Tommy Boys: Lesbians in Africa

A South African women's jail was host to a book launch for "Tommy Boys, Lesbian Men and Ancestral Wives: Female Same-Sex Practices in Africa". The book provides an insight into lesbians in Africa with special contributions from South Africa, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Swaziland and Namibia.

Here is an excerpt from the chapter entitled same-sex Sangomas in South Africa:

Traditionally every sangoma is allowed to have an ancestral wife to help them with their healing work. The issue of a sexual relationship within an ancestral marriage is historically taboo. However the taboo has been secretly broken by some sangomas such as Hlengiwe. The relationship described here is secret due to the fact that these two women live in a conservative rural area: “My relationship with ‘Nomsa’ started the day she came out to find out why my husband wanted to pay lobola [bride price] for her although she never met him before. So when we explained everything to her and told her that she will not stay with my husband but with me. I believe that’s where it started because after my husband paid lobola for her, she didn’t waste any time and moved in with me…Two weeks later when we were alone…she started to ask me if I was a lesbian and why I got married [to a man]? I told her the reason why I got married and asked her to explain the words ‘lesbian’, ‘gay’ and ‘homosexuality’ to me ... she then explained them to me, then we kept on talking. Then during our lovely conversation, she asked me how I felt about her. Did I feel attracted to her or what? I just didn’t know what to say then my heart started to beat so fast that I found myself mumbling. She kissed me and told me that she was a lesbian but that she had to hide it because of how life was in the rural areas. She explained if you talk about these things you are a sinner so let’s keep it to ourselves. I just shook my head then we kissed and we never told anybody. We sleep together staying in the same house. She helps me inside the house and even assists with teaching the trainees [amathwasa]. She has learned to beat the drums and the trainees take her as their mother. They love her so much although they don’t know that we are lovers. It's just between me and her.”