Chimamanda’s Political Correctness

Few things surprise me these days.  Like the manipulated Presidential media chat, GEJ suspending Sanusi, Chimamanda supporting gay rights etc. I was taken aback when people kept writing and castigating the President’s suspension of SLS like it wasn’t expected. Might be unexpected if you are a foreigner to Nigeria’s unusual politics but otherwise we all knew it was coming.

In similar vein, I found it quite interesting that some Nigerians are unhappy that Chimamanda has lent her voice to the call for gay rights in Nigeria.  Question is what did you expect?!  That she begin writing articles and short stories on how disgusting homosexuality is and how it is not an option? Or she tell the world that it can be unlearned as many other social vices? Of course not! If you are a follower of Chimamanda, this really should not surprise you.

But really what does Chimamanda stand to gain by opposing gay rights?! Conversely, she stands to lose a lot if she does. She reminds me of Obama who, unenthusiastic about gay rights in his first term became pro-gay just before his second term. What changed? He needed votes and it was politically correct. Chimamanda is also politically correct. But does political correctness mean you are doing the right thing? Well, that’s gist for another day. Think about it, the Nigerian literati, to which she belongs, support gay rights. Her best friend, Caine prize winner, Binyavanga Wainana recently announced he was gay (me thinks that guy is straight but did that to draw attention to his cause, just my opinion though.) Chimamanda’s publishers and readers abroad would have her head if she dare oppose. Why erase all the goodwill she has enjoyed so far? Opposing gay rights would rile people so much that the film adaptation of her awardwinning book, Half of a Yellow Sun (which by the way, I await eagerly) would fall flat at the box office and same fate may befall every other book she’s gonna write. In totality, what is left of her writing career if she opposes? Little or Nothing!

So really if you were Chimamanda, wouldn’t you support homosexuality?!