Abidjan - Post Report Question and Answers
Is this a good city for LGBT expatriates? Why or why not?
I wish I knew. I am guessing not. my LGBTQ friends are all USG, I know of no others and so do not know what it is like. - May 2020
Short answer is "it depends," but the longer answer is "no." So, Cote d'Ivoire is one of the few Subsaharan African countries that decriminalized homosexuality. However, there seems to be no concept of gay rights or being openly gay. Lesbians are invisible, and forget transgendered people. Having said that, there are plenty of gay expats who seem to find locals to be in relationships with. My assumption is that the local was probably benefiting from the relationship, as is common in other countries, but as long as everyone is happy who am I to judge? I've heard extortion can be a common problem here, and thus expats may refrain from relationships with locals. This can make Abidjan quite lonely for gay expats, and while there are lots of gay/bisexual Lebanese, they do not tend to fraternize outside of their own social groups out of fear of exposure. In summary, just like the rest of Africa it really sucks to be gay even if it isn't technically illegal. - Feb 2020
Not very tolerant of non-conforming gender roles. - Mar 2017
There's a benign homophobia within the general public, but hostility and violence are incredibly rare, especially compared to elsewhere in Sub-Saharan Africa. That being said, I don't know of a vibrant LGBT scene here. - Aug 2015
This is a culture where men are not gay, they just have sex with other men. That said, expats are not held to the standards of Ivoirian culture. Also, it's very common for straight men to hold each others' hands. I have no information for lesbians. - Jun 2009
Cote d'Ivoire is generally a tolerant place, and I think gays and lesbians should not have a problem here. Although you don't see it all the time, it is customary for very good male friends to hold hands here. - Jan 2009
