Progress and Skepticism: What Angola's New Penal Code Means for Its LGBTQIA+ Community

Abstract: In 2019, Angolan officials voted to change their penal code to make homosexual acts legal and create protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation. Western outlets touted this change as a triumph for global LGBTQIA+ activism broadly and sub-Saharan African LGBTQIA+ rights specifically. But what does the penal code mean for the LGBTQIA+ community in Angola? Laws that establish new legal rights may make minor steps in altering individuals' lives. Referring to fifty semistructured interviews conducted from 2022–23 and using a discursive meaning-making approach, I argue that while global actors welcomed progress, local benefits were mixed, with little progress gained and increased skepticism about future action from the government.