recognized."[a]
Government and politics
Political parties
Under Rwandan electoral laws, most of the political parties are aligned with, if not an extension of, the ruling party. The four Rwandan political parties that are not a part of the ruling coalition, the Liberal Party, the Social Democratic Party, the Social Party Imberakuri and the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda, have not taken an official position on LGBT rights.
In September 2016, speaking in San Francisco, President Paul Kagame said that "it (homosexuality) hasn't been our problem. And we don't intend to make it our problem".[14]
Human rights
Since 2005, the Horizons Community Association of Rwanda has been doing some public advocacy on behalf of LGBT rights, although its members have often been harassed by the government.[15]
Acts of Violence, Discrimination, and Other Abuses Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity There are no laws that criminalize sexual orientation or consensual same-sex sexual conduct, and cabinet-level government officials expressed support for the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) persons. LGBTI persons reported societal discrimination and abuse, and LGBTI rights groups reported occasional harassment by neighbors and police. There were no known reports of physical attacks against LGBTI persons, nor were there any reports of LGBTI persons fleeing the country due to harassment or attack.
In September 2019, Albert Nabonibo, a well-known gospel singer, came out as gay in an interview with a Christian YouTube channel. The Associated Press reported that his coming out had caused "shock" in a country "where such a public assertion of homosexuality is unheard of". Despite "horrible" reactions from family and friends, Olivier Nduhungirehe, the Minister of State for East African Community Affairs, expressed support for Nabonibo, saying, "All Rwandans are born and remain equal in rights and freedoms." Nabonibo himself stated that "there is no going back, because I have to live my real life."[18]
Transgender rights
Transgender Rwandans face legal challenges. Rwandan law forbids changing legal gender.[19] While crossdressing is not de jure illegal in Rwanda, transgender people are often charged with unrelated offenses and can face violent detention.[20]
^In Kinyarwanda: Ubushyingiranwe bw'umugabo umwe n'umugore umwe bukorewe mu butegetsi bwa Leta ni bwo bwonyine bwemewe. In French: Seul le mariage monogamique civil entre un homme et une femme est reconnu.
References
^ abSpartacus International Gay Guide, p. 1216. Bruno Gmunder Verlag, 2007.
^ ab"Article 26 of the Constitution of the Republic of Rwanda" (PDF).
^. 1 January 2009. Archived from the original on 17 July 2012.
^"Boy-Wives and Female Husbands". www.willsworld.org.
^"The idea that African homosexuality was a colonial import is a myth". The Guardian. 8 March 2014.
^Bleys, Rudi, The Geography of Perversion: Male-To-Male Sexual Behavior Outside the West and the Ethnographic Imagination, 1750-1918. NYU Press, 1996
^Scupham-bilton, Tony (8 October 2012). "The Queerstory Files: Gay in the Great Lakes of Africa".
^. Archived from the original on 23 December 2009.
^"Anti-gay bill in Uganda challenges Catholics to take a stand". National Catholic Reporter. 27 November 2009.
^"RWANDA 2016 HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT" (PDF). 7 March 2017. (PDF) from the original on 7 March 2017. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
^"Rwanda: Anglicans Reject Western Accusations of Rebellion". Rwanda News Agency. 14 August 2007. Retrieved 16 October 2021 – via AllAfrica.
^Ssuuna, Ignatius (16 September 2019). "Rwandan gospel singer comes out as gay, to country's shock". The Associated Press. Kigali.
^"Trans Legal Mapping Report". ILGA. 28 September 2017.
