Woubi chéri

Woubi Chéri is a documentary gem for the rarity of its subject matter, and more. Directors Laurent Bocahut and Philip Brooks take us to Ivory Coast, at the end of the 20th century, to meet some queer individuals among these invisible men who live ’a hidden life, like bats’ in the heart of Abidjan.

The queer culture we have often assume to be universal because it has eventually spread and shared around our sphere through cultural products, ideas that we spread. This is the case for Europe or the USA, for example. We forget that each society develops its own subcultures, images, languages, and models.

It is enlightening to take a tour in the Abidjan of 1998, meeting the ’homos’ who identify as ’woubis’ or ’yossis’, and to explore our analogies and differences, starting with vocabulary.

The documentary warmly captures intimate moments of confessions, such as those of Avelido and Vincent. Laurent recounts the universal struggle of growing up different and finding his place in a society without queer models. Some earn or demand respect within their families. Most prefer secrecy.

Woubis and Yossis do not have the same social status. Yossis have greater social integration. For some woubis, yossis prioritize their safety and interests over love.

Other characters share their stories in the film, including Barbara, President of the Association of Transvestites in Ivory Coast. She advocates, sings, embodies what she represents. Barbara loves her life and explains it. She convinces with her gentle determination and appealing pedagogy.

Transvestites, by adopting feminine codes, find a form of integration that is very fragile. Homophobia is never far away. The marginalization of woubis has led some to resort to prostitution to survive. While there is no Ivorian penal law sanctioning LGBT behaviors, none is protecting them. The documentary becomes even more poignant to watch, as the situation worsens in Ivory Coast.

25 years after the documentary, the law was amended to define marriage as between a man and a woman. And increasing arrests of gays or lesbians are based on vague notions of ’public outrage’.
This results in humiliation, beatings, or torture - a downside of visibility.

Woubi Chéri is a rare LGBTIQ+ exploration that challenges us on our social relationships, roles we assume, and consequently the construction of our identities, through the discovery of these Ivorians. It’s an inner journey.

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– A movie produced by Arte / Dominant 7, disponible sur harmattantv.org.
– Study made by OFSAR about queer situations in Ivory Coast (.fr).