“You’ll Be Chased Away”: Sources, Experiences, and Effects of Violence and Stigma among Gay and Bisexual Men in Kenya

Author:

Lewis Katherine A.1,Jadwin-Cakmak Laura2ORCID,Walimbwa Jeffrey3,Ogunbajo Adedotun4,Jauregui Juan C.5,Onyango Daniel Peter6ORCID,Moore Darius M.2,Johnson Gabriel Lee2,Odero Wilson7,Harper Gary W.2ORCID

Affiliation:

1. Department of Community Health Sciences, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA

2. Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI 48108, USA

3. Ishtar MSM, Nairobi 00100, Kenya

4. RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, CA 90401, USA

5. Luskin School of Public Affairs, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA

6. Let Good Be Told In Us, Nyanza, Rift Valley, and Western Kenya (NYARWEK) LGBTI Coalition, Kisumu 40100, Kenya

7. School of Medicine and School of Public Health, Maseno University, Kisumu 40100, Kenya

Abstract

Gay and bisexual men in Kenya face extreme socio-political stigma which manifests in widespread violence and discrimination across socio-ecological levels. We conducted individual in-depth interviews with 60 gay and bisexual men in western and central Kenya. Interview transcripts were thematically analyzed using an inductive, phenomenological approach to qualitatively examine experiences of stigma and violence at the interpersonal and institutional levels. A total of seven primary themes and four sub-themes emerged from the data. At the interpersonal level, participants described stigma and violence from family, friends, and romantic/sexual partners with sub-themes for gay-baiting violence, blackmail, intimate partner violence, and commitment phobia. At the institutional level, participants described stigma and violence from religious, employment, educational, and healthcare institutions. This stigma and violence severely impacted the lives of participants including their mental health, physical health, sexual health, socioeconomic status, and ability to access health-promoting services. These data identify sources of stigma and describe how this stigma manifests in the everyday lives of gay and bisexual men in Kenya. Study findings and quotes from participants highlight the severity of violence, stigma, and discrimination faced by this community and emphasize the need for decriminalization of same-sex sexualities as well as interventions to support health and wellbeing.

Funder

African Social Research Initiative within the African Studies Center

Publisher

MDPI AG

Subject

Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis,Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

Reference45 articles.

1. Human Rights Watch, and PEMA Kenya (2015). The Issue Is Violence: Attacks on LGBT People on Kenya’s Coast, Human Rights Watch.

2. Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) (2011). The Outlawed amongst Us: A Study of the LGBTI Community’s Search for Equality and Non-Discrimination in Kenya, Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC).

3. Harper, G.W., Crawford, J., Lewis, K., Mwochi, C.R., Johnson, G., Okoth, C., Jadwin-Cakmak, L., Onyango, D.P., Kumar, M., and Wilson, B.D.M. (2021). Mental Health Challenges and Needs among Sexual and Gender Minority People in Western Kenya. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 18.

4. Experiences of Violence and Mental Health Concerns Among Sexual and Gender Minority Adults in Western Kenya;Jauregui;LGBT Health,2021

5. Odula, T., and Kazziha, K. (2021, November 11). Kenyan Court Upholds Laws Criminalizing Same-Sex Relations. Available online: https://apnews.com/article/956fc74acf9b40599ad46a8817071910.

同舟云学术

1.学者识别学者识别

2.学术分析学术分析

3.人才评估人才评估

"同舟云学术"是以全球学者为主线,采集、加工和组织学术论文而形成的新型学术文献查询和分析系统,可以对全球学者进行文献检索和人才价值评估。用户可以通过关注某些学科领域的顶尖人物而持续追踪该领域的学科进展和研究前沿。经过近期的数据扩容,当前同舟云学术共收录了国内外主流学术期刊6万余种,收集的期刊论文及会议论文总量共计约1.5亿篇,并以每天添加12000余篇中外论文的速度递增。我们也可以为用户提供个性化、定制化的学者数据。欢迎来电咨询!咨询电话:010-8811{复制后删除}0370

www.globalauthorid.com

TOP

Copyright © 2019-2024 北京同舟云网络信息技术有限公司
京公网安备11010802033243号  京ICP备18003416号-3