No kissing, no petting. As gay bars go, this one is pretty well-behaved. But the crowd packing the Abidjan venue is relaxed and happy to be part of this haven of tolerance on a hostile continent.
The strict social codes prevailing in Ivory Coast apply here too. The patrons include several transvestites, one a year-old teacher who goes by the name Malika, and who has been living as a woman by night and a man by day for the past three years. With bars catering for lesbians, gays and transsexuals, the west African country stands out for its tolerance on a continent where homophobia is not just common but widely enshrined into law.
Some 30 African countries have declared homosexuality illegal. The picture is far from rosy, though: one of her transsexual friends found it difficult to get hospital treatment after she was stabbed in the chest.
What makes Ivory Coast so much more tolerant than neighboring countries, where homosexuality is often perceived as deviant and shameful? Yet for all that gays, lesbians and transsexuals lay claim to a degree of freedom in Ivory Coast, many still choose to keep their sexuality under wraps.
Everyone hides who they are. While the current hot streak may calm down in the coming months, experts and industry insiders expect volatility will remain the watchword, giving little visibility for producers β two-thirds of whom farm parcels of less than one hectare. Robusta prices have. A dozen excited year-olds are bouncing in their chairs.
