In Africa, homophobia elevated to state policy

Recent statements by African leaders have intensified anti-LGBT+ sentiments, with calls for severe punishments for homosexuality. Burundi's president suggested stoning homosexuals, while Uganda's president advocated for criminalizing same-sex relationships, leading to life imprisonment or death penalties for repeat offenders. This rhetoric has normalized hate speech at the state level, resulting in unprecedented repression across Africa. In Senegal, a parliamentary debate on anti-homosexuality laws led to threats against the LGBT+ community and increased arrests under harsher laws.