Being gay in rural Namibia – The story of Owen Sinengela
In certain parts of Namibia, a man who exhibits feminine behaviour is subjected to derogatory names such as “moffie” or “eshenge.”
These were the names that Owen Sinengela (30) was called when he enrolled in high school in Katima Mulilo, the regional capital of the Zambezi region, due to his distinctive behaviour.
This created an environment where conformity was expected, and being different was met with mockery.
The students and teachers labelled him as a “moffie” because there is no word for gay people in his native Sumbiya tribe.
“That is when I started acquiring this label. I come from a family and a society deeply rooted in culture, which knows nothing about kids or anyone like me,” he said.
Owen was born and raised in a rural village called Schuckmansberg.
Like any village boy, he engaged in tasks typically assigned to boys and men, such as herding cattle.
As a football enthusiast, he idolised his namesake, former English footballer Michael Owen and emulated his style.
However, Owen’s feminine mannerisms, way of speaking, and interest in traditionally feminine activities made him stand out among his peers.
He was repeatedly excluded from football games and activities with his friends, which made him question his worth and wonder if it was because he wasn’t good enough.
“I thought I was not good enough to be included in the team. This went on until I lost interest in soccer and started following the girls and playing netball with them,” he said.
Contrary to the belief that homosexuality was introduced to Africa by Europeans and Americans, Owen stated that he never encountered anyone from those countries in his village.
With limited exposure to media and diversity, he struggled to label his identity or understand his own feelings.
“Growing up in the village, I wasn’t influenced by anything. There’s no social media, and there’s a lack of television. Even if we had a black-and-white TV, there was no content that included gay people. So I wouldn’t say that I was influenced by anything,” he said.
As expected in his village, Owen fathered a baby girl in 2012.
“When the baby came into the picture, that’s when things got real because that was when I had to reflect and look at myself in the mirror. I looked at that baby when she was born and asked myself if she deserved a father who would keep hiding, a father who would hide his identity,” he said.
That’s when he realised he could no longer conceal his true self.
Seeing his daughter, he understood the importance of being authentic and standing up for his own identity.
“Children are taught to hate and that is not what I want my child to do to others. I want her to accept others for who they are and not what society says they should be,” he said.
His struggle is not unique to his village or culture.
It reflects the experiences of countless individuals in Namibia who grapple with societal expectations and the fear of rejection.
On June 2, Namibians from Christian faith denominations demonstrated in various parts of the country against the Supreme Court ruling on May 17, which recognised same-sex marriages entered into outside the country for immigration purposes.
They are also advocating for the enactment of a parliamentary act to explicitly ban homosexuality in Namibia.
Human rights activists Linda Baumann warned that Namibia’s LGBTQI+ community is facing an increasingly hostile environment and expressed concerns over the rise in anti-LGBTQI+ sentiment, potential violence, and the violation of constitutional rights.
“It is not fair that our lives must be judged on the basis where the collective humanity of all is being compromised,” said Baumann.
Omar van Reenen, co-founder of the LGBTQ+ group Equal Namibia emphasised the importance of LGBTQI+ rights as a litmus test for the strength of Namibia’s constitution, bill of rights and freedoms.
“One day, we will establish a queer museum in Namibia,” he said.
On June 28, the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security announced that it will comply with the Supreme court judgement.
“Furthermore the ministry is engaged in consultations with relevant key stakeholders regarding any other legal implications that may arise from the judgement and the ministry will address such implications once consultations are completed,” reads the message from the ministry’s executive director Etienne Maritz.
