LGBTQ equality takes centre stage in 2021

JANA-MARI SMITH

WINDHOEK

The Namibian government’s decision to ban newborn twins Maya and Paula from entering Namibia in early 2021 sparked what has been labelled the biggest civil rights movement since Independence.
The entry-ban of the daughters of a Namibian citizen and his husband was followed by protest marches and petitions, heated public debates and finally the biggest Namibian Pride Week and parade in the country’s history.
Moreover, the ban led to the launch of the Namibia Equal Rights Movement on Independence Day this year.
“Queer persons are just so tired of living on the margins of society, and tired of the discrimination,” Omar van Reenen of Equal Namibia explained.
“When we saw that abuse of power from the ministry of home affairs, our community said, enough is enough. I do believe it was people power, it was people coming together and saying together we can, that was able to bring those twin’s home. And from there we kept up the momentum.”
Van Reenen added: “There is no doubt that 2021 was the year of the queer liberation struggle in Namibia. This year was definitely the pinnacle for the movement for LGBTQ rights, because queer persons have taken hold of our democracy and challenged the equality clause to conceptualise what it truly means for all persons - for their families, their children, their identities.”
They underlined that the movement stands on the shoulders of the work done over many years by civil and human rights organisations, youth and individuals who laid the groundwork to tackle vital civil rights issues in the country.
“I am so proud of a movement, that was birthed from the youth, taking a hold of this Republic, saying no more to discrimination, no more to being born free but still being chained to the shackles of state sanctioned homophobia,” Van Reenen said.
“There is no doubt the LGBTQI+ community left an indelible mark within the civil rights and advocacy space in 2021,” said author and gender justice advocate Ndiilokelwa Nthengwe.
Success
Among the landmark events for the LGBTQ movement this year was the court’s decision, in October, to order the home affairs ministry to grant citizenship to Yona, Paula and Maya’s older brother,
Moreover, a full bench of High Court judges presided over a hearing in which two Namibians, both married to same-ex partners in foreign jurisdictions, are arguing that their marriages should be recognised. The judgment in the case will be given in early 2022.
In another landmark ruling, a High Court judge ordered the police to pay N$50 000 for a transphobic attack on Namibian Mercedez von Cloete.
Moreover, Equal Namibia supported, and helped mobilise for the successful push driven by the Voices for Choices and Rights Coalition (VCRC) that led parliament to conduct public hearings on the legalisation of abortion this year - a landmark public discussion on reproductive rights for Namibian women.

Equal Namibia, continue to support the justice ministry’s recommendation earlier this year to abolish the sodomy law.
Another highlight for the LGBT community in 2021 was the success of Pride Week, organised by Equal Namibia, which attracted Namibians from all walks of life. The event, attended by local and international LGBTQ members and allies, showed “that visibility matters, and that we are queer and we are here, and we will continue to take up space,” Van Reened said.
Way forward
While 2021 offered many wins towards the fight for LGBTQ equality and justice, Van Reenen says the fight is not over.
The response to the LGBTQ equality movement, notably by elected officials throughout this year, was an “eye-opener”, they said, but also useful to map the way forward.
A crucial conversation is needed “about who we want in office and what type of country we want to be. I am confident that many Namibians, not just LGBTQ Namibians, have seen how easy it is for Parliament to abuse their oath of office, to step on the dignity of others. But as easy as it is for them, it is easy for us to head to the polls and vote them out, to become equality voters.”
Next year, Equal Namibia will continue to “fight for LGBTQ civil rights, which is the civil rights issue of our generation, just like racial justice was the civil rights issue during Apartheid.”