Nigerian LGBTs Under Siege

Nigeria and Uganda recently passed laws mandating long prison sentences for gay sex, those who advocate for LGBT rights, or even those who fail to report LGBTs to the authorities.

Both laws culminate a wave a violence promoted by political opportunists in both countries, and supported by anti-gay “religious” activists in the United States. While many in Nigeria face crushing poverty, joblessness and poor health, religious and anti-LGBT scapegoating provides convenient diversions from the failures of governments to deal with these real crises.

Aside from Western religious zealots, the United States is not blameless in this human-made tragedy. Both the Bush and Obama administrations have made seeking asylum much more difficult for those attempting to flee the violence.

John Andewoye of Courage Nigeria joins the Gay Liberation Network’s Brent Holman-Gomez to discuss these issues in this episode of the GLN on Chicago Access TV.

Warning: During the show there is a 2 minute video showing graphic anti-LGBT violence in Nigeria last year. Children should not watch this.

Originally broadcast March 14, 2014