Monrovia -Mohammed Sheriff not his real name still remembers the day his mother disowned him when she discovered her first child was gay. Petite in height, Sheriff, 22, who had lived in a sleepy township in Montserrado County with his aunt since he was a toddler, moved to Monrovia following her death to be with his mother.
It was smooth sailing, in the beginning, he remembered. But it would soon be short-lived when he started hanging with friends in the community who were gay.
However, he averred, he was asked out again when his bullies followed him and revealed his sexuality. His life took a rollercoaster thereafter. Liberian law criminalizes consensual same-sex sexual activity between consenting adults. Articles There has been no publicized case in recent years. According to the latest U. In November , partygoers attending a birthday party at a Drop-in-Center DIC owned and operated by Population Services International PSI were attacked and severely wounded over suspicions of engaging in homosexual acts.
There were no arrests made by the Liberia National Police as the attackers fled while some attacked the Police for rescuing the victims.
In September , there was also a similar attack at the same venue. The government of former soccer star now President, George Weah, has not defined its stance on the protection of the rights of sexual minorities. But in an interview the Liberian President gave in December of last year, he stressed that his government is one which respects human rights, regardless.
