From gentlemen cross-dressing as fair ladies of the times, to probably the first awkward family photos in history, the few Victorians, who managed to have some fun, are all here. But as you can see from the vintage photography exemplars below, some still found something to smile about. Poor dental hygiene made people reluctant to show their teeth (or whatever teeth they had left), and let's not forget that many Victorians simply had it too rough a life to take funny pictures. Ever tried smiling for several hours? It hurts) and the high cost of portraits gave people very little to smile about. Long exposure times made smiling difficult (and by long we mean several hours. There are many theories as to why Victorians always look so dour in pictures. But as these rare vintage photos prove, that wasn't always the case. Our team spoke to the victims, who are now safe in a shelter that specifically caters to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) people.
Everybody looks so severe that it seems as if people in the 1800s just didn't have the time, or strength to have fun. A series of videos that show three transgender women being beaten and harassed in Benin’s economic capital Cotonou on have gone viral on social media. The country’s current penal code, which dates back to 1947, sets the age of sexual consent to 13 for heterosexuals and 21 for homosexuals. Therefore, those who perform same-sex sexual acts under the age of 21 could face between six months and three years in prison.With life this pleasant, it's no wonder that nobody was smiling in the creepy pictures taken in the Victorian era. However, Beninese sexual minorities have repeatedly reported widespread persecution and are rarely open about their sexuality. In Benin, homosexuality is not criminalised, unlike in neighbouring countries such as Togo, Ghana, Cameroon or Nigeria. The continent is very behind in terms of educating people about what it means to be an LGBTQ person. This is a myth, transgender people have always existed. Many people in Africa think that trans-identity is a ‘western’ concept and that such practices did not exist in the continent until white men imported it. I am not afraid of death, it would be impossible for me to defend this cause if I were. It is a very dangerous situation for LGBTQ people, but it is also dangerous for those supporting them. People weren't very tolerant before, but now we are facing a true crisis.
I heard a woman outside the shelter say that to get rid of Covid-19, we needed to eliminate all homosexuals. They are now in our hands and are safe."Įvery time there is an illness in Africa, people blame LGBTQ people. "We are grateful to our association (.) Our doors are wide open to the victims. Q3IJcyIIls- Hirondelle Club Benin May 4, 2021 Ils sont dans nos mains jusqu'en ce jour et en sécurité. Nous leur avons grandement ouvert nos portes. Nous remercions le dispositif que notre association a mis en place, de jour comme de nuit, ce qui a permis aux victimes de nous contacter depuis leur position. We demand justice for these horrible and inhumane acts, and we will not give up until justice is served. We have referred this case to the prosecutor of the Cotonou court. The group also provides dozens of LGBTQ victims with shelter and food, as well as psychological and legal support.
The NGO aims to educate people and to demystify prejudices about LGBTQ people in order to prevent homophobic violence. Luc Expedit set up the organisation with a group of friends in March 2013 after a homosexual man was killed by his father in Cotonou. To be able to host the growing number of LGBTQ people rejected from their families, Hirondelle Club Benin opened a new shelter last year. Violence and abuse against trans people has increased during the pandemic, with many being blamed for having caused Covid-19. The pandemic has created ‘a true crisis’ for Benin’s transgender community
Even young children in the street have been point fingers at us. Within 24 hours, the whole nation had seen the videos, including our families and bosses. But when we woke up the next day, we knew that our lives were over. We ran away and found safety here, in this shelter. The African network AOS (Afrique Occident Solidaire), which brings together 159 organisations in support of LGBTQ people, has been working with Facebook to get as many of the videos removed as possible.Īfter the attack, the trans women managed to escape and find safety in a shelter set up by the NGO Hirondelle Club Benin, which defends LGBTQ rights.
The videos have gone viral on social media across Benin. Bruises on the back of a victim’s neck after the attack © Observers