Rainbow Collective gathers momentum

Rosehill-born Bernard, 27, believes the recent push for gay equality on the African island of Mauritius is due to a newly formed activist movement inspiring change.

Mauritius now has an organised move-ment called Collectif Arc-en-Ciel (Rainbow Coalition), a visible lobby that is pushing for these reforms and forcing public debate. This movement is calling into question traditional Mauritian conservatism that dominates the country, Bernard said.

Bernard describes the homophobia that permeates Mauritian society as stemming from the idea that any person living a gay life thinks only of themselves.

Mauritian society is very religious, very family orientated. You don’t move away from your parents, you live your entire life around your family. There is an obligation to have kids and get married. It’s very traditional, he said.

The gay scene in Mauritius is exclusively made up of under-25-year-olds. People then get married and live an integrated life.

The equality push began in 2006 with the nation’s first Pride parade: an event featuring 300 gay locals that occurred without incident or conflict, just witnessed by bemused onlookers.

Rainbow Collective’s president, Thierry De Ravel said after the event, The point of today is visibility. We want to show Mauritius that there is a gay community, that we want to be out in the open. We want to be respected and we want equal rights for all.

Justice Minister Rama Valyden said in 2006, Today we have a turned to a new page in the history of Mauritius and that is the page of freedom.

The Collective used the parade to push for anti-discrimination legislation on the basis of sexuality. The irony is that employees are rarely mistreated on the basis of their sexuality because gay people live straight lives.

Valyden said in response, Article 1 of the Constitution of Mauritius is there to remind us that all are born equal before the law.

Bernard believes the Constitution can only protect so far. The Constitution goes a long way in setting the tone for other laws. There is definitely a need for anti-discrimination in Mauritius. This is a cultural decision to accept homosexuality, he said.

To date such legislation has not been enacted.

In April 2007 there was debate over a new Sexual Offences Bill that, if passed, would have decriminalised homosexual acts.

Bernard believes the reason the Rainbow Collective has gathered momentum in the past two years is because of international influences.

Mauritius is a tourist-based economy, so as gay tourists come to Mauritius so too are they exposing homosexuality to the country. Much of the foreign investment also goes directly into tourist infrastructure, he said.

Furthermore through literature and the internet people are able to get ideas and receive support from overseas. The Collective name -˜Rainbow’ is a Western idea.

Bernard came to Australia when he was seven, but returns to Mauritius every five years.
If I had grown up in Mauritius I’d probably have ended up married. I would have found it a lot harder to come out, he said.

I am inspired by the young Mauritians who are ready to break the mould. They are so resolute and they will achieve positive change in Mauritius.