Nigerian crossdressers could face jail time if a bill to outlaw crossdressing in the country becomes law.
The bill, sponsored by Muda Lawal Umar, a member of the House of Representatives, and passed first reading on Tuesday, seeks to amend the Same Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Act 2013, to prohibit cross dressing, and for other purposes.
It is commonly assumed that the development will annoy celebrities such as Olanrewaju Idris Okuneye, also known as Bobrisky, James Chukwueze Obialor, also known as James Brown, prominent television host, Adenrele Oluwafemi Edun, also known as Denrele, and others who make a living by crossdressing.
Most worrisome for them, the bill seeks to amend Section 4 of the Act by inserting a new Sub-clause 3 that reads,
“(1) Cross—dressing done publicly is prohibited. James Brown
“(2) A person shall be deemed to have committed the offence publicly where it is published or displayed publicly notwithstanding that it was committed privately or in any place that would have ordinarily been described as private.
“Provided that this section of this Act shall not apply to cross dressing in the course of a stage play or in any bona fide public entertainment.”
Particularly, the bill seeks to amend Section 5 of the Act by inserting a new Sub-clause 4 that reads:
“A person engaged in cross dressing is guilty of an offense and liable to imprisonment for six (6) months or to a fine of five hundred thousand naira (N500,000).”Denrele
Also amending section 7 of the Act, the bill seeks to introduce the word ‘cross dressing’ and defining it as “…the practice of wearing clothes usually worn by a person of the opposite s8x.”
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