Lesbian reveals the reality of being LGBTQ+ in Cameroon after president's daughter comes out

A lesbian from Cameroon is reminding of the daily reality of being LGBTQ+ in the country after the president's daughter came out.

Brenda Biya, daughter of President Paul Biya, revealed in a recent post to her Instagram that she is in a relationship with Brazilian model Layyons Valença. Biya posted a photo of the two kissing, writing in the caption: “PS: I’m crazy about you & I want the world to know.”

Biya currently lives in both the United States and Switzerland, using a private jet to visit Cameroon multiple times per year. Her coming out has LGBTQ+ Africans and activists wondering if she will be subject to the same punishments as those who do not share her resources or status, or if her being the daughter of the president will instead shield her.

One lesbian living in the country recently spoke to DW News about her daily reality, sharing that she is “afraid for my life every day, afraid of being hit in the street, afraid to hold hands on the street with the person I share my life with because they can arrest and throw me in prison without any respect for my rights."

The woman, named only as Anita for safety, said that she and her partner were attacked by their neighbors when they discovered the two were in a relationship. Anita and her partner were threatened with rape, while police threatened them with arrest, as Anita recalled them saying “if you’re lesbians, we’re going to arrest you and lock you up. It will be worse than what happened to you."

Cameroon prohibits consensual same-sex relationships, carrying a sentence of up to five years in prison and a fine. Because Penal Code 2016 criminalizes consensual same-sex activity, not LGBTQ+ identity, "arrests of people on the basis of perceived identity are unlawful," according to Human Rights Watch.

This has not stopped law enforcement from targeting and arresting members of the LGBTQ+ community, as there are several reports of mass arrests, arbitrary detention, and torture and violence being used against queer people while in custody.

Biya recently opened up about her coming out, saying that she "can lose a lot" due to the country's law, which she called “unfair." She also revealed that her brother contacted her after she posted the photo, angry at her for publishing it without warning the family. She then received a call from her mother, First Lady Chantal Biya, who told her to delete the post. Biya said that “since then, it’s been silence."

Still, Biya said that "I hope that my story will change" the country's attitudes about LGBTQ+ identities, and that “coming out is an opportunity to send a strong message. Anita said that she hopes she can one day do the same.

“I hope that one day I can freely express my love in the same way [as Biya], without prejudice and judgment from people, especially that I will be respected and accepted by other people of my right as a human being," Anita said. "So, yes, I have hope."