According to the following sources, homosexual people have been subject to death threats, verbal insults and aggression, physical assault, familial rejection, discrimination or restrictions in accessing housing, education, employment and healthcare, and are stigmatised within society. Multiple sources suggest that homosexual people feel obliged to keep their sexualities hidden due to public opposition to homosexuality, meanwhile one source points to the contrary, relying on an anecdote relating to a public display of affection between a lesbian couple, to suggest that homosexuals can kiss in public.
“Violence against LGBTQI+ Persons: [...] The LGBTQI+ community was subjected to death threats, physical assault, and intimidation.”
“Insults and verbal aggression are common treatment for people who present themselves in a way that is said to contradict their gender. Those who dare to respond end up being beaten. The documentation of the situation demonstrates a lot of familial rejection, refusal of housing, and other restrictions linked to sexual orientation – for example, the refusal of care by some healthcare providers. Even though officially no conviction has been made based on sexual orientation or gender identity/expression, the existence of the law [criminalizing same-sex sexual relations] […] encourages abuses and violations towards part of the population, as evidenced by the cases of abuses and violence documented by LGBT organizations at local level, i.e. 37 in 2017, 42 in 2018, 35 in 2019, 33 in 2020, and already a dozen between January and June 2021. We accept that there are on average around thirty cases a year, a non-negligible number.” (In-house translation. The translator is an English native speaker and is professionally fluent in French.)
ORIGINAL SOURCE
«Des insultes et agressions verbales sont monnaie courantes pour les personnes exprimant une attitude dite en contradiction avec leur genre. Pour celles qui s’aventurent à y répondre, elles finissent par être bastonnées. La documentation de la situation montre qu’il y a beaucoup de rejets familiaux, de refus de logement, et bien d’autres restrictions liées à l’orientation sexuelle, comme par exemple les refus de soins de certains prestataires de santé. Même si officiellement aucune condamnation n’a été prononcée sur la base de l’orientation sexuelle ou de l’identité de genre et son expression, il n’en demeure pas moins que l’existence de la loi […] encourage les abus et violations à l’endroit d’une partie de la population, en témoigne les cas d’abus et de violences documentés par les associations LGBT au niveau local, soit 37 en 2017, 42 en 2018, 35 en 2019, 33 en 2020 et une dizaine déjà de Janvier à Juin 2021. On retient qu’il y a en moyenne une trentaine de cas pas an, un chiffre non négligeable. »
“But this reminder from the Togolese minister of human rights before the UN Human Rights Committee [that Togo would not decriminalize same-sex sexual relations] shocked the homosexual community in Togo, of which the members operate secretly.
‘Once there is such a declaration, it is as though we are being thrown to the mob’, stated a person who requested anonymity. ‘Let’s not forget that the social context does not allow these people to take care of themselves, which means that most of those who are homosexual share the same women with heterosexuals, while HIV prevalence is very high in the target groups.’ ” (In-house translation. The translator is an English native speaker and is professionally fluent in French.)
ORIGINAL SOURCE
« Mais ce rappel du ministre togolais des droits de l’Homme devant le Comité des droits de l’Homme de l’Onu a choqué la communauté homosexuelle au Togo, dont les membres évoluent dans la clandestinité.
"Une fois qu’il y a ce genres de déclaration, c’est comme si on nous lançait à la vindicte populaire", a déclaré une personne qui a requis l’anonymat. "N’oublions pas que le contexte social ne permet pas à ces personnes de s’assumer, ce qui fait que la plupart de ceux qui sont des homosexuels partagent les mêmes femmes avec les hétérosexuels. Alors que la prévalence du VIH est très élevée dans ces groupes cibles". »
“Wrongly or rightly, the presence of people who are confirmed or suspected to be homosexual irritates Togolese communities. LGBT people are almost obliged to experience their sexual orientation in hiding.
