Cameroon's president's daughter kisses a woman
Kamerun's LGBTQI+ community celebrates President's daughter for Instagram photo. In the photo, Brenda Biya, a 26-year-old rapper in her native country who goes by the name King Nasty, is seen kissing an extravagantly dressed young woman - Brazilian model Layyons Valencça. Both women live in Geneva, Switzerland. In Biya's homeland, homosexual acts, like in around 30 other African countries, are punishable by law. At least six months to five years in prison is the minimum sentence for homosexual sex.
Kamerunian and international media were taken aback that Brenda Biya, the only daughter of President Paul Biya, who has been in power for over 40 years and is the oldest president in the world at 91 years old, came out as a lesbian. Brenda Biya herself made no comments regarding her sexual orientation or the nature of her relationship with Valencça, but shared headlines about her coming-out and statements from supporters.
"I am so proud of your courage"
The LGBTQI+ community in Cameroon celebrated Brenda Biya for the photo. The English abbreviation LGBTQI+ stands for Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, Trans-people, queer individuals, and other gender identities. "I am so proud of your courage and your way. Thank you, Brenda," commented Alice Nkom, a Cameroonian lawyer who advocates for the rights of homosexual people in Cameroon, to the photo.
"I am so happy for Brenda Biya and find it amazing that she felt empowered to share this with the world," said Bandy Kiki, a Cameroonian LGBT activist who lives in the UK, to the German Press Agency. Shakiro, a trans woman who found asylum in Belgium after spending six months in prison in Cameroon and being attacked by a mob after her release, also praised Biya's courage and strength.
Critics say not all are equal before the law
Conservative voices in the predominantly Christian country voiced expected criticism. Homophobic comments also appeared under Biya's Instagram posts. "Homosexuality is against nature, and whatever is against nature is against God," said the chairman of the Cameroonian Bishops' Conference, Archbishop Andrew Nkea Fuanya, to the dpa. "We can only pray for them."
Biyas photo sparked a debate on double standards. More than 20 people are currently in prison in Cameroon for homosexual practices, wrote journalist Boris Bertolt. "Either Brenda Biya will be arrested or everyone will be released." Activist Kiki told the dpa, "Nobody should be punished for who they are, regardless of their social class and status."
Media in the coastal state with approximately 29 million inhabitants, where press freedom is strongly restricted, remained largely silent. Paul Biya, who has been in office since 1982 and is considered a dictator despite contested elections by observers, reacted neither to the photo of his daughter in the days following the post. The regular stays in Switzerland and the luxurious lifestyle of his wife and the three children are linked to long-standing corruption allegations against the Biyas.
The LGBTIQ community in Africa, particularly in Cameroon, hails Brenda Biya's courage in supporting homosexuality, as evident in her Instagram photo with her partner. This event has sparked conversations about equality before the law, with activists argueing, "Nobody should be punished for who they are, regardless of their social class and status."
Despite Brenda Biya's public display of homosexuality, homosexual acts are still punishable by law in Cameroon, much like in other African countries. This inconsistency in politics and societal attitudes towards the LGBTIQ community is a contentious issue in Cameroon and Africa as a whole.
