Cameroon: President’s Daughter Causes Stir with Same-Sex Kiss

Brenda Biya, the daughter of Cameroonian President Paul Biya, has caused a stir in her country after posting a photo of herself in a same-sex kiss and then calling for freedom for LGBTQ+ people.

Brenda, who is pursuing a career abroad as a rapper under the name King Nasty, shared the image of herself embracing and kissing Brazilian model Layyons Valença on Instagram on 30 June.

The caption alongside the photo read, “I’m crazy about you & I want the world to know,” and was accompanied by a heart emoji.

Her 91-year-old father, who has been the president of Cameroon since 1982, is one of the longest-serving leaders in the world. The country is known for actively prosecuting LGBTQ+ people under laws that criminalise same-sex intimacy, with penalties of up to five years in prison.

In an interview with Le Parisien on Tuesday, Brenda revealed that she had been in a relationship with her girlfriend for eight months but had not told her family about their romantic involvement.

“Coming out is an opportunity to send a strong message,” she said, describing the criminalisation of homosexuality as “unfair” and calling for an end to jailing LGBTQ+ people.

She added, “There are plenty of people in the same situation as me who suffer because of who they are. If I can give them hope, help them feel less alone, if I can send love, I’m happy.”

Brenda revealed that her parents had asked her to remove the photo, which she appears to have since done.

According to VOA, the Cameroon Association for the Criminalization of Same-Sex Marriages has filed a complaint against Brenda for promoting an illegal activity, which is being investigated by the Ministry of Justice.

Neither the government nor her family has publicly commented on the controversy.