Dorine Reinstein
This month, Botswana has become the latest African country to embrace diversity after the country's High Court ruled to scrap laws that criminalize homosexuality.
Judge Michael Leburu, who delivered the judgment, said it was important to embrace people's sexual identities and acknowledged that homosexuality is neither a choice nor a fashion statement. "Human dignity is harmed when minority groups are marginalized. Sexual orientation is not a fashion statement but an important attribute in one's personality," he said.
Earlier this year, Angola already decriminalized homosexuality after shedding the divisive "vices against nature" provision in its law, widely interpreted to be a ban on homosexual conduct. In doing so, it joined other former Portuguese colonies that have removed anti-gay legislation, including Mozambique (2015), Sao Tome and Prncipe (2012) and Cape Verde (2004).
Meanwhile, South Africa remains one of the most liberal African countries. In the South African nation, discrimination based on sexual orientation has been banned since 1996, and same-sex marriage has been legal since 2006.
"Africa, and in particular Southern Africa, is undergoing many changes in terms of LGBTQ+ rights," said Roxanne Konkol, Discover Africa Group. "While the majority of countries, mostly in Central and Eastern Africa, have yet to decriminalize same-sex relationships, Mozambique, Botswana, Rwanda, Angola, Seychelles, Lesotho and, of course, South Africa have made great strides in inclusion and protection of individual rights."
According to Konkol, the recent decriminalization of homosexuality in Botswana is a step in the right direction for human rights. She warned, however, that since it is very recent, attitudes and upholding these rights may be a challenge initially. "Rural areas tend to have less tolerance towards the LGBTQ+ community, in particular conservative religious communities," she said.
LoAnn Halden, vice president of communications at the International LGBTQ+ Travel Association (formerly the International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association), said that Botswana certainly landed on the LGBTQ+ radar when the country decriminalized homosexuality. "Although South Africa is still the LGBTQ+ leader, this positive legal move in Botswana will likely boost LGBTQ+ travelers over time, especially among those who have already spent time in South Africa and are looking for a new, welcoming safari experience," she said.
Expert Africa's Chris McIntyre agreed that people in the LGBTQ+ community who love to travel and who love Africa will start to breathe a sigh of relief that some more forward-thinking countries in Africa are starting to modernize their legal systems. "Of course, there's a very long way to go on this in many countries across the continent, but it's great to see progress like in Botswana, however modest," he said.
Although the recent decisions of the Botswana and Angola governments are signs of progress toward tolerance in Africa, many African states remain more conservative in their approach. The Kenya High Court, for example, decided this month against abolishing the country's anti-gay laws.
"It was a sad day for the Kenya LGBTQ+ community as the court upheld the ban against homosexuality," said Michael Kajubi of McBern Tours and Travel in Uganda. He explained that upholding these kinds of bans can have a negative effect on tourism for these countries.
Says Kajubi: "I remember in 2014 when the Anti-Gay Bill was introduced in Uganda, our company lost 30 clients who canceled as a result of the introduction of this bill. The clients were not gay, but they canceled due to the fact that they didn't want to spend their money in an economy that is discriminative."
Halden agreed and explained that although there will always be LGBTQ+ travelers who visit countries despite their challenging laws, it does impact the numbers overall. She said: "If given the choice between an African country that criminalizes same-sex relationships and one that doesn't, the majority of LGBTQ+ travelers will choose the latter."
Robert Sharp, Out Adventures, agreed. "I am very much of the mindset that LGBTQ+ travelers can visit countries that are not known for being welcoming, and while visiting these countries, support hotels and tour operators that are welcoming if it safe to do so," he said. "A government's views on LGBTQ+ rights doesn't always reflect the sentiment of all citizens of that country."
A prime example of this is Kajubi, who is himself a member of the LGBTQ+ community in conservative Uganda. Kajubi told delegates at the ITB world travel trade show earlier this year that he lost his job in 2013 because his boss suspected he was gay. Instead of getting another job, knowing that there would be the risk of losing it again, he decided to start McBern, his own proudly LGBTQ+ business to operate tours for this group of tourists in Uganda.
Kajubi maintained that Uganda is a great destination for everyone, even though it is not yet legal to be gay in the country. He saids: "I always tell all travelers that everyone is safe to visit Uganda as long as they remember that every country has its own norms. In Uganda, it is not in our culture to show affection in public, even for straight people."
Expert Africa's McIntyre agreed, saying there are many LGBTQ+ travelers who visit the less liberal African countries regularly and enjoy their trips greatly. "In traveling they accept that they can't express themselves quite as freely as they would in the U.K. or the U.S. but, accepting that, they have a fantastic time," he said. "As far as we know, none of our travelers from the LGBTQ+ community has ever been discriminated against in Africa at any point in the last 25 years. But all will, to some extent, have adapted their behavior to fit in with the cultures and laws of the countries which they have visited. To put that in context, we'd also expect our non-LGBTQ+ travelers to make modest adaptations to their behavior or dress to get the best out of their trips to the various countries and their different cultures."
Safety comes first, Sharp said. "While it may be safe to travel to African countries that are not usually welcoming, LGBTQ+ travelers should always be aware of their surroundings, keeping their own safety in mind. It is always recommended to work with a travel agent or tour operator that has experience planning vacations for LGBTQ+ travelers, as they may have insider knowledge as to which hotels, attractions and local operators are welcoming. The IGLTA is a great resource for companies that are actively promoting their services to the LGBTQ+ community."
Sharp added that he has hope that more African nations will decriminalize homosexuality and abolish antiquated colonial laws. "Such changes will encourage LGBT travelers to expand their horizons and open their wallets to these countries," he said. "Statistics have proven that LGBTQ+ travelers go on longer and more frequent international trips, and they typically spend more money in destination; however, more often than not LGBTQ+ travelers are hesitant to spend money in a country that persecutes its own LGBTQ+ citizens."