Fannyann Eddy
Encyclopedia
Fannyann Viola Eddy was an activist for lesbian
and gay
rights in her native Sierra Leone
and throughout Africa. In 2002, she founded the Sierra Leone Lesbian and Gay Association, the first of its kind in Sierra Leone. She traveled widely, addressing the United Nations
and other international groups. In April 2004, she advocated the passing of the Brazilian Resolution
at the UN in Geneva
.
Eddy was murdered on September 29, 2004, a group of at least three men broke into the office of the Sierra Leone Lesbian and Gay Association in central Freetown
, gang-raped her, stabbed her, and eventually broke her neck.
Eddy left behind a son and her partner Esther Chikalipa.
In 2008 the FannyAnn Eddy Poetry Award was named in her honour.
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
and gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
rights in her native Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
and throughout Africa. In 2002, she founded the Sierra Leone Lesbian and Gay Association, the first of its kind in Sierra Leone. She traveled widely, addressing the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
and other international groups. In April 2004, she advocated the passing of the Brazilian Resolution
Brazilian Resolution
The Brazilian resolution was presented to the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations in 2003.The resolution covered human rights and sexual orientation...
at the UN in Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
.
Eddy was murdered on September 29, 2004, a group of at least three men broke into the office of the Sierra Leone Lesbian and Gay Association in central Freetown
Freetown
Freetown is the capital and largest city of Sierra Leone, a country in West Africa. It is a major port city on the Atlantic Ocean located in the Western Area of the country, and had a city proper population of 772,873 at the 2004 census. The city is the economic, financial, and cultural center of...
, gang-raped her, stabbed her, and eventually broke her neck.
Eddy left behind a son and her partner Esther Chikalipa.
In 2008 the FannyAnn Eddy Poetry Award was named in her honour.
See also
- Hirschfeld Eddy FoundationHirschfeld Eddy FoundationThe Hirschfeld-Eddy Foundation was founded in Berlin in June 2007. It is a foundation focused on human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.-Name origin:...
, a human rights foundation for lesbians and gays - Violence against LGBT people
External links
- Testimony by FannyAnn Eddy at the U.N. Commission on Human Rights
- http://www.joannestle.com/dedication/index.html