Qacha’s Nek, Jan. 31 — In Lesotho, where tradition, Christianity and community ties run deep, identifying as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex (LGBTQI+) can be an act of quiet courage.
For many, daily life is a delicate balancing act navigating cultural expectations, family pressures, and social stigma while seeking acceptance, safety, and the freedom to simply exist.
Yet amid these challenges, a movement is quietly thriving. Organisations like The People’s Matrix Association are building networks of support, advocating for legal reforms, and creating safe spaces where queer Basotho can live authentically.
Across rural villages and urban centres, a quiet revolution is underway, one defined not just by struggle, but by courage, solidarity, and the persistent drive for equality.
Speaking to the Agency, Limpho*, a queer woman from Butha-Buthe, spent her adolescence trying to fit into a mould her family could accept.
“I didn’t know about all these terminologies except that I was called a tomboy. I was interested in girls; some would visit me, and we would kiss, but we got caught by my parents. That’s when they tried to change who I am, saying my behaviour was bad. If they saw something on TV or a friend recommended something, they would take me for rituals thinking I would change, and with baptism I would be clean,” Limpho said.
Her adolescent years were spent moving from one church to another, from family rituals to spiritual “deliverance,” all in the hope that she would abandon her queer identity. Well-meaning interventions by relatives and community members only reinforced her understanding of who she truly was.
Freedom came only when she arrived in Maseru for higher learning. For the first time, she could wear what she wanted, and simply exist as herself. “Matrix helped sensitise my community about the LGBTQI+ community around 2017/18 and introduced us through a programme. That’s when they started accepting us, and that’s when I realised I am a queer woman,” she said.
Even so, trauma marked her journey. In 2023, she was drugged and raped because of her sexuality, an attack meant to “prove a point” about her identity. “I had a mental breakdown due to depression and anxiety, and I even tried to commit suicide…Growing up with no jobs, discrimination, things falling apart, and trying to keep a smiley face for society was a lot,” she said, laughing despite the weight of her story.
These experiences became the foundation of her advocacy. Limpho now works to raise awareness about LGBTQI+ existence and believes change is slowly happening. “With national reforms, we are still hopeful, as we were included during consultation processes, and some organisations genuinely support us,” she said. Yet challenges remain, including the lack of legal recognition of same-sex marriage and genders beyond male and female as well as gender-based violence.
Limpho’s journey also reflects the reactions of those closest to her. Some parents and local leaders described initial shock and disapproval. “We didn’t understand it at first; it felt like something against our culture and values,” one parent said. Others became more supportive over time. “At first, I struggled, but I saw that my child’s happiness mattered more than traditions,” said another.
Ts’epang*, from Mafeteng, offers a different perspective. He grew up openly queer, even without fully understanding it. “I realised I was different in grade 8 because of the challenges I faced and the names I was called, like setabana (gay),” he said.
Despite occasional homophobia, Ts’epang credited his family, the People’s Matrix Association, and Queer WorX as his strongest support systems. Sensitisation programs, online platforms and community engagement encourage LGBTQI+ people to freely express themselves and foster belonging.
“Being an LGBTQI+ member is emotionally draining, especially around people who do not accept you. I help myself by avoiding such spaces for my mental health,” he said. He also highlighted structural gaps, such as the lack of inclusive health services. “Health facilities often leave sexual orientation behind, which leads to discrimination. Restoration of our dignity is my main wish, so we can thrive socially, politically, and economically,” he said.
He further said understanding and acceptance are essential for fostering a peaceful society, particularly in Lesotho, where traditional beliefs heavily influence attitudes toward gender and sexuality.
“Embracing our differences helps build stronger communities. When individuals can express themselves without fear of discrimination or stigma, it enhances both their well-being and the wider society. Recognising the value of every person, regardless of identity, is a vital step toward creating an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive,” Ts’epang added.
Lesotho has made notable legal strides. Consensual same-sex sexual activity has been legal since 2012. In 2024, Parliament amended the Labour Act to explicitly prohibit workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation and HIV status, placing Lesotho alongside Botswana and South Africa in the region.
The country has ratified several international and regional human rights instruments that protect LGBTQI+ persons. These include the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).
Regionally, Lesotho is party to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. While these treaties provide a framework for protecting LGBTIQ+ rights, implementation remains limited. Advocates continue to call for domestication into national law, review of discriminatory statutes, and public awareness campaigns.
Founder and executive director of the People’s Matrix Association, Tampose Mothopeng, has spent years pushing back against silence in homes, institutions, and Parliament. Under his leadership, the Matrix Association is an active voice in national dialogues, particularly within youth and civil-society groups addressing constitutional and security reforms.
“Since Matrix was founded, public attitudes toward LGBTQI+ people in Lesotho have shifted slowly and unevenly,” Mothopeng said. “There is increased visibility of sexual and gender diversity, more open dialogue, and constitutional amendments recognising marginalised communities. Lesotho’s acceptance of Universal Periodic Review (UPR) recommendations affirming equality and non-discrimination is a positive step.”
