News
Published in 2022
We are pleased to announce the publication of the third issue of Myria, titled “The West African LGBTQI Movement: Past, Present, Future”
Across Africa, the rise of fundamentalist anti-gender and anti-rights movements has brought LGBTQI communities to a critical juncture, one that demands urgent collective action, strategic thinking, and a deepened solidarity. At this pivotal moment, we asked a fundamental question: What can we learn from the past to prepare for the future?
This issue brings together 11 contributors from across West Africa — from Bénin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Guinée-Conakry, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, and Togo — to reflect on the history, present realities, and horizons of LGBTQI organizing in the region. Their contributions are a testament to the richness and diversity of thought, experience, and vision within the movement.
“Through the various contributions, we embark on a journey back to a critical Yesterday, learning from everything that has happened, then contemplating the Today and its surprises, and looking ahead to respond to a hopeful Tomorrow.”
We invite you to read, engage, and reflect on what the past holds, what the present demands, and what the future calls us toward.
Editor’s Note: The contributions in this issue were written approximately two years before publication. As such, some of the contextual, legal, and socio-political realities described may have since evolved. While the reflections remain valuable, readers are encouraged to engage with the essays with an awareness of these potential shifts in context.
About Myria
Myria is a platform for thought leadership, dialogue, and reflection on LGBTQI life and activism in West Africa, open to community members, activists, and allies alike. It is dedicated to a plurality of voices and a diversity of perspectives and experiences.
Myria is a Dioula word, a language spoken across Burkina Faso, Mali, and Côte d'Ivoire, meaning reflection, thought, and meditation.
