Angola Decriminalizes gay sex
On Wednesday, January 23, Angola became the first country this year to decriminalize gay sex.
Lawmakers finally implemented a bill to overhaul to the southwestern African country’s 1886 penal code. They dropped a ‘vices against nature’ provision which was historically used to prosecute against gay sex.
Overwhelming Support
The new code also bans discrimination based on sexual orientation in employment. It passed with 155 votes in favor, one against, and seven abstentions. The country’s ruling party said the new code was ‘genuinely Angolan’.
Angola’s previous penal code was written by the Portuguese when they ruled the country in 1886. LGBTQ discrimination and stigma are problems in the country. There is no legal recognition of same-sex couples.
Iris Angola
In 2018, LGBTI Angolans celebrated a major win when the government legally recognized an LGBTI rights group, Iris Angola. The group, Iris Angola, state: “Our vision is clear and simple: we want a future in which sexual minorities have space, voice, participation and rights in Angolan society.”
Decriminalizing gay sex in 2019
Around 70 countries worldwide still criminalize gay sex.
Last year saw landmark decriminalization in India, when their Supreme Court ruled the anti-gay British-era penal code, similar to Angola’s, was unconstitutional. We covered this historic event on the blog as it unfolded and followed up with our 377 survey results.
PlanetRomeo Foundation
Our PlanetRomeo Foundation is an independent registered charity that funds emerging LGBTI projects and initiatives in countries and regions where it is needed most. The Foundation is present in Angola already. We are all delighted that Angola has made this historic change to their law and hope it is the beginning of a brighter and more hopeful future for gay people in South West Africa and around the world. Through our ongoing work with the Foundation we will continue to help fund projects that try to make a difference in the lives of our LGBT+ family.
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