Shamsa Ally Haji is an immigrant from Somalia. She is also lesbian. “It’s difficult for me to go to other Somali nationals to ask for help because they believe I should behave like a Somali woman and get married. They detest my dressing in jeans,” she said.

She was speaking at Colours of Cape Town, a night of solidarity between Cape Town’s LGBTI and immigrant community. It was hosted on Wednesday by PASSOP (People Against Suffering, Oppression and Poverty) at 6 Spin Street. The event was attended by various organisations, including Free Sexual Health One Stop, Inner Circle, Pride Shelter, Enhanced Care Foundation and Pride Yarona.

Cox said recent research by the Human Sciences Research Council found that 72% of South Africans believe that same-sex relationships are morally wrong. From this, she said, “We then can deduce that somewhere in the region of 72% of our police officers, 72% of our teachers, 72% of our prosecutors, 72% of our doctors and nurses, 72% of our politicians hold this view. If we add to those numbers the Afrophobia that exists in this city – we then see the intersections … .race, class, ethnicity, gender expression and orientation amongst them.”

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