The Unfulfilled Promise of LGBTQ Rights in South Africa

When apartheid ended a quarter century ago, South Africa’s new rulers rushed to adopt inclusive legislation, passing laws enshrining gender equality and freedom of expression. The country now has some of the most progressive LGBTQ laws in the world, including full constitutional protections against discrimination. This legal environment is unmatched on a continent where colonial-era laws against gay sex are still commonplace, and where offenders in some nations face the death penalty. But refugees fleeing homophobia elsewhere often find a country that is morally conservative, hostile, and profoundly violent. The rights promised on paper in South Africa remain out of reach for many who need them most, particularly those fleeing homophobia elsewhere.

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