This article is a timeline of notable events affecting the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) community in Namibia.
1900s
[edit]1920
[edit]- The territory that comprises Namibia is annexed by South Africa, and therefore Roman-Dutch law is now applied in the area. This body of law introduces the prohibition of sodomy, defined as "intentional sexual penetration per anum between men".[1]
1990
[edit]- Namibia officially gains independence from South Africa and inherits their law against male homosexuality through the prohibition of buggery. There are no known reports that this law was ever applied to prosecute LGBTQ+ people who have had consensual sex.[2] However, the law perpetuated stigmas against LGBTQ people and limited their inclusion in government health plans.[1]
1995
[edit]1996
[edit]- The Rainbow Project of Namibia is formed to respond to homophobic comments from the Southwest Africa People's Organization.[4]
2000s
[edit]2000
[edit]- In a speech, Interior Minister Jerry Ekandjo calls on police to "eliminate" LGBTQ+ people. In response to criticism for his comment, Ekandjo would later state that by "eliminate," he meant to ignore or sideline them.[5][6]
2001
[edit]- March 6: The Supreme Court of Namibia rules against the legal recognition of a same-sex couple consisting of activist Elizabeth Khaxas and German citizen Liz Frank. The couple had argued that the government had violated the right to equality guaranteed in Article 10 of the Namibian Constitution due to their sexual orientation when submitting an application for residency for Frank. The court stated in its ruling that Article 10 did not include sexual orientation as a protected category against discrimination.[1][7]
- April 6: President Sam Nujoma publicly says all gay foreigners will be deported from Namibia upon arrival at the airport, following news of the first same-sex marriages performed in the Netherlands.[8][9]
2004
[edit]- Women from 14 countries meet in Windhoek to form the African Lesbian Coalition.[10]
2011
[edit]- November 26: The first edition of Mister Gay Namibia takes place, making Namibia the second country in Africa to hold a pageant of this type, after South Africa. The winner of the event was activist Wendelinus Hamutenya.[11]
2013
[edit]- December 7: The first pride march takes place in Windhoek, taking place in the Katutura area and attracting around 100 people. It is the first known pride march in the country,[12][13] although a similar event was planned in Keetmanshoop in 2009.[14]
2016
[edit]- June 4: The first pride march in Swakopmund takes place. It gathered around 150 attendees.[15][13]
- August 17: The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights presents a report in Windhoek, calling on the Namibian government to decriminalize homosexuality.[16][17] Following the report, the government announced that it had no intention of doing so.[18]
2017
[edit]- The Women’s Leadership Centre holds the country’s first lesbian festival. The event took place in Windhoek and brought together more than 60 women.[19]
2018
[edit]- May 17: Out-Right Namibia opens the country's first medical center focused on LGBTQ+ healthcare in Windhoek.[20]
2020
[edit]2021
[edit]
- The Windhoek High Court issues a ruling granting Namibian citizenship to a child born to a same-sex couple consisting of a Mexican man and a Namibian man.[23][24] The ruling also stated that discrimination based on sexual orientation was prohibited by the Namibian constitution.[25] However, the Supreme Court overturned the decision in March 2023 on a technicality, stating that the couple had not registered their child within the time stipulated by the relevant law.[26]
- December 5: As part of Namibia Pride celebrations, LGBTQ+ activists paint a pedestrian crossing in the colors of the pride flag outside Brewers Market in Windhoek, becoming the country's first LGBTQ monument.[27][28]
2023
[edit]- May 16: The Supreme Court of Namibia issues a ruling by a vote of 4 to 1 legalizing the recognition of same-sex marriages performed in foreign countries, provided that one of the spouses is Namibian.[29][30]
2024
[edit]- June 21: The Windhoek High Court issues a ruling declaring that the law criminalizing sodomy and "unnatural sexual offenses" between men in the country was unconstitutional, thereby decriminalizing homosexuality in Namibia.[31]
- October 2: President Nangolo Mbumba signs a law against same-sex marriage, stating that same-sex marriages cannot be recognized in Namibia, regardless of where they are performed. This is in response to the 2023 Supreme Court ruling requiring the government to recognize same-sex marriages performed abroad. The law went into effect on December 30.[32]
- November 27: The 2024 general election takes place, with William Minnie and Kevin Wessels running as candidates for the National Assembly, becoming the first openly LGBTQ candidates in an election in the country's history.[33]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- 1 2 3 "Report on the abolishment of the common law offences of sodomy and unnatural acts" (PDF). pp. 4–10, 17. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2024-03-16. Retrieved 2024-05-19.
- ↑ Igual, Roberto (2023-05-16). "Historic! Supreme Court of Namibia recognises same-sex marriages". MambaOnline. Archived from the original on 2023-06-03. Retrieved 2025-06-07.
- ↑ Currier 2012, p. 46.
- ↑ Currier 2012, p. 26.
- ↑ Currier 2012, pp. 48–49.
- ↑ "Namibia gay rights row". BBC. 2000-10-02. Archived from the original on 2004-02-26. Retrieved 2026-05-20.