The subject is the source of discomfort, to the point that even actors who defend the rights of this minority still prefer to speak anonymously. […]
And the reasons for this stigmatisation of LGBT people are notably cultural, social and moral. ‘It can be generally observed that Togolese society views LGBT people as deviants, people who don’t fit in with the morals of the society’, confides Lassey Adjévi-Zan, who is responsible for monitoring at Amnesty International Togo.
According to an official of an NGO which fights for LGBT rights, who requested anonymity : ‘social norms, culture, tradition and religion have a real impact on Togolese society. Traditionally, most Togolese people only know heterosexuality as a sexual orientation, and the classic male/female binary in terms of gender identity. Thus, any other sexual orientation or gender identity would be a deviation according to most Togolese citizens. This is what leads them to regard LGBT people in an accusatory and contemptuous manner, and consider them as mentally ill, the source of curses, and as possessed people.’ […]
This life of secrecy, owing to the hostile social and legal context, as well as numerous acts of stigmatisation and discrimination, does not help actors who defend LGBT rights in estimating, for example, the real size of this segment of the population. As a result, sexual health programmes dedicated to this group remain unsuccessful.” (In-house translation. The translator is an English native speaker and is professionally fluent in French.)
ORIGINAL SOURCE
« A tort ou à raison, la présence des personnes affirmées ou supposées homosexuelle irrite dans les communautés togolaises. Lesbiennes, gays, bisexuelles ou transgenres (LGBT) sont presque contraints de vivre leur choix sexuel dans la clandestinité.
Le sujet est source de gêne si bien que même les acteurs qui défendent les droits de cette minorité préfèrent encore parler sous l’anonymat. […]
Et les raisons de cette stigmatisation des personnes LGBT sont notamment cultuels (sic), sociales, voire morales. « Le constat d’une manière générale est que la société togolaise regarde les personnes LGBT comme ayant déviées, des personnes qui n’entrent pas dans le moule de mœurs et de la morale de la société », confie Lassey Adjévi-Zan, chargé du monitoring à Amnesty International-Togo.
Selon un responsable d’une ONG de lutte pour les droits des personnes LGBT requérant l’anonymat : « les normes sociales, la culture, la tradition, la religion ont un réel impact sur la société togolaise. Classiquement, la plupart des togolais ne connaissait que comme orientation sexuelle l’hétérosexualité et comme identité de genre, la répartition classique homme et femme. Ainsi tout orientation sexuelle et identité de genre autre que ce qui est connu classiquement serait une déviance selon la plupart des citoyens togolais. C’est ce qui les amène à jeter un regard accusateur, de mépris à l’égard des personnes LGBT, les considérant comme des malades mentaux, sources de malédictions et des personnes possédées. » […]
Cette vie de clandestinité dûe au contexte socio juridique hostile, aux nombreux actes de stigmatisations et de discriminations n’aide pas les acteurs constitués de défense des droits des homosexuels, à estimer par exemple, la taille réelle de cette frange de la population au Togo. Consequence : les programmes de santé sexuelle dédiés à cette couche restent infructueux. »
“For years, the LGBT community has tried to have homosexuality recognized. However, the authorities have always indicated that this practice is against the values of Togolese society.
Since then, those who are orientated towards homosexuality can do as they please between the sheets.
But when they are caught in public, Togolese law should be applied. Nevertheless, the LGBT community has organized itself and conducts its activities in spaces reserved for insiders.” (In-house translation. The translator is an English native speaker and is professionally fluent in French.)
ORIGINAL SOURCE
« Depuis des années, la communauté des lesbiennes, gays, bisexuels et transgenres (LGBT) tente de faire reconnaître l’homosexualité. Mais les autorités ont toujours indiqué que cette pratique est contraire aux valeurs de la société togolaise.
Dès lors ceux qui se sont orientés vers l’homosexualité peuvent faire ce que bon leur semble sous leurs draps.
