, PLEASE USE THIS DOCUMENT AS A GUIDE TO ANSWER YOUR ASSIGNMENT
QUESTION 1: SOCIAL PERSUASION
The text titled “One Step Forward, Two Steps Backward… LGBTQI Rights in Africa,” published by
Sonke Gender Justice on 2 August 2023, is a social justice advocacy article that critically explores
the contradictory progress and setbacks concerning LGBTQI rights on the African continent. The
target audience is the general African public, policymakers, civil society activists, and international
human rights defenders who are concerned with advancing equality and social justice in Africa. The
text’s persuasive purpose is to expose the contradictions in African governments’ treatment of
LGBTQI individuals, to demonstrate how current laws are rooted in colonial legacies and religious
conservatism, and ultimately to persuade readers to support legal and social reforms that advance
human rights for sexual minorities.
The producer of the text, Sonke Gender Justice, is an organisation based in South Africa that works
to promote gender equality, human rights, and social justice throughout Africa. Its reputation and
history in advocacy add credibility to the text’s message. The choice to publish this piece under
Sonke’s name signals that the argument it presents aligns with the organisation’s mission to
challenge harmful social norms and discriminatory laws. The piece draws attention to recent
developments in Namibia and Uganda to highlight the deeply uneven progress of LGBTQI rights on
the continent. For example, it notes how, in May 2023, Namibia’s Supreme Court ruled that the
government must recognise same-sex unions conducted abroad, even though same-sex marriage
remains illegal domestically and sexual relations between men are still criminalised. This ruling
stands in stark contrast to Uganda’s actions in the same month, where the legislature passed one of
the harshest anti-LGBTQI laws yet, imposing the death penalty for so-called “aggravated
homosexuality” and lengthy prison sentences for promoting homosexuality or transmitting
HIV/AIDS through gay sex. By presenting these contradictory events side by side, the text
underlines the central tension that motivates its call for change.
To strengthen its argument, the text makes strategic use of logical appeals by grounding its claims in
verifiable facts and statistics. It references ILGA’s database to point out that same-sex relationships
are legal in only 22 African countries and that only 12 of these nations have never criminalised
same-sex relations. This factual evidence functions as an appeal to logic, encouraging the reader to
understand the extent of the legal challenges that LGBTQI people face on the continent. Furthermore,
the text traces the roots of these laws to European colonialism, stating that much of Africa’s
anti-same-sex legislation originated during colonial rule. It points out that European colonisers used
such legislation to enforce their notions of racial and moral superiority, framing traditional African
sexualities as signs of inferiority that needed to be controlled. This historical context helps the reader
see that what is often described today as “un-African” is in fact an imported colonial imposition that
contradicts the diversity of gender identities that existed in African societies long before
colonisation.
The piece is persuasive not only because of its logical argument but also because of its ability to
evoke an emotional response. The title itself, “One Step Forward, Two Steps Backward,” uses a
metaphor to convey the frustration and exhaustion that comes with slow and contradictory progress.
By describing Uganda’s legislation as “one of the harshest anti-LGBTIQ laws to date” and detailing
its severe punishments, including the death penalty, the text evokes outrage and compassion. Such
vivid and unsettling descriptions are designed to stir the audience’s sense of injustice and moral
responsibility. The text’s emotional appeal is further reinforced by the contrast it draws between the
progressive ruling in Namibia and the regressive actions in Uganda, creating a sense of inconsistency
that demands resolution.
QUESTION 1: SOCIAL PERSUASION
The text titled “One Step Forward, Two Steps Backward… LGBTQI Rights in Africa,” published by
Sonke Gender Justice on 2 August 2023, is a social justice advocacy article that critically explores
the contradictory progress and setbacks concerning LGBTQI rights on the African continent. The
target audience is the general African public, policymakers, civil society activists, and international
human rights defenders who are concerned with advancing equality and social justice in Africa. The
text’s persuasive purpose is to expose the contradictions in African governments’ treatment of
LGBTQI individuals, to demonstrate how current laws are rooted in colonial legacies and religious
conservatism, and ultimately to persuade readers to support legal and social reforms that advance
human rights for sexual minorities.
The producer of the text, Sonke Gender Justice, is an organisation based in South Africa that works
to promote gender equality, human rights, and social justice throughout Africa. Its reputation and
history in advocacy add credibility to the text’s message. The choice to publish this piece under
Sonke’s name signals that the argument it presents aligns with the organisation’s mission to
challenge harmful social norms and discriminatory laws. The piece draws attention to recent
developments in Namibia and Uganda to highlight the deeply uneven progress of LGBTQI rights on
the continent. For example, it notes how, in May 2023, Namibia’s Supreme Court ruled that the
government must recognise same-sex unions conducted abroad, even though same-sex marriage
remains illegal domestically and sexual relations between men are still criminalised. This ruling
stands in stark contrast to Uganda’s actions in the same month, where the legislature passed one of
the harshest anti-LGBTQI laws yet, imposing the death penalty for so-called “aggravated
homosexuality” and lengthy prison sentences for promoting homosexuality or transmitting
HIV/AIDS through gay sex. By presenting these contradictory events side by side, the text
underlines the central tension that motivates its call for change.
To strengthen its argument, the text makes strategic use of logical appeals by grounding its claims in
verifiable facts and statistics. It references ILGA’s database to point out that same-sex relationships
are legal in only 22 African countries and that only 12 of these nations have never criminalised
same-sex relations. This factual evidence functions as an appeal to logic, encouraging the reader to
understand the extent of the legal challenges that LGBTQI people face on the continent. Furthermore,
the text traces the roots of these laws to European colonialism, stating that much of Africa’s
anti-same-sex legislation originated during colonial rule. It points out that European colonisers used
such legislation to enforce their notions of racial and moral superiority, framing traditional African
sexualities as signs of inferiority that needed to be controlled. This historical context helps the reader
see that what is often described today as “un-African” is in fact an imported colonial imposition that
contradicts the diversity of gender identities that existed in African societies long before
colonisation.
The piece is persuasive not only because of its logical argument but also because of its ability to
evoke an emotional response. The title itself, “One Step Forward, Two Steps Backward,” uses a
metaphor to convey the frustration and exhaustion that comes with slow and contradictory progress.
By describing Uganda’s legislation as “one of the harshest anti-LGBTIQ laws to date” and detailing
its severe punishments, including the death penalty, the text evokes outrage and compassion. Such
vivid and unsettling descriptions are designed to stir the audience’s sense of injustice and moral
responsibility. The text’s emotional appeal is further reinforced by the contrast it draws between the
progressive ruling in Namibia and the regressive actions in Uganda, creating a sense of inconsistency
that demands resolution.
