Challenging the Western gender taxonomy: through African eyes

This paper critiques the rigidity of the Western gender taxonomy, particularly as represented by the LGBTQIA+ spectrum. It does so by highlighting gender identities and roles from Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Ghana, and Benin. Drawing on Ndebele terms such as babakazi (female father), malume (male mother), ncukubili (intersex), and wosana (water diviner), as well as Shona figures like svikiro (spirit medium) and bambomukunda (father-daughter), the paper reveals a rich archive of gender diversity inaccessible through English or Western frameworks. It further examines ‘women marriage’ and female husbands among the Yoruba, Igbo, Nankani, and Dahomey, illustrating how these non-conjugal same-sex unions blur distinctions between gender identity and sexual orientation. Through these case studies, the paper argues for a more expansive, culturally grounded taxonomy that reflects lived multiplicity and challenges colonial erasures.