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•Myth. Homosexuality is a White, male, upper and middle class, able bodied phenomenon found in Europe and North America. When it is found anywhere else it is the a result of colonization. – Response. Much of the history of women, Black people, working class people, and people with disabilities and people from Africa, Asia and South America has been lost- but where it exists there are many examples of same sex relationships.’ RISC Human Rights for all, Reading 1972, p. 74

•There are always have been and always will be lesbians in India and in fact we have quite a long and rich history and tradition of lesbianism and homosexuality. Radio interview aired on WBA, New York City, 29th April 1984

•In Nigeria marrying women is old. It’s bush ways. Femi Otitoju

•Where I come from we use the term wicka. It means women love women. Marie from the Caribbean

In south-west Kenya and north-west Tanzania there are tribes called Kuriar. In the Kuriar tradition, marriage between two women is a legal and accepted ceremony which has been practiced for centuries. A wife who is unable to conceive  children , especially boys, can marry a surrogate mother. The mother chooses the man she want to father her child, but then brings up that child with her wife. It is unusual for the child to know who its father is. Some of these marriages are clearly lesbian arrangements.

Today it has become acceptable for a wealthy Kuriar woman to take a wife rather than live with a man, regardless of whether  or not she could have children. This form of marriage can be found in Nigeria among the Yoruba, Akaka, Nupe and Gana Gana tribes, and in other parts of Africa.

It’s known that communities of women into which men were not allowed existed in India. As far back as the fourth century, it is recorded that autonomous societies made up exclusively of women and known as Stirajya were set up in various parts of India.

If you look at early Hindu scriptures you will find a lot of homosexuality suppressed by British culture.