Homosexuality is remained a taboo for a long time, and has been the subject of several superstitions: mental illness, chromosomal aberration, demonic possession, occultism, etc. But all those have not prevented this phenomenon from evolving, since immemorial time, in all its diversity (identity, situational and institutional homosexuality), and across centuries and nations by erecting solid columns to proclaim aloud its recognition, and destroy the taboo cap throughout the world1.
Homosexuality tends to conquer the world, with unusual prevalence for a phenomenon long considered taboo; 15% of legal marriages in the world are homosexual. The prevalence in Africa, although South Africa is among countries that have legalized homosexuality, is not known. No value is recognized in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)2.
In the world, 72 countries criminalize homosexuality and 85 protect it by their legislation. One country in Africa (South Africa) recognizes same-sex marriage out of the 47 countries currently allowing it. While 10 countries and states criminalize homosexuality (ranging from imprisonment to the death penalty), against only one country whose legislation protects homosexuality3.
Exceptionally, the DRC remains the rare country not having legislation against or for homosexuality, although certain elected representatives of the people have tried in vain to propose bills against this scourge. Until today, the DRC, in addition to the recommendation it makes in Article 40 of the Constitution, which stipulates: "Every individual has the right to marry the person of his choice, of the opposite sex, and to found a family”, it remains silent, however, to a clear declaration on homosexuality, while opening a highway to various interpretations of laws on good character, thus condemning or favoring homosexuality2.
Despite the legislative arsenals established against homosexuality, this has not allowed the eradication of this phenomenon, which grows roots and reaches families till to form communities (LGBTQIA community) and homosexual organizations; who set themselves up as walls against the repression of this phenomenon; and promote its expansion in the world in such a way as to have prevalences of 3.4% and 8.1% in Western countries such as the United States of America (USA) and France4, 5; and also 4% of bisexuals in the USA6. Australia in Oceania counted 52% of lesbians out of a sample of 272 people7. Africa is poor in studies on the epidemiology of homosexuals, only South Africa counts 530,000 homosexuals 4, 5, 6.
The under-reporting of homosexuality, and even same-sex marriage, is one of the factors making difficult to obtain an accurate count of this community. The few sources available indicate that, self-identification or self-declaration as homosexual rarely occurs although the prevalence of homosexual behavior is higher, and also, given the tension of belonging and or to declare their membership of this community; hence, in many countries of the world, the statistic remains approximate 8.
However, despite the perception or attitude towards homosexuality (good or bad) by homosexuals themselves and even the Congolese population, homosexuality is already gaining ground and tends to beat the world record in decades to come; because their representativeness in the societies of different nations of the world is increasing. But with regard to the world population, homosexuals constitute a small group, only large-scale surveys (very large), such as the population census, can make it possible to collect the true extent9.
In addition, the under-declaration of homosexuality among the people questioned leads to underestimating its rate 9.
As far as the DRC is concerned, no scientific study on sexual minorities in general, and homosexuals, bisexuals and transgender people in particular, has not been carried out; leaving the country without socio-demographic data in this area; more serious still, these sexual minorities are a population at risk of sexually transmitted diseases, in this case HIV/AIDS, and also at risk of pathologies such as Hepatitis.
The aim of this study was to describe the attitudes and perceptions of Congolese and homosexuals, bisexuals and transgenders on homosexuality; and to establish the connection between homosexuality and the profession.