Abidjan, Ivory Coast, a city once recognized for its relative acceptance of L.G.B.T.Q. communities, now faces an unsettling rise in violence against these individuals. Over the past two months, numerous reports have emerged detailing assaults, beatings, and harassment, all fueled by increasingly aggressive rhetoric on social media. Influencers in the region have called on their followers to “hunt woubis,” a term derogatorily referring to effeminate gay men, igniting a wave of fear and violence.
Crowds have gathered in soccer stadiums with banners bearing homophobic slurs, signaling a troubling shift in public sentiment. Public figures are responding as well; the youngest lawmaker in the ruling party has pledged to introduce legislation aimed at countering homosexuality, prompting outrage and concern among activists.
Carlos Idibouo, an Ivorian L.G.B.T.Q. rights activist, expressed grave concern about the impact of this escalating hostility. "Ivory Coast was an oasis of peace for the community," he stated, reflecting the disbelief and fear gripping those who once felt secure. "Now we wonder, are people safe?”
As the cultural landscape shifts, rights groups are increasingly alarmed that the rampant animosity that L.G.B.T.Q. individuals have faced in other parts of West and Central Africa may soon take root in Ivory Coast. This transformation poses a serious threat to the safety and dignity of L.G.B.T.Q. individuals, undermining the values of tolerance and acceptance that have long characterized the nation.
