Media practitioners urged to humanise LGBTQI+ stories
Johannes Kambai | Friday June 5, 2026 10:44
The workshop reflected Botswana’s evolving landscape on LGBTI+ rights. Since the landmark 2019 High Court ruling decriminalising consensual same sex acts, upheld by the Court of Appeal in 2021 and followed by the formal repeal of colonial-era penal code provisions, the country has made notable strides, yet societal attitudes often lag, with media coverage frequently cited as a double-edged sword that can either challenge stereotypes or perpetuate them.
LEGABIBO’s CEO, Nozizwe Ntesang, highlighted the workshop’s core purpose: media sensitisation training for media practitioners, journalists, and other stakeholders with an interest in the media. “Every democracy is only as strong as the freedom of its media... media helps to bridge the gap between the perceptions of people,” she said while emphasising the media’s foundational role in democracy.
The training addressed persistent gaps in coverage. Ntesang noted that headlines and stories about LGBTI +persons sometimes come across as homophobic, sometimes they lack context, and sometimes they just are not factual. ”As a civil society organisation mandated to provide education and awareness, LEGABIBO sees this as a critical moment to capacitate media practitioners so they can report on human rights with dignity, particularly regarding LGBTI individuals,' she added.
The workshop underscored the real world consequences of harmful reporting. Stories often fuel stereotypes that lead to discrimination, stigma, and even violence. In contrast, rights-based journalism rooted in facts, context, and humanity can advance public understanding in a nation navigating constitutional evolution, including ongoing conversations around marriage equality.
Drawing on Botswana’s constitutional values of dignity, equality, and non-discrimination, the CEO delivered a clear message to media practitioners nationwide. “From LEGABIBO, we just want to be humanized. Ultimately, we are not demanding any special reporting; we are not demanding any special rights. What we want is equality and non-discrimination,” she highlighted.
Ntesang continued passionately: “We also want media to be able to report on us in a way that humanizes us. Because more often than not, the stories tend to be quite sensational or they tend to be fuelling very harmful stereotypes that I think have real consequences in this country... to be reported on fairly, to be reported on facts, and ultimately in a way that humanizes us and our sexualities and just our human rights as human beings”.
This call for humanisation aligns with broader democratic principles. In an era of rapid information flow and polarised debates, responsible reporting becomes an act of nation-building. Media outlets have the power to move beyond sensationalism toward nuanced narratives that reflect the diversity of Batswana experiences. LEGABIBO’s initiative is the first of many planned engagements. By inviting journalists into dialogue on ethical reporting, constitutional protections, and the Lorato ke Lorato vision centered on love, botho (humanity), equality, and dignity, the organisation aims to strengthen partnerships that benefit all of society.
As Botswana continues its journey toward fuller realization of rights for all citizens, workshops like this are a reminder that the media is not merely a mirror of society but a sculptor of its future. Fair, factual, and empathetic coverage can help dismantle prejudice and foster a more inclusive democracy where every person’s dignity is respected.
The success of this sensitisation effort will be measured not just in improved articles or broadcasts, but in tangible shifts in public attitudes and reduced stigma. For LEGABIBO, the goal remains clear: a Botswana where love truly knows no bounds, and where the media plays its vital role in illuminating that truth.