JOSSY

22-year-old Jossy was born as a male but identify and see herself as a female. In the beginning, Jossy was beaten by her father because she looked and behaved like a woman.


Jossy livs with her family in Maputo, Mozambique in a area with high contrast between development and poverty. Her family had hard time accepting the way she was and felt that she had disgraced the family by walking and dressing as a woman. The situation became too hard for Jossy to handle and she decided to move out the house and live somewhere else. Jossy says that she lived with a friend for four years and worked in a salon as a hairdresser. But the longing for the love that still existed among her parents became too strong and eventually she moved back home. Since returning home, the family has not shed a single negative comment and today the family has accepted her as she is.

In the past seven years, LGBTQ has gone from being a taboo subject in Mozambique to something that is becoming increasingly accepted. Crime against nature, a legislation which has been used to criminalize homosexuality, was dropped in summer 2014. The former president of Mozambique Joaqim Chissano has also gone out and called on African leaders to be more tolerant towards homosexuals. Another requirement that has also been fulfilled is that the law on domestic violence now also include same-sex couples, formerly applied only on heterosexual women. Although problems still exist in form of negative attitudes, stigma and discrimination. Young people risk being rejected from home and subjected to violence by their families. A report from the Department of Health shows that 2.6 percent of men who have sex with men have been victims of violence because of their sexuality. LGBTQ people are also exposed to traditional and religious treatments where "demons will be driven out." Some would even begin to believe that they are possessed. Despite the positive change of trend in attitudes, there is still a long way to go to achieve a more equitable climate for LGBTQ people in Mozambique. 

* Translation from the original text in swedish written by Jennie Aquilonius. 

22-year-old Jossy was born as a male but identify and see herself as a female. In the beginning, Jossy was beaten by her father because she looked and behaved like a woman.


Jossy livs with her family in Maputo, Mozambique in a area with high contrast between development and poverty. Her family had hard time accepting the way she was and felt that she had disgraced the family by walking and dressing as a woman. The situation became too hard for Jossy to handle and she decided to move out the house and live somewhere else. Jossy says that she lived with a friend for four years and worked in a salon as a hairdresser. But the longing for the love that still existed among her parents became too strong and eventually she moved back home. Since returning home, the family has not shed a single negative comment and today the family has accepted her as she is.

In the past seven years, LGBTQ has gone from being a taboo subject in Mozambique to something that is becoming increasingly accepted. Crime against nature, a legislation which has been used to criminalize homosexuality, was dropped in summer 2014. The former president of Mozambique Joaqim Chissano has also gone out and called on African leaders to be more tolerant towards homosexuals. Another requirement that has also been fulfilled is that the law on domestic violence now also include same-sex couples, formerly applied only on heterosexual women. Although problems still exist in form of negative attitudes, stigma and discrimination. Young people risk being rejected from home and subjected to violence by their families. A report from the Department of Health shows that 2.6 percent of men who have sex with men have been victims of violence because of their sexuality. LGBTQ people are also exposed to traditional and religious treatments where "demons will be driven out." Some would even begin to believe that they are possessed. Despite the positive change of trend in attitudes, there is still a long way to go to achieve a more equitable climate for LGBTQ people in Mozambique. 

* Translation from the original text in swedish written by Jennie Aquilonius. 

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