Batswana Lesbian and Gay Community Celebrate their Pride

BOTSWANA: Locked iron gates, entry by invitation, absence of the media and controlled noise behind one of Gaborone's town houses appeared to be an illustration of innate fear by Batswana lesbians, gay and bisexuals to be outed and recognised as homosexuals during a pride party hosted by the Lesbians, Gay and Bisexuals of Botswana (LeGaBiBo) recently.

This second annual pride party by LeGaBiBo, a first Botswana lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex project run by Botswana Network on Ethics Law and HIV /AIDS (BONELA), attracted almost 200 members of the gay community to celebrate their existence with pride and to strengthen trust between them and LeGaBiBo.

Held in collaboration with BONELA and SCHORER the party also aimed to build trust between the LGBTI community and the Prevention and Research Initiative for Sexual Minorities (PRISM), a new project that focuses on prevention of STIs and HIV among the gay community, since according to sources, existing programmes in Botswana only cater for heterosexuals.

Since the party was private and only invited people could attend, Caine Youngman, Chairperson of LeGaBiBo explained that organisers wanted to ensure that everybody there was comfortable to be themselves without fear of being outed by the media.

Even though Botswana laws only criminalise the actual sexual acts between same sex people, the gay community has previously fell victim of the media who gate crushed a same sex engagement party in 2005 and published the names and telephone numbers of those who attended. To date the gay community has no faith in the media and prefers to hold their gatherings in the absence of the media.

Talking about the party Youngman said "it surpassed our expectations because one of the reasons behind was to get as many people as possible to become members of LeGaBiBo to strengthen our voice. The turnout was good and we made people to sign a register so that in future we can invite them to our meetings", Youngman explained.

He added that LeGabiBo is planning to add many fun activities during their meeting in order to attract gay youths to become members. "We also want to make our meetings as casual as possible so that ordinary people from the community do not get intimidated."

Asked to what extent do such parties contribute to their struggle for recognition, Youngman elucidated "These are the spaces where people become comfortable and when people are at ease, it is very easy for us to convince them to join the struggle for our rights and recognition."

Speaking for LeGaBiBo, Skipper Mogapi acknowledged that the project is growing and that it has over sixty members to date. She added that the event was a great success and even better that the first one in 2007.

"The turnout was really pleasing and since we often contact these people for information when doing research and needs assessments, it is very important for them to know that we are part of them and that they can trust us, so, such social gatherings help to serve that purpose."

While gay men strutted their staff and lesbians showed off their latest dance moves, organisers showed a slide of photographs showing the history of the organisation and some big conferences that LeGaBiBo members have attended to date.

Pamphlets with information on LGBTI sexual health were distributed and LeGaBiBo's website, www.legabibo.org.bw, was announced for people to visit for more information on Botswana's LGBTI movement in.