Civil society sharpens knives for 'Ou Migub'
JEMIMA BEUKES
WINDHOEK
Civil society has condemned in the strongest terms a transphobic attack on a perceived transwoman by former presidential candidate Frans Migub /Goagoseb, also known as Ou Migub.
/Goagoseb and two men tied up the transwoman known as Shakiras and filmed the incident. They were arrested last week.
/Goagoseb is seen flogging the victim with a donkey whip, while demanding a confession that Shakiras had misled him to believe she was a woman interested in a romantic interlude with him. In a statement yesterday, civil society organisations took specific issue with the term 'moffie', which is a derogatory term for a gay man.
The group includes the Transgender, Intersex and Androgynous Movement of Namibia, Wings to Transcend Namibia, Rights Not Rescue Trust, Namibia Diverse Women's Association, Y-Fem Namibia, Positive Vibes, the Aids and Rights Alliance for Southern Africa and Gender Dynamix.
They pointed out that as a country, Namibia has progressed in terms of policies and legislation, however, the widespread hate speech, transphobic attacks, legitimisation and sensationalism of the tortuous act removes the human dignity of the victim.
“This act of torture highlights the gross abuse of power, and its imbalance, where someone entrusted with authority used it to subjugate a member of an already marginalised group,” the statement added.
[email protected]
WINDHOEK
Civil society has condemned in the strongest terms a transphobic attack on a perceived transwoman by former presidential candidate Frans Migub /Goagoseb, also known as Ou Migub.
/Goagoseb and two men tied up the transwoman known as Shakiras and filmed the incident. They were arrested last week.
/Goagoseb is seen flogging the victim with a donkey whip, while demanding a confession that Shakiras had misled him to believe she was a woman interested in a romantic interlude with him. In a statement yesterday, civil society organisations took specific issue with the term 'moffie', which is a derogatory term for a gay man.
The group includes the Transgender, Intersex and Androgynous Movement of Namibia, Wings to Transcend Namibia, Rights Not Rescue Trust, Namibia Diverse Women's Association, Y-Fem Namibia, Positive Vibes, the Aids and Rights Alliance for Southern Africa and Gender Dynamix.
They pointed out that as a country, Namibia has progressed in terms of policies and legislation, however, the widespread hate speech, transphobic attacks, legitimisation and sensationalism of the tortuous act removes the human dignity of the victim.
“This act of torture highlights the gross abuse of power, and its imbalance, where someone entrusted with authority used it to subjugate a member of an already marginalised group,” the statement added.
[email protected]
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