First Nam lesbian festival underway

THE Women’s Leadership Centre launched the first-ever Namibian Lesbian Festival yesterday in Windhoek.

Over 80 participants from across eight regions in Namibia will share the objectives and activities of the festival.

Florence Khaxas, a women’s rights activist who volunteers at the Women’s Leadership Centre, said the festival builds on a two- year project that promotes and builds resilience through the eclectic use of the arts, through which they collectively produced a travelling photo exhibition and lesbian photo book comprising images and texts by young lesbians from across Namibia.

“Through creating a national lesbian cultural festival in the public arena in Namibia, we are creating a new social, cultural and political space for celebrating the richness and diversity of the lesbian experience from across our country,” she explained.

Khaxas said: “We are holding our President accountable to his promise of building an inclusive Namibian house for all, in which no one should feel excluded. We are challenging those who still want to use ‘authentic African culture and identity’ or religious discourses to dispute the indivisibility of dignity and rights.

The festival’s focus is specifically on young lesbian women, who are generally marginalised within LGBTI groups as well as in the women’s movements, based on our analysis of the intersectionality of oppression. We will consciously include young lesbians in this project, who are further marginalised due to their geographic location, class, race and ethnicity and other markers of social exclusion”.

Laina Nairenge, a young lesbian from Otjiwarongo, recalled how she was subjected to what they call ‘corrective’ rape two years ago.

Nairenge stated: “I was coming from the club when my brother’s friend offered to walk me home. The next thing I know, I was in the bushes. I never opened a case, as I knew I would be discriminated against by the police. Two months passed, and I did not get my periods. When I asked my friend what it might mean, she said I might be pregnant. She was the very first person I had to share the ordeal with, and so she got me a home pregnancy test, and it tested positive”.

“On several occasions, I thought of disposing the pregnancy; the pressure was too much. I gave birth to a premature babygirl. I loved her ever since I held her in my arms,” she noted.

“I have forgiven the person who has done this to me. He eventually got 18 years imprisonment for raping someone else,” she said.

Wise Serogwe from the Omaheke region said one of the challenges they face as lesbians is exclusion.

“We are expected to wear dresses at churches and schools, but is that not discrimination? Why can we not wear what we are comfortable with?” she asked.

Boy Dons from Walvis Bay said they also have challenges accessing public facilities.

“Treat us the same [as] other people when we access hospitals, police stations and other public spaces, please”, she urged.

In an age of information overload, Sunrise is The Namibian’s morning briefing, delivered at 6h00 from Monday to Friday. It offers a curated rundown of the most important stories from the past 24 hours – occasionally with a light, witty touch. It’s an essential way to stay informed. Subscribe and join our newsletter community.