Justice of South Africa’s Constitutional Court and author of Justice: A Personal Account Edwin Cameron recently addressed PEN Centres from Sub-Saharan Africa on LGBTQI issues in Africa.
Cameron’s deeply moving explanation of his own sexual identity and answer as to why the issue of homosexuality is so intimate and difficult to discuss offers a thought-provoking perspective on a sensitive issue. He shares startling facts about the reality of same-sex oriented people in Africa and uses examples from his own life to stress the importance of social justice. “I fought human rights cases under the apartheid system, but I also fought for gay and lesbian equality. And I did it because those issues are integrally linked,” Cameron says.
“I want to start by saying that I am a proudly gay man, and I want to tell you why. I am a gay man because that’s the way I am. It is part of my constitutive humanity. It is what makes me human. My gayness is as much part of me as being white is,” Cameron starts the discussion. He touches on various other issues too, including white privilege, social norms, courage and being gay in a professional environment.
Explaining why he fights for justice, Cameron says: “With such a vulnerable part of humanity being involuntarily same-sex oriented, unless we fight for equality, humanity and recognition of this minority, we have lost the fight for justice and human rights on this continent.”
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Book details
- Justice: A Personal Account by Edwin Cameron
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EAN: 9780624063056
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