President's daughter targets anti-gay laws

The daughter of Cameroon's President has said she hopes that her coming out as a lesbian can help change the law banning same-sex relations in her country. BBC News reports that Brenda Biya told the Le Parisien newspaper that there were many people in her situation and she hoped to inspire them. The 27-year-old shared an image of her kissing another woman last week, sparking mixed reactions in the conservative nation. ‘Coming out is an opportunity to send a strong message,’ she said. She added that she found the anti-gay law, which existed before her father came to power, ‘unfair and I hope that my story will change it’. Paul Biya (91) has been President since 1982 and is one of Africa's longest-serving leaders. Rights groups that have been criticising Cameroon’s laws against same-sex relations have been praising Biya’s revelation as a courageous move. But questions have been raised about whether coming out is a privilege that can only be enjoyed by a select few in the country. ‘Anti-LGBT laws in Cameroon disproportionately target the poor. Wealth and connections create a shield for some, while others face severe consequences,’ said LGBT activist Bandy Kiki.

Full BBC News report