Sodomy a punishable crime in Zimbabwe celebrated in Harare
One of biggest gay and lesbian events ZimPride was recently celebrated in Zimbabwe capital after the country president Robert Mugabe on several occasions publicly denounced sodomy as evil, inhuman and a serious punishable offense.
The event was held at an isolated farmhouse hideout a few kilometres out of the capital Harare over the weekend and to grace the event were two low-key activities, the Miss Jacaranda pageant and the launch of the LGBTI Youth book.
The winner for the Miss Jacaranda was 17 year old Ezmarald Kim Kardashian, not his real name due to fear of victimization after he put a stunning performance to the well cheered cat walk against other contenders.
According to the organizers of the show, the pageant was named after the purple-flowered jacaranda tree that blossom at this time of the year in Zimbabwe.
Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe, a group that organized the event said under normal circumstances, the Pride Week was to be commemorated with a street parade but due to feared persecution resort to a hideout for the peasant and the book launch.
The book launched was titled; Out in Zimbabwe: Narratives of Zimbabwean LGBTI Youth, a book that speaks out about young people coming out of their sexuality to families and society.
“I want all of you to be proud of who you are, regardless of what anyone thinks about us,” said Sam Matsipure, pageant organizer.
Sodomy is a punishable offense in Zimbabwe and his Excellency the President has on many occasions shamed the homosexual act saying, ‘gays should be castrated’, homosexuality is worse than pigs and dogs’.
Zimbabwe and other fellow African states have continued on the anti-gay policy a move that has been criticized by many human rights organizations while countries like South Africa give full rights to same-sex marriages.
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