‘Let Us Just Leave’: Gossip, Marginality, and Movement Among Gay Men in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

In Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, young men rarely leave their parents’ homes until they have saved enough money to cover rent and basic needs. Among gay men, however, gossip, fear of violence, homophobia, and the need to hide their sexual identities pushes them to leave home before they are financially secure. Although Dar es Salaam is known for cultural tolerance of homosexuality, gay men in this city rarely felt safe sharing their sexual identity with families, friends, neighbours, or co-workers. Findings from one year of ethnographic research among gay men aged 18 years and above in Dar es Salaam in 2017 show that gay men frequently move houses, jobs, and neighbourhoods to conceal their sexual identity. Gossip pushes gay men, especially the younger ones, to move to areas where they are unknown to avoid shame, stigma, and homophobia. At the family level, young effeminate men may have their masculinity and sexuality questioned, and are often pressured to have female sexual partners, get married, and have children.