A new report links a US-based lobbying group to Senegal’s controversial anti-LGBTQ+ law, raising global concern. According to Reuters, the organization MassResistance advised Senegalese activists on advancing legislation that increases penalties for same-sex relations. Earlier this month, Senegal’s National Assembly passed a bill doubling prison sentences for same-sex conduct.
The law also criminalizes openly identifying as queer, with penalties of up to 10 years. Lawmakers backing the bill declared LGBTQ+ citizens would no longer be able to “breathe in this country,” and pledged to strip their freedoms. MassResistance reportedly collaborated with Samm Jikko Yi, a network campaigning for stricter anti-LGBTQ+ laws in Senegal since 2020. Their discussions included strategies to build support and influence policymakers.
The vote passed overwhelmingly—135 in favor, none opposed, with three abstentions. It remains unclear whether the collaboration directly impacted the outcome. The report marks the first known instance of a US lobbying group attempting to shape anti-LGBTQ+ laws in Africa after Donald Trump began his second term in 2025.