- ↑ "Gay rights dealt blow". The New Humanitarian. 2001-03-06. Archived from the original on 2024-02-17. Retrieved 2024-05-19.
- ↑ "Homosexuals 'to be barred from entering Namibia'". The New Humanitarian. 2001-04-06. Archived from the original on 2024-02-17. Retrieved 2024-05-19.
- ↑ "Gays 'fearful' in Namibia". BBC. 2001-04-20. Archived from the original on 2024-11-17. Retrieved 2026-05-20.
- ↑ "African lesbian conference demands equal rights". PinkNews. 2008-02-27. Archived from the original on 2008-07-05. Retrieved 2024-05-23.
- ↑ "1st. Mr. Gay Namibia crowned". MambaOnline. 2011-11-27. Archived from the original on 2024-02-21. Retrieved 2024-05-19.
- ↑ "Namibia celebrates pride". MambaOnline. 2013-12-09. Archived from the original on 2024-04-02. Retrieved 2024-05-19.
- 1 2 "Swakopmund first Pride". Working Class History. 2016-06-04. Archived from the original on 2024-05-19. Retrieved 2024-05-19.
- ↑ "Namibia to hold first pride". MambaOnline. 2009-09-03. Archived from the original on 2024-05-19. Retrieved 2024-05-19.
- ↑ "Namibia's Swakopmund celebrates its first Pride march". MambaOnline. 2016-06-07. Archived from the original on 2016-07-31. Retrieved 2024-05-19.
- ↑ "UN wants homosexuality legalised in Namibia". New Era Live. 2016-08-18. Archived from on 2023-08-06.
- Igual, Roberto (2017-12-15). . . Archived from on 2024-02-20.
- Smith, Jana-Mari (2019-07-15). "Same-sex marriages before full bench". Namibian Sun. Archived from the original on 2024-04-11. Retrieved 2024-05-19.
- ↑ Rasmeni, Mandisa (2018-01-09). "First lesbian festival held in Windhoek". Economist. Archived from the original on 2023-07-06. Retrieved 2024-05-19.
- ↑ Igual, Roberto (2018-05-28). "Namibia's first LGBT health centre opens in Windhoek". MambaOnline. Archived from the original on 2024-03-03. Retrieved 2024-05-19.
- ↑ "Namibian film Kapana wins the Hivos Free to be Me Award". Hivos. 2022-03-02. Archived from the original on 2024-02-21. Retrieved 2024-05-19.
- ↑ "Kapana". Outfest Los Angeles. Archived from the original on 2023-10-02. Retrieved 2024-05-19.
- ↑ Igual, Roberto (2021-10-13). "Court grants citizenship to gay couple's child". MambaOnline. Archived from the original on 2024-04-05. Retrieved 2024-05-19.
- ↑ "Gay couple hail 'big win' in battle over children's Namibian citizenship". Reuters. 2021-10-13. Archived from the original on 2023-11-23.
- ↑ Igual, Roberto (26 October 2021). "Landmark moment as Judge rules queer discrimination unconstitutional". MambaOnline. Archived from the original on 2023-09-28. Retrieved 2024-05-19.
- ↑ Igual, Roberto (2023-03-20). "Namibia: Supreme Court keeps gay couple's son in limbo". MambaOnline. Archived from the original on 2023-06-03. Retrieved 2024-05-19.
- ↑ De Barros, Luiz (2021-12-09). "Namibia Pride 2021 rocks Windhoek (Photos)". MambaOnline. Archived from the original on 2024-04-05. Retrieved 2024-05-19.
- ↑ Igual, Roberto (2023-12-21). "Namibia: LGBTIQ+ activists restore landmark Pride rainbow sidewalk". MambaOnline. Archived from the original on 2024-05-19. Retrieved 2024-05-19.
- ↑ Bourdin, Julie (2023-06-07). "'Glimmer of light' in the fight for LGBTQ+ equality in Namibia". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 2024-02-04. Retrieved 2024-05-19.
- ↑ Bourdin, Julie (2023-05-16). "Supreme Court gives legal status to same-sex marriages". The Namibian. Archived from the original on 2023-07-02. Retrieved 2024-05-19.
- ↑ Smith, Sonja (2024-06-21). "Namibian court overturns and declares unconstitutional a law criminalizing gay sex between men". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 2024-07-09. Retrieved 2024-07-19.
- ↑ "Namibia: Anti-Same-Sex Marriage Law Enacted". 2025-01-21. Archived from the original on 2025-01-21. Retrieved 2025-01-23.
- ↑ Anarte, Enrique (2024-11-21). "Namibia's first out LGBTQ+ candidates aim to change laws and minds". Context. Archived from the original on 2024-11-21. Retrieved 2024-12-06.
Bibliographies
[edit]- Currier, Ashley (2012). Out in Africa: LGBT Organizing in Namibia and South Africa. University of Minnesota Press. ISBN 978-0-8166-7800-6. JSTOR 10.5749/j.cttttdkw. Retrieved 2024-05-19.
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