Mais surpris en public, la loi togolaise devrait s’appliquer. Toutefois, la communauté LGBT s’est organisée et mène ses activités dans des milieux réservés aux initiés. »
Based on interviews with young LGBTQI+ social media users in Togo, a report on the openDemocracy media platform details how LGBTQI+ people have been subjected to online and offline harassment and attacks, as well as pressure from family members and religious figures, when their LGBTQI+ identity is revealed or suspected.
"[...] It would be unlikely to find a man wearing such clothes or make-up on the streets of Togo – a Francophone West African country where gender roles are strict, homosexuality is criminalised and the “promotion of immorality”, including LGBT identities, is banned.
However, some people are finding new spaces online in which to express themselves, experiment with styles that challenge gender norms, and show their support for LGBT people.
‘Why should I be ashamed?’ L’Arcardien [Togolese social media personality interviewed in the piece] asked me defiantly, about what he called his ‘effeminate’ appearance. The 21-year-old recalled being challenged for it repeatedly, including by a priest during his childhood. ‘Since then [...] I’ve embraced it.’ […]
A rainbow flag – a symbol of solidarity with LGBT people – is visible in many of his videos. But, like others I spoke to, L’Arcardien does not discuss his sexuality or gender identity online. […]
Another Togolese TikToker, 21-year-old Kalisha LaBlanche, told me she was recently forced to move out of her mother’s home and rent her own apartment because of her sexuality. A priest also declared “war” on her, she said.
‘A few months ago, my mother forced me to go to a pastor for so-called prayer and deliverance sessions. She believed I was really under the influence of an evil spirit,’ LaBlanche said, describing what sounds like anti-LGBT ‘conversion therapy’.
Though she says her mother ‘in the end, gave up’, these sessions and the pressure she faced from her family was difficult, and took a toll on her mental health. TikTok provided an escape – and a safe space in which to connect with LGBT-friendly people.
Although TikTok and other social media have been celebrated for offering marginalised people new spaces in which to share their experiences and connect with like-minded allies, in places like Togo their impact is limited. And expressing yourself online still carries risks.
‘He struggles to handle the harsh criticism he gets online,’ one person said of their gay friend, who is active on TikTok, but cautious and fearful of backlash after offensive comments were posted below his videos.
Other people I spoke to said harsh responses to their videos caused them to consider whether they should quit TikTok – the social media of choice for many young people in Togo (where the average age is 19), and elsewhere in the world.
‘At first it bothered me a lot – it made me think a lot – but I ended up getting used to it,’ said L’Arcadien, about the online abuse he’s received. ‘Today, it doesn't bother me at all.’ […]
In their daily life, LGBT people in Togo (and even those merely suspected of being gay) face insults and sometimes physical attacks.
Amid this hostility, the videos made by young Togolese TikTokers appear revolutionary to viewers such as Hyppolite, an 18-year-old truck driver who told me that she is a lesbian and that having to hide her sexuality has made her withdraw from public life.
‘When I go out, I don't talk to anyone in my neighbourhood. When I come home, I'm in my room,’ she said. Once, a friend caught her kissing her girlfriend. ‘She promised me that it would remain a secret between us, and I want to believe her.’
But she has been inspired by L’Arcadien’s videos, she said, and is considering opening a TikTok account – and joining her generation of trailblazers using the internet to gain some, even if limited, safe space. ”
“Our cultural convictions impose a certain modesty on homosexuals. It is a provocation to want to display themselves and indirectly impose their sexual orientation. However, it is intolerable to use violence on these compatriots. I condemn it, naturally. I know and work with homosexuals who do not display themselves, and who are very good at what they do. What you do in your home or your room does not interest me. Especially since, contrary to what is said on social media, homosexuality is not an illness or abomination. Being homosexual is like being left-handed. It is an orientation. As long as they don’t force others to be like them and remain discreet, it is fine for me.” (In-house translation. The translator is an English native speaker and is professionally fluent in French.)
