Africa
Nigerian fashion industry provides safe haven for country’s LGBTQ community
Homosexuality criminalized; lawmakers want to make cross-dressing illegal
For their SS/24 collection titled Mea Culpa, Emerie Udiaghebi, a young Nigerian androgynous fashion label, ventures into the world of religion, and how conflicted they used to feel growing up as queer and Christian. The collection, built by Udiaghebi, who is a nonbinary designer, is a way for them to add colors to the lackluster they’d felt growing up with a religious background, translating their many experiences into garments they’d have loved to be in while growing up.
“[It] tackles every single feeling, and every single thing it means to be human,” Udiaghebi told the Washington Blade. “There’s love, there’s lust, there’s sadness and they are all open to a range of interpretations. This collection was my interpretation, but with garments.”
Nigeria’s fashion industry has a vibrant tapestry and cultural landscape, and it stands as a bold and expressive thread that weaves together the nation’s rich heritage and contemporary trends. Beyond aesthetics, it serves as a powerful form of empowerment, particularly for the queer community that often faces unique challenges in this diverse and dynamic country.
For members of the country’s queer community, fashion is more than just a collection of fabrics and garments; it’s a means of empowerment.
“Mea Culpa touches a whole lot into my identity, down to how the pieces are constructed,” Udiaghebi said, “If you looked closely at the collection, you’d find that no one garment is one thing. They’re all elements of themselves.”
In a country where LGBTQ individuals often face discrimination, violence and social stigmatization, clothing serves as a powerful tool for self-expression. The ability to choose what to wear can therefore be a liberating act, allowing queer individuals to challenge stereotypes and embrace their authentic selves.
Babatunde Tribe, a nonbinary Nigerian stylist, freelance model and artist, shares these sentiments.
“You see, every outfit I put together has a purpose, a message and a little rebellion against the ordinary,” they told the Washington Blade, “It takes a keen eye to notice that I’m not just getting dressed; I’m crafting a visual narrative.”
For people like Tribe, fashion has become this gateway for expression and community building. It’s become a way to celebrate their unique identity, and assert their presence in a world that often forces conformity.
Speaking of non-conformity, fashion week events in Nigeria are being swarmed with these incredible expressions. They have also presented themselves as a safe space for the queer community to dress expressively. These events, characterized by their eclectic mix of styles and designers, offer an environment where attendees can freely express their identities through clothing. It’s a place where diversity is celebrated, and queer individuals can showcase their unique fashion sense without fear of judgement or discrimination.
Victor, a gay man who attended Lagos Fashion Week highlights in an interview with Dazed Media the significance of these events.
“My most considerable style inspiration would be societal issues like gender norms and discussions around masculinity,” he said. “I try to use my style to push these kinds of conversations.”
While fashion serves as a source of empowerment for the queer community, the Same-Sex Marriage Prohibition Act remains in place.
This law, which former President Goodluck Jonathan enacted in 2014, same-sex marriage and any form of public displays of affection between individuals of the same sex. The SSMPA not only perpetuates discrimination; but also extends its reach into clothing choices, placing queer people at risk for expressing themselves through what they wear.
The SSMPA has therefore had a chilling effect on personal expressions of style.
Dressing in a way that challenges traditional gender norms can lead to suspicion and harassment. Police officers, often motivated by prejudice or lack of understanding, have targeted individuals based on their attire, further exacerbating the challenges faced by the queer community.
Just recently, Nigerian authorities arrested suspected gay people for attending an alleged same-sex wedding and birthday party in Delta state and Gombe state respectively. MPs last year pushed for a bill that would criminalize cross-dressing in Nigeria — an update to the already existing SSMPA.
Despite the oppressive legal environment, many members of Nigeria’s queer community are not deterred. Fashion has become a tool for activism and resistance. Designers, artists and activists are using clothing to raise awareness and advocate for LGBTQ rights. They recognize the power of fashion as a platform to challenge the status quo and fight for greater acceptance.
