Are There Still Straight Men in Nigeria?

In Nigerian society, a straight man is commonly perceived as an individual who identifies as male and exclusively experiences romantic and sexual attraction towards women. This orientation aligns with traditional societal norms of heterosexuality, often viewed as the epitome of masculinity. Hence, a straight man is like one wearing a badge of honor. While that is true, very recently, considering the country's large population of over two hundred million, increased visibility and advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights, growing online presence and community, etc., it won't be out of place to think that there are now crowded number of non straght men in Nigeria presently. But the question, “Do we we still have straight men in Nigeria?”, obviously reflects curiosity about shifting societal norms.

DO WE STILL HAVE STRAIGHT MEN IN NIGERIA? BY SEIKEGBA EBOBRA DESTINY. In Nigerian society, a straight man is commonly perceived as an individual who identifies as male and exclusively experiences romantic and sexual attraction towards women. This orientation aligns with traditional societal norms of heterosexuality, often viewed as the epitome of masculinity. Hence, a straight man is like one wearing a badge of honor... While that is true, very recently, considering the country's large population of over two hundred million, increased visibility and advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights, growing online presence and community, etc, it won't be out of place to think that there are now crowded number of non-straght men in Nigeria presently. But the question: do we we still have straight men in Nigeria, obviously reflects curiosity about shifting societal norms. Curiosity here, may have arrived, especially, as a result of the fact that there is an increase visibility among Nigerian non-straight men recently, as more people feel comfortable with their identity than their hidentity. While that is true, to think that straight men have gone extinct means, to a large extent, that the Nigerian society has fully embraced the assertion that "homosexual acts are part of the essential nature of men involved, as a result of an inclination that was always there," a debate on identity and behavior. Although, societal and religious bodies especially, still consider anything that's not straight, diabolic, dirty and sodomy, some major psychological, medical and scientific organizations agree that sexual orientation, including homosexuality, can be as a result of biological, genetic, and environmental factor. To some extent, the above premise may seem untrue, if not for anything, but the fact that: we still see young men hitting the gym everyday, Saturday weddings where pastors keep pronouncing couples 'husbands and wives' on a regular, girls, even though they refer to guys as scum, still flaunt their tall, broard-shouldered muscular boyfriends and crushes on their social media walls, etc. Well, to think that straight men have gone extent in Nigeria is to conclude that most men parading themselves as straight are not. Perhaps they're aware of their identity but choose to suppress it, or they're just not aware of their other side, because they've never had any reason to explore it. This leaves us with two questions: 1. Why would one choose to suppress his identity? (HIDENTITY) 2. It is possible for one to be unaware of who he is? (IDENTITY) WHY WOULD ONE CHOOSE TO SUPPRESS HIS IDENTITY? (HIDENTITY) A gay or bisexual Nigerian man may choose to put up a falls sexual identity (hidentity) because of sentiment, stigma, shame of being rejected by family, friends, jobs, culture, religion, etc. To keep to societal norms and standard, a non straight man, may hit the gym frequently to build for himself the masculine body society expects him to wear, go about with sturdy beared,feign an unwearing love for sports, especially football, etc. By doing this, he automatically suppresses his real identity just to gain social acceptance as a typical heterogeneous man. This is the pathetic case of many who could not come to the open to declare who they truly are. IS IT POSSIBLE FOR ONE TO BE UNAWARE OF WHO HE IS? ( IDENTITY) Is it possible for one to be unaware of who he is all along? The answer is Yes. Society, as earlier stated, is capable of conditioning people to conform to its expectations. Society programs one to fit into its standard. Hence, we are all products of previous (positive or negative) societal programming and conditioning. Thinking about how identity is shaped by social construction, Baba Fakunle's words to Odewale in Ola Rotimi's The God's Are Not to Blame came to mind: BABA FAKUNLE: You are not who you think you are. Your name is not your name. Your face is not yours It is given to you by others (2:1) Of a truth, like the Odewale, we are, to a large extent, who and what society tells us we are. But that is until recently, in the case of sexual identity. According to Michael Foucoult, contrary to popular belief, men could now be classified as homosexual even if they had never been involved in homosexual acts. While, he thinks that sexual act between men is not accidental to their lives but only expressions of their identity, a whole lot of men are not aware of the gay orientation "programmed into all men" because they've not got any reason to explore the other side of it or they're just held down by social constructs, dictates, and norms. If this assertion is true, considering, again, the rising visibility of gay and bisexual men in the country, LGBTQ+ rights, online presence and community, etc, it won't be wrong to ask again: do we still have straight men in Nigeria?

