Brenda Biya, the daughter of Cameroon’s President Paul Biya, has publicly come out as a lesbian, expressing hopes that her revelation will help change the country’s laws banning same-sex relations. In an interview with Le Parisien, Brenda Biya shared her intention to inspire others in similar situations and challenge the existing anti-gay legislation.
The 27-year-old sparked mixed reactions in Cameroon after posting an image on Instagram last week of herself kissing Brazilian model Layyons Valença. “I’m crazy about you & I want the world to know,” she captioned the photo. Brenda Biya disclosed that she had not informed her family before making the post public, describing her coming out as an opportunity to send a strong message against the “unfair” anti-gay laws.
Cameroon, where same-sex relations can result in up to five years in prison, has maintained its anti-gay stance since before President Paul Biya, 91, took office in 1982. Brenda Biya hopes her story will contribute to changing these laws. She revealed that she has been in a relationship with the Brazilian model for eight months and had brought her to Cameroon three times without disclosing their relationship to her family.
Living abroad, Brenda Biya has received both supportive and negative reactions following her revelation. She expressed happiness in sharing her status and aims to give hope and “send love” to those who suffer because of their sexual orientation, helping them feel less alone.
Her brother was the first to react, expressing anger over her public post. Her parents, President Paul Biya and First Lady Chantal Biya, later called and requested that she delete the post. Since then, Brenda reported there has been no communication from her parents.
Brenda Biya recalled having her first crush on a girl at age 16 but found it challenging to express her love due to the societal and legal environment in Cameroon. Despite the backlash, she remains hopeful that her coming out will spark a conversation and potentially lead to changes in the country’s laws.
There has been no official comment from President Paul Biya or First Lady Chantal Biya. A government source told French broadcaster RFI that the issue pertains to the private life of an adult residing outside the country and does not concern Cameroon or its head of state.
Rights groups, which have long criticized Cameroon’s laws against same-sex relations, have praised Brenda Biya’s revelation as a courageous move.
