PETITIONS
On the 5th of April 2022, the Nigerian House of Representatives has reported by the Sahara Reporters on that same day has proposed a new bill. The Draft bill sighted by Vanguard Ng reporter wanted Section 4 of the SAME-SEX MARRIAGE PROHIBITION ACTB [SSMPA] which in its 2 sub-sections criminalizes LGBT organizations and Public show of affection to be altered by inserting after the existing sub-sections a new sub-sections, stating:
- ” A person shall be deemed to have committed the offence [Crossdressing] publicly where it is published or displayed publicly notwithstanding that it was committed privately or in any place that would have ordinarily been described as private”
- “Provided that this section of this Act shall not apply to cross-dressing in the course of a stage play or in any bona fide public entertainment”
This is a direct target of the already victimized minority Trans/Non-binary persons in Nigeria. As the bill vaguely describes “Crossdressing” as to be amended in Section 7 of the SSMPA as:
- Crossdressing means the practice of wearing clothes usually worn by a person of the opposite sex
While the bill is being publicized as the [Crossdressers Bill], its contents targets specifically the already criminalized, economically unfavoured, silenced Trans/GNC persons in Nigeria.
Nigeria as a country is currently in a socio-political dilemma and it’s sexual minorities are being used as collateral. This pattern of criminalization has been seen as in the case of the firts ACT in 2014 i.e The SAME SAME MARRIAGE PROHIBTTION ACT.
The new bill if passed will jail Trans/GNC nigerians for up to 6 months or they pay a total of 500,000 Naira.
Considering how already the socio-political atmosphere reflects the economically injustices faced by Queer Nigerians like unemployment, homelessness, poverty amongstb others, if this bill is passed, it will furtherly make life harder for Queer Nigerians who will now have to face a double increase in the ever increasing state-actors induced violations on the matter of SOGIESCS.
Freedom of Expression is a fundamental human rights and no ine should be exempted by the state to enjoy this.
Make Nigeria safe for everyone ! Regardless of Sexual orientation/sexuality/gender identity/Expressions.
STOP THE CROSSDRESSERS BILL NOW!
Protective laws for all Lagosians regardless of perceived Sexual Orientation and Gender ID
In the past 12 months, numerous violation cases based on perceived sexual orientation and or gender identity has been recorded in Lagos. These violation cases range from extortion to killing, as in the case of John which happened in July 2021. John was a 19 years old gay boy in Egbeda, Lagos who went on a random hook up in his neighbourhood with a supposed “older gay man” who happened to be a homophobic set-up. John was kidnapped, beaten and his mother was made to pay 60,000 because her son his gay. John ended up being hospitalized, where he died days later. More on John’s case is available on Queercity podcast.
In battling insecurity in Lagos state as a whole, protective laws and duly protecting the life of her citizens and residents is imperative to the future of our dear state. Being a cosmopolitan city of a heterogeneous and diverse population, it is of a great deal that our city begins to address violations based on stereotypes and archaic standards. Reports have shown that at the centre of these violations exist physically non-conforming Nigerians like Femme Men, Masculine women, and Androgynous looking humans, who research has long faulted as a standard for people’s sexuality and Gender Identity. We can’t continue to allow people to get exposed to violations just because of how they are perceived, #ProtectiveLaws would criminalize :
- Violations based on perceived sexuality
- Violations based on Gender expression
- Violations based on non-conformity to certain “norms” and “standards” of Expressions e.g Clothing, pronouns, name, etc
CAMPAIGN POSTERS AND SLIDES
A FESTIVAL OF NIGERIAN QUEERNESS
Freedom call
Language of Love Naija
SPEAK NOW SAVE NOW
Timeless Queer Defiance and it's consequences in Nigeria With Chude – QueerCity
- Timeless Queer Defiance and it's consequences in Nigeria With Chude
- Nigeria's Road To LGBTI+ Decriminalization with Azeenarh Mohammed
- Who killed 19 years old John in Lagos ?
- Getting Justice for Cameroonian Transwomen Shakira and Patricia amidst death threats with Hamlet.
- HIV stigmatization amongst Nigerian Gay men with Raldie Young
QueerCity Media 