Curiosity here may have arrived as a result of the fact that there is an increase visibility among Nigerian non-straight men recently, as more people feel comfortable with their identity than their hidentity. While that is true, to think that straight men have gone extinct means, to a large extent, that the Nigerian society has fully embraced the assertion that "homosexual acts are part of the essential nature of men involved, as a result of an inclination that was always there.” Although, societal and religious bodies especially still consider anything that's not straight “diabolic,” “dirty” and “sodomy,” some major psychological, medical and scientific organizations agree that sexual orientation, including homosexuality, can be as a result of biological, genetic, and environmental factors. To some extent, the above premise may seem untrue, if not for anything, but the fact that we still see young men hitting the gym every day, Saturday weddings where pastors keep pronouncing couples 'husbands and wives' on a regular basis, girls, even though they refer to guys as scum, still flaunt their tall, broad-shouldered muscular boyfriends and crushes on their social media walls, etc. Well, to think that straight men have gone extent in Nigeria is to conclude that most men parading themselves as straight are not. Perhaps they're aware of their identity but choose to suppress it, or they're just not aware of their other side because they've never had any reason to explore it. This leaves us with two questions:

1. Why would one choose to suppress his identity? (HIDENTITY)

2. Is it possible for one to be unaware of whom he is? (IDENTITY)

Why would one choose to suppress his identity? (hidentity)

A gay or bisexual Nigerian man may choose to put up a false sexual identity (hidentity) because of sentiment, stigma, shame of being rejected by family, friends, jobs, culture, religion, etc. To keep to societal norms and standard, a non-straight man may hit the gym frequently to build for himself the masculine body society expects him to wear, go about with sturdy beared, feign an unwearing love for sports, especially football, etc. By doing this, he automatically suppresses his real identity just to gain social acceptance as a typical heterogeneous man. This is the pathetic case of many who could not come to the open to declare who they truly are.

Is it possible for one to be unaware of who he is? (identity)

Is it possible for one to be unaware of whom he is all along? The answer is yes. Society, as earlier stated, is capable of conditioning people to conform to its expectations. Society programs one to fit into its standard. Hence, we are all products of previous (positive or negative) societal programming and conditioning.

Thinking about how identity is shaped by social construction, Baba Fakunle's words to Odewale in Ola Rotimi's The God's Are Not to Blame came to mind:

BABA FAKUNLE:

You are not who you think you are.

Your name is not your name.

Your face is not yours

It is given to you by others (2:1)

Of a truth, like the Odewale, we are, to a large extent, who and what society tells us we are. But that is until recently in the case of sexual identity. According to Michael Foucoult, contrary to popular belief, men could now be classified as homosexual even if they had never been involved in homosexual acts. While, he thinks that sexual act between men is not accidental to their lives but only expressions of their identity, a whole lot of men are not aware of the gay orientation "programmed into all men" because they've not got any reason to explore the other side of it, or they're just held down by social constructs, dictates, and norms. If this assertion is true, considering again, the rising visibility of gay and bisexual men in the country, LGBTQ+ rights, online presence and community, etc, it won't be wrong to ask again: Do we still have straight men in Nigeria?

Are There Still Straight Men in Nigeria?

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