^Andresen, Maggie. "Rwanda's Transgender Community Face Violent Detentions For Being Trans". Vice. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
July 20, 2023
lgbt, rights, rwanda, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, lgbt, people, living, rwanda, face, legal, challenges, experienced, lgbt, residents, while, neither, homosexuality, homosexual, acts, illegal, homosexuality, considered, taboo, topic, there, significant, pu. Lesbian gay bisexual and transgender LGBT people living in Rwanda face legal challenges not experienced by non LGBT residents While neither homosexuality nor homosexual acts are illegal homosexuality is considered a taboo topic and there is no significant public discussion of this issue in any region of the country and LGBT persons face stigmatization among the broader population 1 No special legislative protections are afforded to LGBT citizens 1 and same sex marriages are not recognized by the state as the Constitution of Rwanda provides that o nly civil monogamous marriage between a man and a woman is recognized 2 LGBT Rwandans have reported being harassed blackmailed and even arrested by the police under various laws dealing with public order and morality 3 LGBT rights in RwandaRwandaStatusLegalGender identityNoMilitaryNoDiscrimination protectionsNoFamily rightsRecognition of relationshipsNo recognition of same sex relationshipsAdoptionNoRwanda is a signatory of the United Nations joint statement condemning violence against LGBT people and is one of only a few countries in Africa to have sponsored the declaration and stands in sharp contrast with neighbouring Uganda Tanzania and Burundi Rwanda and Djibouti are the only East African countries where homosexual acts are legal Contents 1 History 1 1 Kingdom of Rwanda 1 2 Republic of Rwanda 2 Legality of same sex sexual activity 3 Recognition of same sex relationships 4 Government and politics 4 1 Political parties 4 2 Human rights 5 Society and culture 6 Transgender rights 7 Summary table 8 See also 9 Notes 10 ReferencesHistory EditKingdom of Rwanda Edit In the old Kingdom of Rwanda male homosexual relations were common among young Hutus and Tutsis In 1986 a 19 year old Tutsi man was recorded as saying that traditionally in his tribe there was an extended period during which boys lived apart from the rest of the village while they are training to be warriors during which very emotional and often sexual relationships were struck up Sometimes these relationships lasted beyond adolescence into adulthood Watusi still have a reputation for bisexuality in the cities of East Africa Tutsi boys training at court would often be made sexually available to guests Homosexuals were referred to as umuswezi or umukonotsi which literally translate to sodomite Several terms exist for male homosexuality kuswerana nk imbwa kunonoka kwitomba kuranana inyuma and ku nyo In addition there were traditions of cross dressing priests known as ikihindu or ikimaze first described by the colonialists as hermaphrodites who would play the role of shamans and healers Sexual relations are believed to have included mutual masturbation intercrural sex and anal intercourse 4 5 6 Societal acceptance quickly disappeared after the arrival of the European colonialists and Christianity 7 Republic of Rwanda Edit On 16 December 2009 the Parliament of Rwanda debated whether to make homosexuality a criminal offense with a punishment of 5 10 years imprisonment 8 This legislation was similar to the controversial anti homosexuality bill in the neighboring country of Uganda 9 Justice Minister Tharcisse Karugarama however condemned and refuted reports that the government intended to criminalize homosexual acts saying that sexual orientation is a private matter not a state business 10 Legality of same sex sexual activity EditSame sex sexual activity is legal in Rwanda The age of consent is 18 regardless of sexual orientation or gender 11 Recognition of same sex relationships EditRwanda does not recognize same sex marriages civil unions or similar unions Most gay people who have been interviewed stated that they are not open about their sexuality to their family for fear of being rejected 12 The Constitution of Rwanda adopted in May 2003 defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman 2 Article 26 states 13 Only civil monogamous marriage between a man and a woman is recognized a Government and politics EditPolitical parties Edit Under Rwandan electoral laws most of the political parties are aligned with if not an extension of the ruling party The four Rwandan political parties that are not a part of the ruling coalition the Liberal Party the Social Democratic Party the Social Party Imberakuri and the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda have not taken an official position on LGBT rights In September 2016 speaking in San Francisco President Paul Kagame said that