A Nigerian lesbian physician burst into tears Monday as she made a case to Nigerian lawmakers to stop the parliament from passing a bill that seeks to criminalise same-sex marriage.
The bill, which has passed the second reading in the senate, calls for a three-year jail term for anyone involved in a same-sex marriage and five years for those that aid or abet the solemnisation of such unions.
Dr. Otibho Obiowu spoke for the Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, Transexuals and Intersex in Diaspora (LGBTID) group at a senate-organised public hearing on the proposed law. About a dozen other members of the group attended the session and were under police protection to prevent any harassment from members of the public.
In tears, she told the panel that “LGBTID rights are human rights.”
“The fundamental human rights of sexual minorities are violated daily because of criminalisation of same sex relationship and societal prejudice,” Obiowu said.
She said the consensus among scholars is that sexual orientation is not a choice and the bill “aims to punish people for what is essentially not their making.”
No comments :
Post a Comment
Thanks For Visiting My Blog...