mmegi

Churches called to peacefully coexist with LGBTQI community

Reverent Mampane
Reverent Mampane

In Botswana where nearly 80% of people identify themselves as Christians, religion permeates society. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex (LGBTQI) people face widespread stigma, exclusion and discrimination, including from education, employment and health care. Many LGBTQI persons face targeted physical attacks and extreme violence, sometimes from church members. Mmegi correspondent NNASARETHA KGAMANYANE writes

Oarabile*, a gay man in his early 20s never missed church as a child.

“Once I started opening up about my sexuality, people started looking at me differently. I could see the disgust in their faces. My parents started being ashamed of me. They would ask me why I could not behave like other ‘normal’ boys,” Oarabile said.

Editor's Comment
Depression is real; let's take care of our mental health

It is not uncommon in this part of the world for parents to actually punish their children when they show signs of depression associating it with issues of indiscipline, and as a result, the poor child will be lashed or given some kind of punishment. We have had many suicide cases in the country and sadly some of the cases included children and young adults. We need to start looking into issues of mental health with the seriousness it...

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