Despite the fact that Nigeria’s anti-gay law only applies to gay couples living together and “public show of same-sex amorous relationships,” gay porn can also be used as evidence when harassing and prosecuting gay men. The article in Bloomberg News is not surprising, but still …
When Ayo answered a knock at his door one evening last month, four Nigerian secret service officers barged in and found gay pornography on one of the phones and laptops he and six friends had in the apartment.
The officers announced they were taking everyone to jail for being gay. Ayo, 27, and four of his friends gained their freedom by bribing the police the equivalent of $600. Two others had no cash and spent three nights in detention.
For what it’s worth, Nigeria, gay porn is probably good at reducing actual sex acts. But really, that’s neither here nor there. But it is another reminder that our civil rights are intricately tied to our sexual rights, whether it’s Nigeria, the UK, or San Francisco.
Gays Await Nighttime Door Knock As Crackdown Widens Across Africa (Bloomberg News)
(photo via Titan’s 2008 Folsom Prison)