Towards an African-centered Sociological Approach to Africana Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersexed Identities and Performances: The Kemetic Model of the Cosmological Interactive Self

Abstract

This essay seeks to contribute to the development of an African-centered sociological approach to examine Africana lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersexed identities and performances. While sociologists using the most progressive approaches outline the Western hegemonic nature of Africana peoples’ perceptions of gender and sexuality, neither approach allows sociologists to view the relationship between social formations, human consciousness, and cosmological patterns. African-centered social scientists and social theorists typically determine that Africana lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersexed identities and performances are outside of Africana humanity. Within this essay, the author relies upon the Kemetic Anunian cosmology and personality constructs as sources through which to develop an African-centered framework to explain the multiple expressions of Africana gender and sexuality. This model considers that one’s gender and sexuality are contained within and inseparable from one’s higher-self that animates one’s existence. This work, then, opens the door for further theory development and praxis in the emerging field of African-centered sociology and African-centered gender and sexuality studies within the discipline of Africana studies.