it homosexuality hasn t been our problem And we don t intend to make it our problem 14 Human rights Edit Since 2005 the Horizons Community Association of Rwanda has been doing some public advocacy on behalf of LGBT rights although its members have often been harassed by the government 15 Society and culture EditThe U S Department of State s Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2016 stated that 16 Acts of Violence Discrimination and Other Abuses Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender IdentityThere are no laws that criminalize sexual orientation or consensual same sex sexual conduct and cabinet level government officials expressed support for the rights of lesbian gay bisexual transgender and intersex LGBTI persons LGBTI persons reported societal discrimination and abuse and LGBTI rights groups reported occasional harassment by neighbors and police There were no known reports of physical attacks against LGBTI persons nor were there any reports of LGBTI persons fleeing the country due to harassment or attack In 2007 the Anglican Church of Rwanda condemned the non biblical behaviors of the European and American churches and insisted that they would not support the ordination of LGBT clergy 17 In September 2019 Albert Nabonibo a well known gospel singer came out as gay in an interview with a Christian YouTube channel The Associated Press reported that his coming out had caused shock in a country where such a public assertion of homosexuality is unheard of Despite horrible reactions from family and friends Olivier Nduhungirehe the Minister of State for East African Community Affairs expressed support for Nabonibo saying All Rwandans are born and remain equal in rights and freedoms Nabonibo himself stated that there is no going back because I have to live my real life 18 Transgender rights EditTransgender Rwandans face legal challenges Rwandan law forbids changing legal gender 19 While crossdressing is not de jure illegal in Rwanda transgender people are often charged with unrelated offenses and can face violent detention 20 Summary table EditSame sex sexual activity legal Always legal Equal age of consent 18 11 Anti discrimination laws in hate speech and violence Anti discrimination laws in employment Anti discrimination laws in the provision of goods and services Same sex marriage Constitutional ban since 2003 Recognition of same sex couples Stepchild adoption by same sex couples Joint adoption by same sex couples LGBT people allowed to serve openly in the military Right to change legal gender Access to IVF for lesbians Commercial surrogacy for gay male couples MSMs allowed to donate blood See also Edit LGBT portal Africa portalHuman rights in Rwanda LGBT rights in AfricaNotes Edit In Kinyarwanda Ubushyingiranwe bw umugabo umwe n umugore umwe bukorewe mu butegetsi bwa Leta ni bwo bwonyine bwemewe In French Seul le mariage monogamique civil entre un homme et une femme est reconnu References Edit a b Spartacus International Gay Guide p 1216 Bruno Gmunder Verlag 2007 a b Article 26 of the Constitution of the Republic of Rwanda PDF Gay Rwanda 2008 1 January 2009 Archived from the original on 17 July 2012 Boy Wives and Female Husbands www willsworld org The idea that African homosexuality was a colonial import is a myth The Guardian 8 March 2014 Bleys Rudi The Geography of Perversion Male To Male Sexual Behavior Outside the West and the Ethnographic Imagination 1750 1918 NYU Press 1996 Scupham bilton Tony 8 October 2012 The Queerstory Files Gay in the Great Lakes of Africa Africa s Culture War The Fight Over Uganda s Anti Gay Bill The World Newser Archived from the original on 23 December 2009 Anti gay bill in Uganda challenges Catholics to take a stand National Catholic Reporter 27 November 2009 Rwanda Govt Cannot Criminalise Homosexuality Minister a b What is the Rwanda Age of Consent ageofconsent net Gay Rwanda 2005 Archived from the original on 9 June 2009 The Constitution of the Reoublic of Rwanda PDF wipo int Homosexuality isn t our Problem Says President Kagame KT Press Rwanda 25 September 2016 Gay Rwanda 2008 GlobalGayz com 1 January 2009 Archived from the original on 17 July 2012 RWANDA 2016 HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT PDF 7 March 2017 Archived PDF from the original on 7 March 2017 Retrieved 26 January 2021 Rwanda Anglicans Reject Western Accusations of Rebellion Rwanda News Agency 14 August 2007 Retrieved 16 October 2021 via AllAfrica Ssuuna Ignatius 16 September 2019 Rwandan gospel singer comes out as gay to country s shock The Associated Press Kigali Trans Legal Mapping Report ILGA 28 September 2017 Andresen Maggie Rwanda s Transgender Community Face Violent Detentions For Being Trans Vice Retrieved 20 November 2020 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title LGBT rights in Rwanda amp oldid 1164272349, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
