GLAS would also like to thank Deborah Amory (amory@brick.purchase.edu) for her long and stellar service to the organization over the past two years. Unfortunately her academic demands and other organizational responsibilities require that she leave her officer's position with GLAS. Thank you, Deb.
I would also like to thank the International Gay & Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC), and particularly Mary Sigaji and Octavia Morgan for co-hosting GLAS' reception at the San Francisco meeting.
DEADLINES, DEADLINES, DEADLINESÖ
GLAS will sponsor at least two panels at next year's African Studies Association (ASA) meeting in Columbus Ohio (November 12-15). Though we assured of two panels, we must provide ASA with panel information within the next month. If you would like to present a paper at the meeting under the auspices of GLAS, send your paper proposal to Matthew Roberts BY EMAIL if possible with the following information NO LATER THAN MARCH 5, 1997:
Your Name, Paper Title, Institution Affiliation, Mailing Address, E-MAIL Address, Tel/Fax #, and a one paragraph (8-10 sentences) abstract of the proposed paper [see the most recent ASA News if you need more information].
If you are not able to email your proposal, please call either Dennis Cordell (214-768-2988) or Norbert Brockman (210-436-3659) to make other arrangements for delivering your paper proposal.
We will also be looking for panel chairs and moderators.
1996 PANELS:
The San Francisco ASA meeting was a great success for GLAS. GLAS sponsored three panels which were very stimulating and extraordinarily well attended. We hope that ASA took note and will offer us larger rooms next year, as each session drew 40-75 people!
I can't possibly begin to describe the breadth of research that was presented in these panels so I'll just provide you with the presenters names and email points of contact.
The first panel chaired by Deb Amory (amory@brick.purchase.edu) was, "White Boys do Southern Africa: A Queer Perspective" with Wolfram Hartmann on "Gender, Sexuality, and the Body in Colonial Namibia" (wh44@columbia.edu); Thomas Olver addressing South African gay identity in comparison to Western gay identity (OLVER-T@marlin.vista.ac.za); Glen Elder on South Africa, apartheid, and homerule's role in regulating homosexual behavior (gelder@zoo.uvm.edu); and moderated by Morris Kaplan (mkaplan@brick.purchase.edu). Apologies for not having all the paper titles but they did not all appear in the ASA program book.
The second panel chaired by Wolfram Hartmann (wh44@columbia.edu) was, "Same Sex Unions in 20th century Africa with Rudi Gaudio on "Man Marries Man in Northern Nigeria?" (gaudio@u.arizona.edu); Stephen Murray on research in the subject (keelung@itsa.vcsf.edu); Rob Louw on "Sam Sex Desire and African Culture: Untraditional and Traditional Weddings in the 1950s in Durban, South Africa" (louw@law.unc.ac.za); and Deborah Amory on "Woman-Woman Marriage on the Swahili Coast" (amory@brick.purchase.edu).
Finally, the third panel was a roundtable discussion, "Researching Homosexuality in Africa: Methods, Strategies, Ethics, and Risks" led by Matthew Roberts (mroberts@brtrc.com) and Len Hirsch (lph@ic.si.edu).
1996 GLAS BUSINESS MEETING:
GLAS held two business meetings during the conference to cover various issues, including bylaws, dues, and future panels. Now that we're an officially recognized organization within ASA and have grown to over 150 individual members and affiliates, we're experiencing normal organizational "growing pains."
Four committees/task forces were established to focus on the areas of organizational development that we face. The Electronic Information Resources Committee is working to develop a web page, database, and electronic roundtable. This committee would benefit from additional computer expertiseplease contact the Chair, Dennis Cordell (dcordell@mail.smu.edu) if you can help.
The Bylaws Committee will develop draft bylaws for GLAS and present them for review and adoption at next year's ASA meeting. Though the committee has sufficient mass, it welcomes any suggestions about bylaws or organizational procedures while drafting its proposal. Please send your suggestions to either Matthew Roberts (mroberts@brtrc.com) or Dennis Cordell (dcordell@mail.smu.edu).