Queer City Media and other organizations have organized fashion events that celebrate queer identities and challenge stereotypes. These events provide a platform for designers and models to express their creativity while advocating for LGBTQ rights. It’s a way for the queer community to make a powerful statement through fashion, showcasing that they refuse to be silenced or marginalized. As Nigeria grapples with complex social and political issues, the role of fashion in empowering the queer community is likely to evolve.
The future of fashion empowerment in Nigeria hinges on the collective efforts of the queer community, fashion industry and allies. As acceptance and understanding grow, so too will the opportunities for queer individuals to express themselves freely through clothing. Fashion weeks, already crucial safe spaces, may continue to expand, inviting a broader spectrum of voices and styles. As the Nigerian fashion scene continues to flourish and the conversation around LGBTQ rights gains momentum, the transformative power of fashion in this diverse nation remains a source of strength and inspiration for many. Nigeria’s fashion industry stands as a beacon of empowerment for the queer community. It offers a safe haven where LGBTQ individuals can boldly express themselves, challenge stereotypes and celebrate their unique identities.
Egypt
Egyptian authorities refuse to allow gay cruise to dock in country
Scarlet Lady earlier this week blocked from visiting Turkey
Egyptian authorities have refused to allow a gay cruise to dock in the country.
The Scarlet Lady, a Virgin Voyages ship that Atlantis Events chartered, was to have docked in Alexandria, a port city on the Mediterranean Sea. The Washington Blade obtained a letter that Atlantis Events President Rich Campbell sent to passengers on Thursday, hours before the cruise was to have arrived.
“Early this morning, we were informed that Scarlet Lady has been denied entry into Egyptian waters and, as a result, will no longer be able to call in Alexandria today,” he wrote.
“I know how much this visit meant to so many of you,” added Campbell. “We successfully sailed a similar itinerary last year, so we were surprised by this unfortunate decision.”
Campbell noted “both the Atlantis and Virgin Voyages teams worked tirelessly to make this call in Alexandria a possibility.”
“This news came as a surprise to all of us, and we’re just as disappointed as you are,” he said.
The 10-day cruise left Athens on July 5. It is scheduled to end in Trieste, Italy, on July 15.
The ship had been scheduled to dock in Kusadasi, a Turkish resort town on the Aegean Sea, and Istanbul earlier this week. Turkish authorities refused to allow it in the country.
Former Tempe, Ariz., Mayor Neil Giuliano, who is an LGBTQ+ Victory Institute board member, is among those on the cruise.
“Just a few hours before arriving in Alexandria, Egypt — a city founded by and named for one of the ancient world’s best-known homosexuals — government authorities rescinded permission for our ship of 2,000 gay men to enter Egypt,” wrote Steve May, who is also on the ship, on Thursday in a Facebook post.
Alexander the Great founded Alexandria in 331 B.C.
“As with Turkey, we have been sent away not because of what we did, but because of who we said we are,” said May. “‘I am what I am’ is too much liberty for some to bear. So it was in the United States as well not long ago, where even I ended up as a convicted homosexual after a military trial in 2001 for saying ‘I am gay.’ This is just a reminder that for all the progress we have made, our freedom is never secure — for any of us, regardless of who or how we love. Back to Europe!”
Discrimination and persecution based on sexual orientation and gender identity is commonplace in Egypt. The Egyptian Football Association, along with the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran, objected to playing in the World Cup’s “Pride Match” that took place in Seattle on June 26.
Iran and Egypt on Friday faced off during the World Cup’s “Pride Match” in Seattle.
Iran is among the handful of countries in which consensual same-sex sexual relations remain punishable by death. Discrimination and persecution based on sexual orientation and gender identity is commonplace in Egypt.
Friday’s match coincided with Pride weekend in Seattle. The Egyptian Football Association and the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran both objected to playing in the “Pride Match.”
Egypt and Iran tied 1-1.
FIFA, for its part, allowed Pride flags inside the stadium during the match.
“The FIFA World Cup 2026 is an inclusive event that welcomes people from all backgrounds,” a FIFA spokesperson told the Washington Blade in a statement. “Fans of all sexual orientations and gender identities are welcome at matches and events. General statements of human rights, including rainbow flags and other flags representing sexual orientation and gender identity, are permitted under the FIFA World Cup 2026™ Stadium Code of Conduct and may be displayed inside stadiums provided they are used in a manner consistent with the code.”
