The Equality Spotlight Episode 5: ‘Namibia’s Fight for Equality’ and Bonus Interview Content from Our Partners
This week, we’re proud to present “Namibia: Breaking the Colonial Code,” spotlighting Omar van Reenen, co-founder of Equal Namibia. As one of the country's leading youth organizers, Omar has been at the forefront of the legal and cultural battle to dismantle Namibia’s apartheid-era sodomy laws. Their fight is deeply personal—and deeply rooted in ancestral history, strategic litigation, and the radical act of visibility.
Below is a bonus interview featuring Omar van Reenen, expanding on their journey and the movement that’s reshaping Namibia’s future.
What was it like when the court ruled to strike down Namibia’s sodomy law?
“Yeah, when the ruling came, you know, that feeling is hard to put into words. Growing up, I was told that who I am is illegal, that my love is a crime. But when the ruling came, that weight was lifted. But this ruling doesn’t change a law—it validates our existence.”
How does visibility function as resistance?
“I always share with the community that our greatest weapon against the government’s state-sanctioned homophobia is our community’s visibility. Because the only objective that these laws have, these laws that are passed by politicians coming from a place of hate, is to push us into the margins of society and erase our existence. So one way to fight back against that is to use our visibility as a weapon. Because when we take up space, there’s no way to erase that.”
You’ve said these laws aren’t originally African. What do you mean?
“Our ancestors had their own understandings of gender and sexuality. But both colonialism and apartheid tried to erase that. So this victory is about reclaiming our heritage as much as it is about human rights.”
What kind of resistance did you face while organizing?
“Yeah, we faced opposition at every turn—from legal hurdles to social stigma, even threats to our safety and a rise in hate crimes. But later, when people started joining us at rallies, on social media, I knew change was possible.”
What are your movement’s priorities now?
“Absolutely. So firstly, decriminalization is a significant milestone—getting rid of these colonial and apartheid-era laws. But our work is far from over. Next year, the government will be appealing the decriminalization verdict to the Supreme Court. Beyond that, we’re lobbying to make sure we pass anti-discrimination laws like the hate speech bill, to make sure we have healthcare access for all queer-bodied persons, and yes—marriage equality and legal gender recognition as well. Our goal is to really make sure that queer Namibians live openly and safely in this born-free republic.”
What role has Grindr for Equality played in your fight?
“It has been so great to see a company like Grindr do so much meaningful and intentional work to uplift grassroots organizations like ours. Grindr in Namibia is some of our only safe spaces. It’s where many of us experienced our first opportunities to intimately engage—and also to interact. Especially in rural parts of Namibia, where most of our queer organizing takes place in the capital. For a lot of Namibians, Grindr is that first door to queer intimacy, to queer interactions—and sometimes, to do so safely.”
What’s been the impact of working with the Grindr for Equality team?
“We’ve worked with them to send out notifications to our community—about protests, about court verdicts, about registering to vote. They also helped us launch, for the first time in Africa, the ability to order HIV self-testing kits directly on the app. People can get these delivered for free to their homes and then get connected to a local NGO for PrEP and PEP or other care. That kind of support—healthcare outside of the government's hands—means the world. Grindr didn’t come in with a top-down approach. They showed up to listen, to partner, to help. That’s rare. And it’s been so appreciated.”
