The spread of norms across time and space produced a troubling irony: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and queer (LGBTIQ+) Kenyans – once victims of colonial violence – are now framed as colonizers themselves. Kenyan LGBTIQ+ individuals are often labeled “un-African,” framed as “imports from the West,” their identities and bodies alleged not to be African. This narrative fuels discrimination and violence, legitimizing harm against LGBTIQ+ persons.
The narrative of “un-Africanness” remains central, profoundly impacting the lives and livelihoods of those targeted. In the new TraCe Working Paper, Mariel Reiss and Āryā Jeipea Karijo reveal the long shadow of colonial violence in these dynamics, showing how they continue to unfold today – though the context, actors and forms of harm have changed. To this end, the authors utilize the concepts of norm diffusion and unpack the underlying forces at work in Kenya, which are deeply embedded in global anti-LGBTIQ+ movements.
The English-language Working Paper is available for download (PDF).