Human Rights Watch welcomed FIFA’s decision to allow Pride flags inside the stadium. Outright International, a global LGBTQ and intersex rights group, distributed Pride flags in Seattle on Friday, which was Pride Match Day.
“Visibility matters,” said Outright International Executive Director Maria Sjödin. “Pride is now being celebrated in more than 100 countries, including this weekend in Seattle. For many LGBTIQ people, seeing a Pride flag in public is a reminder that they are not alone, and that their rights and dignity are recognized.”
FIFA President Gianni Infantino earlier this year told Die Weltwoche, a Swiss magazine, that “there will be no ‘Pride Match’ at the (FIFA) World Cup.”
“There will be a FIFA World Cup match in Seattle, and on the same day, events organized by external organizations will be taking place in the city,” said Infantino. “But that has nothing to do with the match itself.”
Peter Tatchell, a long-time LGBTQ activist from the U.K. who is director of the Peter Tatchell Foundation, was among those who traveled to Seattle for Friday’s match. Tatchell accused FIFA of not vetting World Cup teams — specifically Iran, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Ghana, Senegal, Qatar, Tunisia, Morocco, Iraq, Uzbekistan, and Algeria — over whether they would allow gay players.
“FIFA is protecting LGBT+ visibility in the stands while failing to protect LGBT+ players on the pitch,” said Tatchell.
South Africa
White House to end PEPFAR funding for South Africa
State Department says country failed to respond to 2025 executive order demands
The Trump-Vance administration will end PEPFAR funding for South Africa.
A State Department spokesperson on Wednesday told the Washington Blade the State Department “will begin a phased drawdown of PEPFAR programming in South Africa, with most programs ending by Sept. 30, 2026, and critical personnel support continuing through March 31, 2027.”
Semafor last week reported South Africa has received more than $8 billion in PEPFAR funding since President George W. Bush created the program to combat the global HIV/AIDS pandemic in 2003.
President Donald Trump on Feb. 7, 2025, issued an executive order that addressed what it described as “egregious actions of the Republic of South Africa.” The State Department spokesperson with whom the Blade spoke noted the directive included five specific requests:
• South African government provides exemptions or alternatives for U.S. companies to Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment laws and other race-based mandates.
• Senior government officials (e.g., president, deputy president, or minister of justice) unequivocally condemn all race-based incitement to violence, including the “Kill the Boer” song, more frequently.
• The South African government prevents the implementation of measures that would allow expropriation without fair compensation and due process under the Expropriation Act of 2024.
• South African Police Service designates rural crime a “priority crime” and increases resources dedicated to high-crime rural areas.
• South Africa refrains from actions that would significantly interfere with the implementation of the refugee program, within the confines of South African law.
“The United States communicated to the government of the Republic of South Africa multiple times at many levels that PEPFAR funding was likely to be terminated in the absence of progress on the five asks,” said the State Department spokesperson.
The State Department spokesperson further noted South Africa is “one of the largest economies in sub-Saharan Africa” and “has funded the vast majority of its own HIV response, estimated at 76 percent of the total, including procurement of all treatment commodities.”
“South Africa will continue to be supported by the Global Fund, including for the introduction and scale up of lenacapavir through Global Fund Resources,” the spokesperson told the Blade.
Lenacapavir is groundbreaking HIV prevention drug that users inject twice a year. Eswatini, which borders South Africa, is among the African countries that have received doses of the drug through PEPFAR.
HIV/AIDS service organizations in the U.S. and around the world have sharply criticized the Trump-Vance administration over plans to not fully fund PEPFAR and to cut domestic HIV/AIDS funding.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio shortly after the current White House took office issued a waiver that allowed PEPFAR and other “life-saving humanitarian assistance” programs to continue to operate during a freeze on nearly all U.S. foreign aid spending. HIV/AIDS service providers around the world with whom the Blade has spoken say PEPFAR cuts and the loss of funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development, which officially closed on July 1, 2025, has severely impacted their work.
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