

AT IAM, WE BELIEVE
That religious fundamentalism, the evil of patriarchy, ignorance around the full diversity of sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expressions, in combination with a lack of exposure to diverse interpretations of sacred texts and the lived realities of sexual minorities, stand in the way of true democracy and the full realisation of human rights for all people in Africa.



CREATING SAFE SPACES FOR DIALOGUE ENCOUNTERS
Religious fundamentalism, patriarchy, heteronormativity, stigma, shame and forced secrecy are affecting every single LGBTIQ+ individual, regardless of whether he, she or they are a person of faith or not. The ever increasing religious homophobia excludes LGBTIQ+ people from basic human rights, and in many ways and contexts religious leaders are at the forefront of teaching negative beliefs about sexuality, voicing views such as “homosexuality is un-African”.
This in turn produces or condones violence against LGBTIQ+ people and reinforces anti-homosexuality legislation. While this concern is shared, an alternative constructive religious voice against the detrimental effects is not heard strongly enough in Africa.



