Fund Kudzai’s LSE Journey for LGBTQ Narratives

Help Fund My PhD to Decolonize LGBTQ Rights Narratives

Hello, my name is Kudzai, and I am a Zimbabwean lesbian agender scholar and activist reaching out for your support to fund my PhD studies at the London School of Economics (LSE). I’ve been granted an unconditional offer to pursue groundbreaking research that challenges harmful narratives about Africa and reimagines global LGBTQ rights through a decolonial lens. Unfortunately, due to historical inequities, I cannot afford the $63,000 needed for the first two years of this journey. I need your help to make this dream a reality—and to amplify a cause that connects LGBTQ rights across Africa and the West.

My Journey: From Zimbabwe to the Global Stage

I grew up in Zimbabwe, a place where queer identities like mine—lesbian and agender—are often erased or met with hostility. Yet, amid the challenges, I saw the resilience and brilliance of queer communities fighting for recognition. This fueled my passion to understand and dismantle the forces that oppress us. I moved to the United States to pursue postgraduate studies at Mississippi University for Women, diving into the historical roots of homophobia in Southern Africa. During my master’s, I interned at the United Nations headquarters in New York—an experience that revealed how global institutions shape narratives about Africa, often to our detriment. Now, with an unconditional offer from the LSE, I’m ready to take my work to the next level.

The Problem: A Misleading Narrative

There’s a story the world loves to tell: that Africa is uniquely homophobic. It’s a tale I heard echoed in UN meeting rooms, where African nations were labeled “backward” while the vibrant activism of queer Africans went ignored. This narrative isn’t just oversimplified—it’s harmful. It brushes aside the colonial laws that still criminalize us, laws imposed by the same powers now claiming moral superiority. It paints Africans as inherently intolerant, feeding racial stereotypes that degrade queer Africans while letting international bodies like the UN polish their “progressive” image. This distortion doesn’t just misrepresent Africa—it undermines the global fight for LGBTQ rights by silencing the very voices that could transform it.

My Research: Rewriting the Story

My PhD, titled “Rethinking the Beneficiaries of Maintaining a Post-independent Homophobic ‘Africa’: (Re)orienting and Queer(ing) the Banality of Racism,” will confront this head-on. I’ll investigate who profits from this homophobic image of Africa and how racial biases warp international human rights efforts. Drawing on African decolonial frameworks like Chimurenga Chepfungwa—a Zimbabwean practice of resisting colonial knowledge through critical reflection—and Ubuntu storytelling—which roots wisdom in community and connection—I’ll unearth silenced African queer voices in UN archives. My goal? To craft counter-narratives that challenge Western dominance in LGBTQ advocacy and center African experiences instead.

Why It Matters: A Global Ripple Effect

This isn’t just an academic project—it’s a call to action with stakes that span continents. By exposing how colonial legacies still twist human rights discourses, my research can pave the way for advocacy that’s truly inclusive and effective. Imagine policies that respect African queer realities, or activist strategies that draw strength from our stories rather than pity. This work bridges Africa and the West, proving that our struggles and triumphs are linked: progress here lifts us all. As someone who’s faced discrimination in Zimbabwe yet thrived as a scholar and activist, I’m driven to honor the resilience of queer Africans and reshape how the world sees us.

The Ask: $63,000 to Change the Narrative

To bring this vision to life, I need to raise $63,000 for the first two years at the LSE. This will cover tuition, living expenses, and research costs, freeing me to focus on unearthing truths and amplifying voices that have been overlooked for too long. Historical inequities have stacked the odds against me, but with your support, I can overcome them.

Join Me: Be Part of Something Bigger

Your donation isn’t just for me—it’s an investment in a movement to decolonize LGBTQ rights and uplift marginalized communities worldwide. Every dollar pushes us closer to a future where queer people, from Harare to Houston, live with dignity and power. Please contribute and share this campaign with your friends, family, and networks. Together, we can rewrite the story.

Thank you for believing in this work and me. With your help, we’ll spark change that echoes far beyond the halls of the LSE.

Let’s make it happen.