Botswana’s high court has struck down laws decriminalizing gay sex, in place since 1965.
The Guardian reports: ‘Jubilant activists in the packed courtroom cheered the unanimous decision, which came a month after a setback in Kenya when a court rejected an attempt to repeal similar colonial-era laws. The ruling was welcomed enthusiastically by campaigners across the African continent, where homosexuality is illegal in most countries. In several, gay people face life imprisonment or the death penalty.’
Caine Young spoke to Buzzfeed News about the changes the ruling would bring: “There are a range of issues, like blackmail and extortion. If somebody finds out that you are gay, someone can come up to you and say, ‘If you don’t give me your phone or give me money, I’m going to tell your employer that you’re gay, and you will get fired.’ There’s also a fear of being sent away or kicked out of the house from family or landlords if they were to find out that someone is gay. This is where you find yourself. You get home and find out your room has been locked, lock changed, given a few hours to get your stuff and leave. If you don’t know the laws, you can get kicked out.”
