As a country that often views itself as a humanitarian donor or resource for foreign aid, the US has become financially and politically tied up in the HIV/AIDS campaign in Africa. But as thousands of non-governmental organizations and aid programs rush to African countries, the foreign involement can often exacerbate the problem - especially with something as culturally divided as LGBT issues. 

 

"Many AIDS advocates in the developed world are reluctant to stop funding for HIV therapy because it is the equivalent of a death sentence, but this concern does not apply to other economic and military assistance to nations that discriminate against gays and lesbians." (Roehr 1168)

 

In much of westernized discussion of "African homophobia" comes the need to withdraw support or give to different programs that will promote equality and acceptance of all people. The concept of the "universality of human rights," as proposed by Amnesty International and the United Nations, while recognized by western nations, does not always follow the cultural values or ideals of the African nations to which it becomes so vigorously applied. While I do not argue by any means that the discrimination and oppression of LGBT people is by any means a cultural value of various African people and should therefore be protected, I would like to warn against the international method of blind intervention. 

 

This so called "culture war" of the west (Roehr 1167) has brought pressure on both homophobia and the push for equal rights to African countries, but the concepts are not inherently western inventions. LGBT people existed before western countries like the United States declared the right to love an "equal right," although the origin of sexuality vs. identity is still widely contested (Awondo 160). 

.