ORIGINAL SOURCE
« Nos convictions culturelles imposent aux homosexuels une certaine pudeur. C’est une provocation de vouloir s’afficher et imposer indirectement leur orientation sexuelle. Tout autant, il est intolérable d’user de violence sur ces compatriotes. Je le condamne, bien naturellement. Je connais et travaille avec des homosexuels qui ne s’affichent pas, et qui sont très bons dans ce qu’ils font. Ce que tu fais dans ta maison ou dans ta chambre ne m’intéresse pas. Surtout que contrairement à ce qui se dit sur les réseaux sociaux, l’homosexualité n’est ni une maladie ni une abomination. On est homosexuel comme on est gaucher. C’est une orientation. Tant qu’ils ne forcent pas les autres à être comme eux et restent discret, moi ça me va. »
“In Togo, homosexuality is growing despite public opinion being largely opposed to this practice, which it judges as being against public morals. But this practice, most often supported by Western discourses, is gaining ground and its followers do not hide, such as in the case which occurred in the Djidjolé neighbourhood in the capital Lomé. […]
Her partner rejoined her and in front of the crowd, and without shame, she kissed her in public […]
Faced with this unexpected act, cries of disapproval came forth from the morning crowd. Audaciously, the young woman who had just kissed her partner said ‘Am I in your home ?’
While in some countries, lesbians and homosexuals hide to avoid being lynched, in Togo they can kiss in public and even tease the public. This is proof that in Togo, people are not homophobic.” (In-house translation. The translator is an English native speaker and is professionally fluent in French.)
ORIGINAL SOURCE
« Au Togo, l’homosexualité prend de l’ampleur malgré que l’opinion soit majoritairement opposée à cette pratique qu’elle juge contraire à leurs mœurs. Mais la pratique le plus souvent soutenue par les discours occidentaux gagne du terrain et les adeptes ne s’y cachent pas, tel est ce cas qui s’est présenté dans le quartier Djidjolé dans la capitale Lomé. […]
Sa partenaire la rejoint et devant la foule sortie et sans gêne, elle l’embrasse en public […]
Devant ce geste inattendu, des cris de désapprobation fusent dans la foule matinale. Sans avoir froid aux yeux, la jeune dame qui vient d’embrasser sa partenaire lance « je suis chez vous » ?
Alors que dans certains pays, les lesbiennes ou les homosexuels se cachent pour éviter le lynchage, au Togo, ils peuvent s’embrasser en public et même narguer le public. Preuve qu’au Togo on n’est pas homophobe. »
In an email exchange between the Office of the Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless Persons (Belgium), COI Unit (CGRS-CEDOCA), and Arc-en-ciel Togo in May 2023, Arc-en-ciel Togo described the situation of organisations who work in support of LGBTQI+ people:
“‘No identity association has officially registered as an LGBT organisation due to the context. We shelter under the issue of public health, linked to the HIV/AIDS pandemic. As such, for the moment the authorities have not concretely pursued these associations. But it remains a threat for these associations. For example, our association prepares alternative reports, and actively participates in sub-regional advocacy, the authorities may accuse us of acting beyond our declared mandate.’27
[...]
27 Afrique Arc-en-ciel Togo, email, 11/05/2023” (In-house translation. The translator is an English native speaker and is professionally fluent in French.)
ORIGINAL SOURCE:
« Aucune association identitaire ne s’est enregistrée officiellement comme étant une association LGBT en raison du contexte. Nous nous sommes abrités sous la question de santé publique en lien avec la pandémie du VIH/SIDA. Ainsi, pour le moment les autorités n’ont pas d’une manière concrète poursuivi les associations. Mais cela reste une menace pour les associations. Par exemple, notre association élabore les rapports alternatifs et participe activement au plaidoyer sous régional, l’autorité peut nous accuser d’agir au delà de notre mandat déclaré [sic] 27
[...]
27 Afrique Arc-en-ciel Togo, courrier électronique, 11/05/2023»