Paper short abstract:

Since Nineties Kenyan north coast has been particularly shaken by homophobic violence. It seems that this homophobia is a consequence of historical and cultural changes on the field of sexuality. Sexual identity and erotic desire are keys concepts to understand was has gone on.

Paper long abstract:

The aim of my paper is to inquire about the representation and the historical mutation of the homosexual desire in Kenyan north coast. In particular I'll analyze how homophobia is a direct consequence of historical and cultural changes on the fields of sexual desire, sexuality and gender identity.

My reflexions came up from my one year field work in Malindi a touristic small town in the Kenyan north Coast. Two hours driving from Mombasa, Malindi is a cosmopolitan small town well connected with the Swahili-Muslim environment.

Here homophobia started to be a problem since early Nineties. Before those years homosexuality was, in some ways and environment, tolerated and well spread.

My idea is that homophobia is the result of some historical events that have brought to a cultural shift on the meaning of some key concepts.

Above all the exportation in Africa of the Western sexual categories has had a tremendous impact on the local population. In fact in Swahili traditional style of life same-sex relationships were well spread and considered as perfectly compatible with an heterosexual life based on Muslim prescriptions.

The Western idea that sexual behavior defines a certain sexual identity has been, among others, a crucial factor on the start of homophobic hate. Sexual tourism and international changing on the Muslim world have been also important factors on the growth of homophobic hate.

It's seems that homophobia in the Swahili world could be a consequence of the exportation of the Western interpretation of sexuality and erotic desire.