Testing the Effectiveness of Frames Combatting Homophobia in Zimbabwe

• In Event: 50 Years of LGBTQ Scholarship at APSA Mini-Conference: Political Homophobia and Resistance

Abstract

In a recent political wave that has been emulated across many African states, state-sponsored homo- and transphobia is being entrenched via draconian laws. Social movements in these regions grapple with countering these state-driven initiatives and altering ingrained anti-LGBTQ sentiments within populations often lacking exposure to LGBTQ ideas and people. Emulating strategies from other movements, local activists in Zimbabwe have crafted culturally rooted messages affirming the indigenous identity of queer individuals to challenge narratives propagated by influential figures and conservative movements, claiming homosexuality as un-African and foreign. Collaborating with Zimbabwean LGBTQ activists, this paper explores the effectiveness of two main types of locally-rooted messaging through a survey experiment in a context marked by notably high levels of homo- and transphobia on a global scale. This is the first study to test systematically such narratives with this method in the African region. We find that an indigenous message reduces prejudice toward LGBTQ neighbors and that a liberation message increases support for LGBTQ equal rights. These findings are important as they provide empirical support for effective ways to combat anti-LGBTQ sentiments in contexts challenging for queer liberation.

Authors

• Phillip M Ayoub, University College London

• Adam Harris, University College London