Yet, the lived reality remains difficult. He said evidence from Matrix’s Violating Incident Early Warning System (VIEWS) shows stigma, discrimination, and violence are widespread. Between December 2024 and June 2025, he said over 93 percent of respondents reported violations of dignity, equality, and freedom from inhuman treatment.
“Violence is most commonly experienced in domestic spaces and perpetrated by family members, neighbours, intimate partners, and, alarmingly, even police officers,” Mothopeng said.
He said Matrix’s initiatives such as ma’Box and VIEWS allow anonymous reporting, including incidents in private spaces or involving authorities. “This is critical given that nearly half of reported incidents were unwitnessed, and many survivors fear exposure or retaliation.
Matrix provides follow-up support, referrals, and advocacy while engaging institutions through constructive, evidence-based dialogue to improve compliance with constitutional principles and Universal Periodic Review (UPR) commitments.”
He said health-sector sensitisation, peer monitoring, and referral support at facilities like Domiciliary and Paki Health Centres have improved service quality and user satisfaction.
“The biggest challenge remains the gap between commitments on paper and reality,” Mothopeng said. “Social stigma, often justified through cultural and religious narratives, drives violence in homes, schools, and public institutions. Many LGBTQI+ people migrate to urban areas like Maseru for safety.”
He said fear of retaliation or disbelief discourages formal reporting, especially when perpetrators include police or state actors. Legal gaps persist, with no explicit, enforceable protections based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex work status.
He said funding instability, worsened by international cuts in early 2025, has constrained community mobilisation, outreach, and survivor support, particularly for sex workers.
“Our approach prioritises confidentiality, safety, and community leadership,” Mothopeng said. “Peer educators, discreet referral networks, and sensitised service providers enable individuals to access health, psychosocial, and legal support without requiring public visibility.”
Looking ahead, Mothopeng said Matrix envisions tangible alignment between Lesotho’s constitutional obligations, UPR commitments, and the lived realities of LGBTQI+ people over the next three to five years.
This includes legislation explicitly prohibiting discrimination and violence, including gender-based and hate-motivated violence, as well as expanded access to inclusive, confidential, and gender-affirming health and mental health services.
“Importantly, we envision strengthened, self-sustaining LGBTQI+-led community structures that are recognised as legitimate partners in governance, monitoring, and policy dialogue,” he said.
He highlighted the role of EU-funded initiatives like the Marang Southern Africa LGBTIQ Fund, which have strengthened community-level protection, access to justice, and healing for LGBTQI+ people. “Through its support, Marang has enabled Matrix to extend human rights engagement beyond urban areas into Basotho villages, where much of the violence and exclusion experienced by LGBTQI+ people occurs,” Mothopeng said.
He said community dialogues, human rights case management, and psychosocial support through Marang projects have created safer spaces for conversation and understanding, challenged harmful norms, and strengthened local ownership of constitutional values related to dignity, equality, and non-discrimination.
Overall, he said Marang’s interventions bridge constitutional and international commitments with lived realities by combining prevention, accountability, mediation, and psychosocial care. “This integrated approach has enhanced community trust, increased reporting of violations, and strengthened the capacity of LGBTQI-led organisations to deliver holistic, rights-based responses that are sustainable and grounded in local contexts,” he said.
Mothopeng stressed that Parliament plays a central role in translating constitutional amendments and UPR commitments into practice. “This includes reviewing and enacting legislation that explicitly prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, strengthening protections against gender-based and hate-motivated violence, and addressing legal vulnerabilities faced by sex workers and transgender people.”
He said Parliament should also exercise oversight of public institutions, particularly policing, healthcare, and education, in light of evidence that these spaces are sites of violence and exclusion for marginalised communities.
“By recognising and supporting community-led monitoring as a legitimate accountability mechanism, Parliament can help ensure that constitutional recognition of marginalised communities is realised in practice,” he added.
Meanwhile, members of the LGBTQI+ community recently participated in National Assembly proceedings to raise awareness among parliamentarians, ahead of discussions on the Children’s Protection and Welfare (Amendment) Bill 2023.
MP Nkaku Kabi, who leads the All Basotho Convention (ABC), recalled a visit from the LGBTQI+ community during his tenure as Minister of Health. “They came in numbers, expressing themselves in an intense manner before even speaking. It was then that I began to understand what they were talking about,” he said, highlighting challenges such as legal identity verification for intersex and transgender children.
MP Maimane Maphathe suggested official forms include a neutral gender option at birth, and that identification documents and health services be free from stigma.
Globally, transgender individuals face significant marginalisation, discrimination, and violence, with a 34 times higher risk of acquiring HIV. UNAIDS reports that up to 24 countries criminalise or prosecute transgender people.
Legal reforms, advocacy, and community organising show that progress in Lesotho, though incremental, is real. The resilience of LGBTQI+ Basotho, seen in the lives of Limpho and Ts’epang illustrates how initiatives like Matrix and Marang are bridging the gap between rights on paper and lived reality.
While challenges remain, the courage, resilience and growing visibility of LGBTQI+ offer hope for a future where every queer person in Lesotho can live authentically, safely and with dignity.
Ends/MAPM/tl
