First gay couple goes public in Botswana

History was made in Botswana on Friday when two women appeared on the front-page of weekly tabloid, The Voice, to declare that they were in a same-sex relationship.

Onkemetse Pule, 26, and Lawrence Kwatata, 24, have become the first lesbians in the southern African country to go public about their sexual orientation.

Same sex relations are illegal in Botswana and offenders risk prosecution and jail.

So far, no homosexual has gone public in conservative Botswana though there is an unregistered body for same-sex relationships in the country dubbed Lesbians, Gays and Bisexuals (Legabibo). 

The two lesbian lovers told the tabloid that they had been in a relationship for the last 10 months, after linking up through the paper’s dating page.

Shattering experience

Both had been in previous same sex relationships before, with Pule saying that she dated men till 2008 when she caught the father of her child with another woman.

“I caught him red-handed with another woman. It was a shattering experience and I completely lost trust in men. From then on, my feelings for the opposite sex just switched off. Later that year, I began to develop feelings towards other women because I felt that they were more sensitive and understanding,” Pule said.

She stated that she had her first same-sex relationship last year, but it ended because of irreconcilable differences.

However, her partner Kwatata has known about her sexual orientation for nearly 10 years and had her first affair with her teacher in secondary school.

Pule and Kwatata say their relationship was blossoming and they had been happier in their lives and they wanted the world to know about their sexual orientation.

“I feel safe in this relationship. I am so contented and fulfilled. It is incomparable with being in love with a man,” Pule said. 

Was a lesbian

Both parents of the women reportedly know about their relationship with Kwatata breaking the news herself while Pule was busted through her mobile phone.

Kwatata said her mother was not particularly surprised when she confessed she was a lesbian, but Pule’s faced a mammoth task when hers stumbled on the facts of her sexual preferences.

Pule said one day, her mother answered her phone when Kwatata called and from the conversation, got to know that they were lovers.

“I did a lot of explaining to the old lady. She was very jumpy and just could not understand at all. She was angry and upset… After a week, tempers began to cool.''

After close family members got to know of their sexual preferences, other relatives were informed and came to accept them.

The two women said there were many same-sex relationships in Botswana and the country must not victimise them.

They intend to cross into South Africa and get married next year. South Africa has legalised same sex marriages and relationships.