AfriQan

identity and political framework

the phrase 'queer african'

The term 'Queer African' describes non-heteronormative sexualities and gender identities within African contexts. It is recognized both as a collective term for LGBTQ+ people (Nyeck 2019) and as a political framework for organizing against oppressive, marginalizing structures (Matebeni and Pereira 2014). The term encompasses multiple expressions of identity that emerge across cultural traditions, historical periods, and geographic locations.

Political Frame: In African contexts, queer is/has been used by scholars and activists to mark a political position. The term is mobilized to challenge hetero-patriarchal structures and to critique laws that criminalize same-sex sexualities and relationships, which were instituted by colonial powers and are still part of the penal codes in many African countries today (Tamale 2011). It also is used to point to a critical intersection between politics of sexualities with social, political, and cultural conditions that shape contemporary queer African life.

Intersecting Subjectivities: Queerness in African contexts cannot be reduced to sexual orientation or practices alone. Instead, it functions as a “non-exhaustive umbrella” that cuts across and intersects with other social categories such as age, class, gender, religion, and ethnicity (Matebeni and Pereira 2014). This intersectional approach redirects our attention to the varied ways queer lives are socially produced by these overlapping social locations. Framing queerness in this manner acknowledges the multiplicity and situatedness of African subjectivities in a globalized world and underscores that non-normative sexualities and genders are informed by these overlapping social positions.

Self-Definition and Reclamation: A core component of queer African identity involves self-definition and the reclamation of narratives that resist erasure and pathologization. Repressive state structures used to police queer Africans were introduced and consolidated through colonial rule and the spread of religious missionaries, which sought to reshape local understandings of sexuality and gender. Many African societies historically held more varied and, in some cases, more inclusive understandings of gender and sexuality (Awondo, Geschiere, and Reid 2012; Stonewall 2024), even if these do not map neatly onto contemporary LGBT or queer categories.

African Studies | Gender

Queer studies | GENDER + Sexuality

QUEER AFRICAN STUDIES

debunking:
Queerness is 'un-african'

Queer African Studies (QAS) is an emerging interdisciplinary academic field that concentrates on the socially constructed theories of gender, sexual practices, and sexual orientation within African contexts (Macharia 2018). "Emerging" signals that the field is still gaining formal academic recognition and institutional presence. While queer and gender studies have longer global histories, the specific focus on African contexts, epistemologies, and methodologies remains relatively new and continues to evolve. QAS critically engages African experiences and situates them within global conversations on gender and sexuality, specifically highlighting perspectives that have been historically overlooked in mainstream discourses.
One of the central principles of QAS is the commitment to centering Africans’ own lived experiences in the study, investigation, and production of knowledge about queerness (Asante 2022). This approach ensures that analyses are grounded in the cultural, historical, and social realities that shape the interpretation and expression of gender and sexuality across the continent. The prioritization of internal narratives enables QAS to highlight the heterogeneity and multiplicity of African life and also effectively debunk the notion that queerness is a 'Western import' and therefore intrinsically 'un-African' (Stonewall 2020).

Decolonizing Knowledge: By centering African lived experiences and theoretical perspectives, QAS calls for both the “Africanizing” of queer studies and the “queering” of African studies (Geschiere 2017). This reciprocal dialogue enriches both fields and positions African knowledge at the forefront of contemporary debates on gender and sexuality.

WHY IT MATTERS? IN:

AFRICAN CULTURAL STUDIES

ACS Section

The study of queer African identities and sexualities is an important component of African Cultural Studies (ACS) because it recovers marginalized histories and generates new ways of knowing. Examining queerness within African contexts matters, as it challenges normative discourses about sexuality in African spaces and reveals the limitations of dominant cultural narratives.

Incorporating queer perspectives broadens ACS to embrace the full spectrum of human experience. It emphasizes that questions of romantic attraction, intimacy, and desire are central to understanding African societies. This approach encourages close analysis of cultural products such as novels, films, music, written texts, and visual arts while also interrogating the power structures, institutions, histories, and social contexts in which they are produced. Through this process, we can observe the ways in which queer identities and practices are represented, contested, and continually reimagined within African cultural production.

The African who adopts queer is often asked to be queer in an African way... Is it possible for the African to enter queer theory and queer studies not through anthropology? If so, what might that look like? Is it possible to generate knowledge without burdening the African with anthropology?

“Reinvent it. Refuse it. Pursue it. Get over it. Just do it.”

Keguro Macharia 2018

01

Historical Intersections

The history of queerness in Africa reflects a series of shifting eras, each exposing the ways in which queerness

02

Political Intersections

The political conditions shaping queer life in Africa reflect the influence of legal and administrative systems carried over from

03

Social Intersections

Queer life in Africa is shaped by an interplay of social forces that affect safety, belonging, and visibility in

MEDIA SELECTION RATIONALE

MEDIA CHOICES:
THE POLITICS OF REPRESENTATION

Social Media: Chosen for its immediacy and wide accessibility. Social media allows queer African voices to reach audiences directly and authentically. It creates space for self-representation, dialogue, and community building across borders, while bypassing traditional media structures that have often misrepresented their perspectives.