The Fundraising Committee will develop a budget and dues structure for GLAS. Please note that expenditures exceed income presently and the Convener has covered the vast majority of the expenses in the past. A contribution of $15-25 would be greatly appreciated. As an affiliate of ASA, GLAS contributions are tax deductible! The Fundraising Committee welcomes additional membersplease contact Leslie Townsend (townsend@leland.stanford.edu) if you are interested.
Finally, the Panels Committee lost two of its three members recentlyuntil we can get new Committee members (contact mroberts@brtrc.com) the Convener will look to the other GLAS Officers (Dennis Cordell, Norbert Brockman, and Leonard Hirschyes, all gay white men, I'm sad to say) to assist in the panel review process.
1997 GLAS BUSINESS MEETING:
The 1997 GLAS Business Meeting will see the adoption of formal bylaws, a dues structure, and an election for new officers. Though GLAS' membership is reasonably diverse, we would particularly like to see more Africans and lesbians helping to lead the group. We hope that we will see this development in November! More information on the date and time of the GLAS Business Meeting and Reception will be available closer to the conference date.
OTHER AFRICAN GAY & LESBIAN NEWS OF NOTE - NAMIBIA:
The political battle over gay and lesbian organizing in Africa appears to be heating up, with President Nujoma of Namibia joining the ranks of Mugabe in criticizing gays and lesbians. Several articles and editorials have appeared in the Namibian press over the past couple of months. I've included one of the articles and my own letter to the editor below:
The Windhoek Advertiser
St,bel Street Windhoek, NAMIBIA
Thursday 12 December 1996
NUJOMA BLASTS GAYS
By Erhard G,nzel
President Sam Nujoma lashed out against homosexuals at a political gathering last weekend, seemingly in imitation of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe's stance on gays last year.
A foreign activist who attended the opening of the Swapo Women's Council Congress in Gobabis on Saturday told The Windhoek Advertiser yesterday that she was dismayed when she heard the Namibian Head of State condemn homosexuals.
According to her, President Nujoma said in his opening statement at the third Swapo Women's Congress that "all necessary steps must be taken to combat all influences that are influencing us and our children in a negative way. Homosexuals must be condemned and rejected in our society".
His remarks were an apparent departure from his prepared speech, as no references to homosexuality are contained in the official text which was made available to the media by the Office of the President. The activist, who chose to remain anonymous, said she was astonished by his statement, which was incompatible with the Constitution of the Republic of Namibia.
Such a statement was also not called for, as the gay and lesbian community in Namibian never asserted itself through exhibitionist behaviour, she felt.
According to legal opinion, the issue of homosexuality is "mixed
up in the Namibian context" because of the existence of the Law against Sodomy that dates from South African times. It clashed with the fact that "homosexuality as such is not criminalised yet." President Nujoma's attack on homosexuals is suspiciously reminiscent of similar ones and circumstances in which they were made by President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe last year.
At the Zimbabwe International Book Fair in August 1995, President Mugabe told a distinguished audience, including human rights activists, that homosexuals were "sodomists and perverts".
His government had earlier demanded the book fair close down a stand allocated to the country's tiny homosexual rights movements, Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe (GALZ).
President Mugabe's stance on homosexuals triggered off international criticism with 90 United States Congressmen publicly opposing his stance.
About 500 members of Zimbabwe's ruling ZANU-PF Women's League later that month staged a demonstration in Harare in support of President Mugabe's stance, while the deputy secretary for women's affairs said Zimbabwean women could not stand by while foreign behaviour infiltrated their society.
However, a spokesperson for Zimbabwe's Human Rights Organisation (ZimRights) indicated at the time that homosexuality had been present in that country before the advent of colonialism.
Reiterating his stance that homosexuality should "never ever be accepted in this country", President Mugabe said foreigners should not meddle in Zimbabwe's affairs. He called on the police and public to work hand in hand and arrest anyone caught practising homosexuality, which he likened to a criminal offence like theft.
