The daughter of Cameroon’s president, Brenda Biya, has posted an image on Instagram where she is kissing Brazilian model Layyons Valença, generating mixed reactions in a country where same-sex relationships are illegal.
The post included a caption: “I’m crazy about you & I want the world to know,” accompanied by a heart emoji.
Brenda Biya is the 26-year-old daughter of Paul Biya, Cameroon’s 91-year-old president who has been in power since 1982.
Same-sex acts in Cameroon can result in up to five years in prison.
Although Brenda, who is a musician known as King Nasty and based abroad, did not explicitly state her sexuality in the post, she later shared a Le Monde article suggesting she had “come out” and also shared supportive messages she received.
Transgender Cameroonian activist Shakiro praised Brenda, stating that her post could be a “turning point for the LGBTQ+ community in Cameroon.”
Shakiro, who sought asylum in Belgium after being convicted of “attempted homosexuality” in Cameroon, said Brenda “is now positioning herself as a voice for social change in a country where taboos are deeply rooted.”
However, Brenda’s post also attracted homophobic comments from social media users in Cameroon.
Some speculated that she shared the picture to generate buzz, given her history of controversial social media posts.
Questions were raised about whether coming out is a privilege enjoyed only by the wealthy in Cameroon. LGBT activist Bandy Kiki noted, “Anti-LGBT laws in Cameroon disproportionately target the poor.
Wealth and connections create a shield for some, while others face severe consequences.”
Human rights groups have previously criticized Cameroon’s strict laws against the LGBT community.
In 2022, Human Rights Watch urged Cameroon to “revoke this discriminatory law and ensure that the human rights of all Cameroonians, regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity, or sex characteristics, are upheld.”
Barrister Alice Nkom, a prominent human rights lawyer defending LGBT people in Cameroon, described Brenda Biya as a “model of courage” who is “sending an important universal message of love.”
Most Cameroonian media outlets have not reported on Brenda’s post, likely due to the media regulatory body’s history of sanctioning depictions of homosexuality.
The government and President Biya have not commented on the situation.
Source-BBC
