Contrary to popular belief, the African continent has been a home to queer identities that predate colonization. Queer, same-sex, trans, effeminate and trans-masculine identities, cultures and societies exist across the continent. It took many shapes in different regions, such as:
Gender-Nonconforming Roles: In Uganda, mudoko dako (effeminate men) were accepted, dressed in women’s clothing, and could marry men. Similarly, the chibados in the Kingdom of Ndongo (modern-day Angola) were regarded as a third gender, acting as spiritual leaders.
Female Husbands:Â In various societies, such as the Igbo tribe in West Africa, Nigeria, women could take on the legal and social role of a husband by marrying other women to manage property or lineage in the event of the husband’s passing. These bans exist at a federal level today still.
Same-sex relationships:Â Same-sex relationships were not brought to the African continent by European settlers. No, not at all. These relationships existed long before European occupation. The Christian missionaries at the time introduced laws that banned & demonized these forms of expression, still in place in most African countries today. These ways of thinking bled into the societies.
Below are four films from the African continent that feature different queer identities, ranging from Intersex people to same-sex relationships and all the beautiful things in between.
1. Dakan
This Senegalese film follows the lives of two gay men who fall in love in a country that demonizes their existence. Traversing their desires and reality of their existence, it was hailed as the first West African film depicting homosexuality at the time. It premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 1996 and has cemented itself as a staple in West African Queer History.
2. Rafiki
This groundbreaking Kenyan film was among the first of its kind for its unabashed depiction of African queer joy. The East-African story set in the heart of Kenya follows the lives of Kena and Kiki, two lesbians from Nairobi. It was directed by Wanuri Kahiu, a pioneer of the Afrobubblegum genre, a genre celebrating Black Joy.
The film was applauded for its authenticity and debuted at countless film festivals worldwide, including TIFF, with nearly every screening being sold out. It was initially banned by the Kenya Film Classification Board for its depiction of a relationship between lesbians.
With global screenings sold out and eventual widespread acclaim, the Kenyan High Court lifted the ban so that the film could be screened for seven days to meet the eligibility requirement for the American Academy Award.
3. ÌfÉ
Set in the heart of Lagos, Nigeria, this story follows the lives of two lesbians, Ife and Adaora, navigating a same-sex relationship in a violently homophobic country. It was directed by Uyaiedu Ikpe-Etim and produced by prominent Nigerian LGBTQIA+ rights activist Pamela Adie. The film is historic as it is the first full-fledged lesbian film in the history of Nollywood. A sequel was recently announced and will be released in the coming year!
4. Neptune frost
Space, Interplanetary travel, beautiful decolonial activists in Afro-futuristic regalia. What’s not to love? Neptune Frost follows a group of coltan miners atop the hill of Burundi. It was filmed in Rwanda over the course of 27 days. It is an Afro-Punk spectacle featuring an inter-sex character, the first to ever appear in African cinema.
The film deals with themes of colonialism, active decolonization, power dynamics between the oppressor and oppressed, gender and sexuality, and the fight to reclaim authority on the African continent. It is an audio-visual spectacle and a testament to the vast imaginations depicted through film.
I find films are one of the best ways to learn and be exposed to other cultures. It is a way to immerse yourself in the experience of others. Most of these are available to stream online, with some available for free on the Kanopy platform.
Films are pivotal to depicting certain lived experiences, with that being the way most people are exposed to different cultures, existences, and societies. I hope you enjoy this selection and add them to your own catalogue.
Every month is Black History Month.