The US’s first ever special envoy for LGBT rights has said there are “seeds of hope” in Southern African countries for sexual and gender minorities. The Thomson Reuters Foundation reports that Randy Berry spoke after a 10-day visit to Malawi, Namibia, Botswana and South Africa.

He said, “I believe in all of these countries, there are seeds of hope. With government representatives, I found them to be sensitive to the issues, wanting to engage very clearly. After these consultations, I am quite hopeful.”

He said, despite that homosexuality or gay sex is outlawed in many of Africa’s 54 states, there was hope in the south of the continent.

Berry said US policy dictates that violence and discrimination is tackled through dialogue and support of rights groups.

“Change is not going to occur because the U.S. wants it to,” he said.

Change comes through those people working indigenously within those societies to produce a more equitable framework.”

The Global Equality Fund was created by the State Department in 2011 to help fund groups supporting civil rights. Of the trip, he said, “The fact that we can actually have a rational, coherent, quiet conversation is really important,” he said.

“The problem we face in a global sense is one of ignorance and non exposure. Homosexuality is not a learned behaviour. It is not somehow produced by external forces. This is how people are born,” Berry continued.

Berry was appointed as the first ever LGBTI rights envoy in February last year.

Sourced from Pink News