From Black Looks and Feministing comes this update on the Nigerian legislation criminalizing homosexuality (you'll recall the PG op-ed discussion on this issue).
The Nigerian homosexuality bill, the “Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Act, 2006” which was presented to the House on the 31st March has now had its first reading in the Senate. A report in the Nigerian Vanguard states that the Bill has been widened to include “punish individuals who witness, celebrate with or support couples involved in homosexual relationships”.
This legislation essentially criminalizes homosexuality. It strips a group of human beings of their entire identity and any claim to justice whatsoever. Homosexuals will “no longer be human beings, but illegal beings.”
The Bill effectively silences the issue of homosexuality in Nigeria and removes all Human Rights of HR defenders, lesbians, gays, bi-bisexuals and transgendered people.
Peter Akinola, Anglican bishop and all around homohater, argues that this law reflects the Nigerian people's view on sexual matters.
Here's the Pittsburgh angle …. our beloved Episcopal Bishop Robert Duncan issues a press release stating that the Archbishop's support for this legislation is an improvement over Sharia law which advocates death for homosexuals. He then whips out the arguement that outraged Episopalians (and Anglicans) are being COLONIALIST by imposing their sexual values on Nigerians ….
I can't make this stuff up folks. God be with the entire Nigeria population. Because the Anglican Church sure isn't with them.
The response by Bishop Duncan is pathetic. What has the murder of two Anglican priests by Muslims to do with homosexuality. Is the Anglican church in Nigeria now using Sharia law as a measuring stick for punishment? Making this a local issue is the American Bishops way of washing their hands on human rights in Nigeria. There are no American or African standards of individual rights – just one set of global rights for all peoples. I am shocked that an American Bishop would even think such a thing. He has obviously bought Bishop Akinola's line of homosexuality is “unAfrican” – that is a lie but that is not the issue either. The issue is will Nigeria and other countries in Africa uphold the international human rights documents they have signed which enshrine LGBT rights as well as every one elses. You cannot pick and choose which rights you wish to uphold and throw away others. See post on release of Cameroonian homosexuals in Black Looks