Wits condemns anti-gay laws

Head of the university’s Centre for Diversity Studies, Prof. Melissa Steyn, said the institution noted the legislation “with dismay and concern” and decried the “targeted violence that accompanied this legislation in these and other countries”.

“While academic debates may focus on the extent to which human sexuality is a result of nature or nurture, or whether it is inherent to Western or African culture, the reality is that diversity in terms of sexual orientation is part of the recorded history of virtually all societies,” she said.

Steyn said that, while tolerance and acceptance of sexual minorities was not “easily secured”, nations that had afforded equal rights to these minorities among others could “justifiably claim the benefits of an equitable and just environment for their citizens who live in, and actively contribute to, an inclusive and productive state”.

“The university values diversity and believes… that everyone has a role to play in furthering human development and that diversity can only enhance learning and the generation of human knowledge.”

Steyn added that these principles formed the foundation of university policies and were underpinned by values enshrined in South Africa’s Constitution.

“It is [our] view that recent legislation in Africa and elsewhere that seeks to criminalise sexual minorities runs counter to these values and… contravenes key articles contained within the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,” she said.

“It is apparent that these legislations are driven, not by a desire to address true criminality, but are projected by an incomplete understanding of human sexuality, compounded by an orchestrated campaign of hate toward vulnerable groups.”

Steyn added that South Africans understood the “damaging legacy” delivered by hate “founded on institutionalised prejudice”.

“Leadership carries with it a huge responsibility, not least of which is protection of minority rights from the ebb and flow of opinion among the ‘moral majority’. The university stands with other academic institutions in urging leaders to reflect carefully on what they have allowed to pass,” she said.

“History will judge harshly those who are responsible for imprisoning others as a result of who they love. We strongly urge that these laws be rescinded, and encourage others who value the sanctity of universal human rights to call for the same.”