A/HRC/41/45/Add.2 IV. Lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans persons in Mozambique 39. Surveys show the clear rejection in Mozambique of violence based on sexual orientation and gender identity and a relatively high level of tolerance compared to neighbouring countries.17 However, much remains to be done to reach substantial acceptance and full equality. For example, a 2017 survey conducted by a non-governmental organization in the cities of Maputo, Beira and Nampula showed that most parents would not accept their child if he or she came out, with 28 per cent of respondents in the city of Beira stating they would assault their child if he or she were gay. 18 The same survey also highlighted that two thirds of respondents would not want a gay president. Similarly, an unpublished study conducted in 2018 among Members of Parliament showed a discrepancy between an apparently positive discourse concerning lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans persons and parliamentarians’ actual attitudes towards these populations. A. At the root of violence and discrimination 40. Lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans persons are affected differently and many intersecting factors have an impact on the risks of exclusion and marginalization that they face throughout their lives. Stigma is reinforced by deeply rooted cultural norms and beliefs about masculinity, femininity and the concept of the “traditional” family. Patriarchy and gender inequalities also have a negative impact on lesbian and bisexual women and tend to render them invisible. A 2017 survey found that socially construed perceptions of masculinity and femininity continue to prevail, leading to negative attitudes towards persons who depart from these expectations.19 To protect their families and their communities from shame or owing to fear of losing social privilege or access to leadership positions, lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans persons tend to conceal their true identity. They end up living a life that matches social expectations but remains unfulfilling, or a double life, with a traditional family as a facade and having other sexual or emotional relationships in parallel. 41. People’s attitudes in cosmopolitan areas tend to be more liberal than in rural areas, where conservative attitudes can be the norm. People living in rural communities often do not experience the same relative tolerance towards diverse sexual orientations and gender identities, and many prefer to migrate to urban areas to enjoy some freedom. 42. There is a significant gap in information and education with regard to sexual orientation and gender identity fuelling stigma and prejudice. The Independent Expert was bewildered by the lack of understanding about the concepts of sexual orientation and gender identity in all sectors of society. For instance, several interlocutors shared the perception that all gay men are in transition and will ultimately become women. There is also little knowledge about the fact that diverse sexual orientations and gender identities are normal variations of humankind, that they have always existed and that they are equally as valid as heterosexuality and cisgender identity. 43. These conceptions are so pervasive that they extend, astonishingly, to members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans communities, who tend to integrate the negative views of wider society and internalize social prejudice, with consequences for their self-esteem and well-being. 17 18 19 A 2016 Afrobarometer opinion poll found that 56 per cent of Mozambicans would welcome or not be bothered about having a homosexual neighbour. Mozambique was one of only four countries polled in which the majority held that opinion. According to a 2017 survey, 61 per cent of Mozambicans agreed that gay, lesbian and bisexual people should enjoy the same rights as heterosexuals, and 66 per cent believed that transgender people should also have those same rights (survey conducted by ILGA and RIWI). See Lambda, “Attitudes towards homosexuality in Maputo, Beira and Nampula”. Ibid. 9