The Construction of Homosexuality In Imbolo Mbue’s Behold the Dreamers and How Beautiful We Were

Abstract

Homosexuality, a sexual orientation that is believed by most Cameroonians to be a product of the West, has always been a sensitive topic. The advancement in technology, the fast circulation of information especially via social media, as well as the migration of people including Cameroonians to other continents has increased the awareness and practice of homosexuality in Cameroon. Though some people still find it difficult to openly talk about it. The 21^st century Cameroonian-American writer, Imbolo Mbue, has left traces of it in her novels, Behold the Dreamers and How Beautiful We Were. The problem is that this sexual orientation is un-African and receives resistance from the socio-political, cultural, and religious groups in Cameroon and is given little attention in literary works. Thus, those involved in it are often considered social misfits attracting stigmatization, marginalization, and rejection from the majority heterosexuals. The resistance directed towards homosexuality does not annul the fact that it is immanent in African societies. This paper examines how homosexuality is inherent in most African societies, especially in Cameroon, even though it is not accepted and tolerated as will be analysed in the present study.  The study builds on Judith Butler’s theory of gender performativity and focuses on gender identity as a mode of operation and not sex. The paper thus, concludes that although homosexuality is practiced by some characters of African descent, it is considered heathen sexuality in the texts, and equally resisted by most African societies.