Photography: Chosen for its power to visually document, affirm and celebrate queer presence. Self-authored photographs enable individuals to counter stereotypes and shape their own representations, leaving a lasting visual archive.

Film: Chosen for its ability to immerse viewers in the lived experiences of queer Africans. By blending narrative, sound, and visual storytelling, film evokes empathy and understanding while challenging stereotypes and expanding visibility. It provides a space to situate queer African experiences within cultural, social, and political contexts, allowing audiences to engage with these stories in greater depth.

Film | queer characters in African filmography

Photography | queerness in African photography

Social media | Queer Visibility and Online Presence

REPRESENTATION

Social media

Mode of Representation:
Kiki’s (2019) post both visually and textually constructs a counter-narrative. Her assertion, "As a lesbian, I am more true to my culture than the homophobes who learned to hate from a foreign book” reclaims African cultural identity. In her imagery, Kiki asserts her Africanness alongside her queerness, refusing the binary that casts them as incompatible. Social media, in this context, becomes a space where marginalized voices actively contest dominant meanings and produce new cultural scripts.

Shaping Audience Perception:
The accessible, informal nature of platforms like Twitter (X) and TikTok enables audiences to connect with queer individuals on a personal level, creating familiarity and emotional closeness. For queer people who may feel isolated in their offline environments, these platforms function as spaces for connection and affirmation.

Kiki’s post, for instance, shapes perception by opening space for new cultural meanings and affirmations of belonging. Her words and visual presence challenge exclusionary narratives. In this way, social media becomes more than just a tool of visibility. It becomes a medium through which cultural understandings are reshaped.

photography

Mode of Representation:
A photograph can bear witness to existence in ways words sometimes cannot. Owunna’s photographic series Limitless Africans offers an example in his portrait of Po. Here, the photographer’s vision and intention are central to the mode of representation. Composition, framing, and lighting center Po. Notably, Po holds what appears to be an older image of herself, symbolizing self-reflection and continuity. Unlike social media, photography as a medium allows for this level of attention to detail and storytelling.

Shaping Audience Perception:
Owunna’s portrait of Po, and his documentation of 50 LGBTQ African immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers in North America, Europe, and the Caribbean, invite viewers into intimate encounters that reshape perceptions of queer African identities. These photographs normalize LGBTQ+ existence within African contexts.

Additionally, encountering these images as a non-queer viewer provides opportunities to witness, learn, and empathize with themes of resilience, migration, and belonging. These photographs cultivate more inclusive understandings of queer African lives. For Owunna, documenting others is also a reflection on his own journey.

film

Mode of Representation:
Film uses character development, plot, and sound to construct immersive narratives featuring queer individuals navigating love, family, and societal expectations. Through controlled visual and auditory elements, the medium highlights ordinary aspects of queer life, limiting focus solely on crisis or trauma. By creating specific atmospheres and perspectives, film shapes audiences' understanding of social issues. Positive representations of queer characters offer viewers new ways of seeing.

Shaping Audience Perception:
By drawing viewers into the emotional world of its characters, film can shift perceptions more powerfully than many other media forms. Through immersive narrative and character development, film is uniquely positioned to effectively challenge the status quo, disrupt cultural norms, and present audiences with alternative perspectives.

Film has wide reach, whether through festivals, digital platforms, or community screenings. This visibility creates opportunities to confront taboos and raise awareness. However, because audiences interpret messages differently, inaccurate portrayals can sometimes perpetuate stereotypes and further marginalize queer communities.

FAQ

questions that often come up

What is the relationship between African and Western queer theory?

Queer theory originated in Western academia and has often been framed through Euro-American experiences. This has led to the marginalization of non-Western queer voices, including African contexts. QAS aims to decolonize queer theory. This involves questioning if Western theories on identities and binaries (like normativity/anti-normativity) adequately apply to African experiences, which are often shaped by different cultural and historical factors.

How do queer identities interact with traditional African cultures and religions?

Scholars examine the role of local customs and religious institutions as sites that are not always oppressive but can be re-worked to be part of queer subjectivities. This includes exploring the ways Islam and Christianity have both been used to oppress queer people, but also how these traditions have provided spaces where queer people have found community and meaning. Many queer Africans draw on religious beliefs and practices to affirm their identities, reinterpret sacred texts, or develop new forms of spiritual belonging that blend tradition and modernity. These traditions can thus provide queer people with both a means to negotiate exclusion and a means of finding validation and support within religious and cultural frameworks.

What are the challenges within African queer studies and academia?

One challenge in QAS is the dominance of non-African scholars, which can result in a decontextualized understanding of queer issues in Africa. Non-African researchers sometimes prioritize Western theoretical frameworks or overlook local epistemologies, leading to interpretations that may not fully capture African lived experiences. There is a critical need for institutions and structures to create space for and support African queer scholars, ensuring their work is recognized and funded.

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identity and political framework