ivory coast update

May 2000: Behind The Mask's correspondent in Abidjan writes: The increased visibility of street-working transvestites, as well as a high profile - and widely publicised - case of prostitution ring involving business men and government officials two years ago, have made the subject of homosexuality a common topic in urban areas. Woubi Cheri, a film with a gay theme, shown at the conference of the International Lesbian and Gay Association in Johannesburg in September 1999, is evidence of the same development. There is a 100 % lesbigay bar in Abidjan, the 'Quetzal' (named after an enduring pick op joint in Paris) which seems to be doing good business, always jam packed on weekends. Also, after it independence in 1960, Ivory Coast did inherit its Penal Code from France, and so never had any mention of same sex conducts in its books.

This being said, in both countries, most men - and I presume women - yield under the pressure of getting married and founding families, and the little visibility there exists of homosexuals is usually one of flamboyant queens, thus reinforcing stereotypes. In a sense, it is a usiful - if accidental - approach, as it forces people to confront and question the social conservatism which still widely prevails in these societies, about this and sundry issues.