Zambia’s First Lady Calls For An End To Homophobia

Zambia’s first lady, Dr. Christine Kaseba-Sata, recently called for an end to discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation during a reception hosted by UNAIDS in the country’s capital, Lusaka. UNAIDS is an agency that advocates for accelerated, comprehensive and coordinated global action on the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Being gay is considered a crime in Zambia. In fact, two men are currently being prosecuted for engaging in consensual sex. Another is on trial for discussing gay people and HIV on television. According to The New Civil Rights Movement, the country’s tabloids have recently taken to outing men rumored to be gay, who then face harassment in their neighborhoods.

At the UNAIDS reception, Dr. Kaseba-Sata stated, “Silence around issues of men who have sex with men should be stopped. And no one should be discriminated against on the basis of their sexual orientation.”

She then told the audience that in matters of public health issues like HIV, the gay community has the support of her husband, President Michael Sata.

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