The daughter of Cameroon’s president says she hopes coming out as a lesbian can help change the country’s laws banning same-sex relationships.
Brenda Bea told Le Parisien that there are many people in the same situation as her and she hopes to inspire them.
The 27-year-old shared a photo of herself A kiss with another woman last week sparked mixed reactions in Cameroon.
“I’m crazy about you and I want the world to know,” she said in an Instagram post, along with a photo of herself hugging Brazilian model Layyons Valença.
in interview French newspaper Le ParisienShe said she did not notify anyone at home before publishing the post.
“Coming out is an opportunity to send a strong message,” she said.
She added that she found anti-gay laws that existed before her father came to power “unfair and I hope my story can change that”.
Paul Biya, 91, has served as Cameroon’s president since 1982 and is one of Africa’s longest-serving leaders.
Ms Biya said she had been dating the Brazilian model for eight months and had taken her to Cameroon three times without telling her family they were in a relationship.
The musician, who lives abroad, said she has received many messages of support as well as negative reactions since posting about her relationship.
She was happy to reveal her identity, adding that she wanted to give hope and “send love” to those “suffering because of who they are” [and] Help them feel less alone”.
She told Le Parisien that her brother was the first to call her after the post, angry that she had published it without notifying her family.
Her parents, the president and first lady Chantal Biya later called her to ask her to delete the post. “From then on, everything fell into silence,” she said.
She said she had a crush on a girl for the first time when she was 16, but due to the situation in the country, it was difficult to express her love.
Same-sex relations are illegal in Cameroon and punishable by up to five years in prison.
There has been no official comment from the president or first lady.
A government source told French broadcaster RFI that the matter concerned “the private lives of adults living abroad and has nothing to do with Cameroon or the head of state”.
Rights groups, which have been critical of Cameroon’s laws banning same-sex relations, hailed Ms Zambia’s revelation as a courageous move.