TO:Dr. Carol Kotze
Editor-The Windhoek Advertiser
Namibia
advertsr@iwwn.com.na
Fax. 264-61-225-863
An open letter to President Nujoma:
I am greatly disappointed to learn of your reported recent remarks against homosexuals at the opening of the Swapo Women's Council Congress in Gobabis. As you well know from your own nation's struggle, the strength and promise of a nation comes from the vigilance of its citizens to achieve and maintain democratic freedom. Democratic freedom includes the rights of all citizens to exercise their own lifestyles and beliefs so long as they do not infringe on the rights of others. Homosexuals in Namibia and around the world are deserving of these same rights and obligations.
Homosexuals and homosexuality is found in nearly all cultures of the world. Existing and emerging evidence on homosexuality in Africa finds that it is part of many traditional and current African cultures. It appears that many of the taboos and negative perspectives on homosexuality in Africa were brought from outside these societies during the colonial period--not by the indigenous societies themselves.
Though the research on the origins of individual homosexual orientation is still ongoing, it is relatively clear that homosexual orientation is formed very early in life, if not even being partly or largely genetically influenced. Homosexuals do not and cannot persuade or influence children to become homosexual. And, in fact, studies in the United States suggest that child abusers are far more often heterosexual than homosexual. There is no reason to believe that this is any different in other countries.
Much of the recent negative attention on homosexuality can be traced to the fact that the HIV virus and AIDS first effected the Western European gay community disproportionately. However, it is clear that unsafe sexual practices--homosexual or heterosexual--is responsible for the tragic spread of HIV. With Western gays having responded actively to teach and practice prevention, the rate of infection is slowing among gays while rates among heterosexuals continues to rise rapidly. There is an important lesson here: homosexuals (and heterosexuals) need to be taught about safer sex; this requires them to feel comfortable to come forward for education, HIV testing, and the like. Quoting from a study conducted among hundreds of homosexual men, "the most important component of preventing HIV infection among gay men is their willingness to identify themselves as gay, and to become sexually-confident, well-educated gay men, who are sexually and socially engaged with community."
In sum, an open, non-discriminatory political and social environment towards homosexuals supports public health improvements, social advancement, and democratic rights. I urge you and other African leaders to acknowledge and respect the rights and interests of African homosexuals in your nation and across the continent.
Sincerely,
Dr. Matthew Roberts
I hope others will join me in sending letters to the editor at the address above (I understand that the press has been favorable to our efforts).
OTHER AFRICAN GAY & LESBIAN NEWS OF NOTE -
CONFERENCES
GENDER, POWER, AND DIFFERENCE IN AFRICAN SOCIETIES CONFERENCE. For information on this conference being held June 6-8 at UCLA, contact the Institute for the Study of Gender in Africa. Email mukenge@others.sscnet.ucla.edu or call 310-825-9234.
SOCIETY FOR THE STUDY OF SOCIAL PROBLEMS CONFERENCE, SEXUAL BEHAVIOR, POLITICS, AND COMMUNITIES SECTION. For More information about this conference being held August 8-10 in Toronto, contact Lloyd Klein at lklein@uhavax.hartford.edu or fax 860-768-4080.
CLOSING THOUGHTS:
GLAS is a vibrant organization that is sponsoring some of the most intellectually refreshing research on Africa within the ASA. As we grow, our organizational needs are expanding as well. Please consider participating in the committee activities and offer GLAS your financial or other resources as you are able.
If you would like to propose a paper for the 1997 meeting, please send your proposal by March 5.
The challenges and abuses gays and lesbians face in Zimbabwe, Namibia, and elsewhere in Africa are likely to increase as gays and lesbians become increasingly visible and organize themselves on the continent. In such a climate, GLAS and its membership may play a supportive and positive role through our research, advocacy, and articulation of homosexual life in Africa.
For more Info please contact mroberts@brtrc.com