You鈥檙e probably wondering what flagging is and why it鈥檚 important to queer people? First off, it鈥檚 important to acknowledge that flagging has been a big subculture for as long as queer people have existed. It鈥檚 a subtly way of saying, 鈥淚鈥檓 queer and I鈥檓 here.鈥
For people like us who live in a country where it鈥檚 not so safe to be queer out loud and we get prosecuted for it due to the SAME SEX MARRIAGE (PROHIBITION) ACT (SSMPA) bill, it doesn’t take away the need to live as boldly as you can in public. Hence the need to flag. Queer flagging here means wearing, owing using terms, clothing, etc as a way of hinting to other another queer people that you too are queer.
I spoke to these four queer Nigerians, and here’s what they had to say about flagging and why it鈥檚 important to them.
Milan, she/her
Queer flagging, to me, is showing other community members you鈥檙e one of them. The subtle hints allow other queer people to recognise you outside. It鈥檚 important for me to queer flag because I鈥檓 a femme woman meaning that I鈥檓 not someone people stereotypically ascribe queerness to. People see me and assume I鈥檓 for the man dem, but I鈥檓 for the girls and the gays. I want to be noticed by other queer women. I am tired of men moving to me, thinking I like them. I鈥檓 a lesbian. We live in a homophobic country, and you can鈥檛 just walk up to someone of your gender and tell them you like them like that.
You have to watch out for signs, maybe looks or a particular attitude or behaviour. I like to be approached, talked to and taken seriously, so I flag because I don鈥檛 fit into the queer stereotype. To be honest, I don鈥檛 like queer flagging because it feels like a performance, but I understand its importance, even though I wish I didn鈥檛 have to. It feels like I鈥檓 performing sexuality and not staying true to myself, but it needs to be done.
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JJ, he/him
Of course, there鈥檚 no one way to look queer, but when I was still a , no one could tell I was queer even when I went to queer parties. Now that I鈥檓 a typical example of what a queer masc person looks like, people now get me.
I imagine it must be difficult for femme queer women. The problem is that even back then, I was a bit of a tomboy 鈥 and being tomboy doesn鈥檛 necessarily mean queer 鈥 but as soon as I cut my hair, everyone and their daddies started to call me 鈥済ay鈥 outside. The upside to flagging is that your tribe will easily find you, but it will also attract homophobes. I will never stop, though. It鈥檚 the only way I can affirm my queerness in public when I feel the need to hide.
Theo, she/they
Queer flagging for me is how I present myself when I鈥檓 outside in a bid not to look because I鈥檓 non-binary. I mostly never 鈥渓ook queer鈥. I envy people who can, though. I feel like I can just walk up to someone with aqueer aesthetic and talk to them, but I don鈥檛 鈥渓ook it鈥, so they wouldn鈥檛 know how to react to me in that 鈥淚 see you鈥 way.
It sucks sometimes but it鈥檚 still important to me that queer people flag because it makes me feel like I鈥檓 not alone when I step out of my house. I live for that smile across the street when I see a queer person outside. It鈥檚 such a mood booster. You see someone living their best queer life and it makes you feel like you can do it too because this person is living so proudly. Like yass, that鈥檚 the agenda.
Ink, he/ they
Its important becausethose who know will recognise the way you flag. Queer flagging is important because it helps you find community. It’s not safe for people to just announce they’re queer in this hell of a country, but queer flagging will let you know who’s queer or, at the very least, who won’t mind being regarded as queer. When you understand how other people are flagging and they know you understand, it’s like an instant connection. You let down your guard around each other. I feel like I’m the only queer person around me sometimes, but going out and catching the eye of someone who’s also queer, sharing a smile or a nod? That thing can make my day.
*Names have been changed to protect subjects鈥 identity, and answers slightly edited for clarity.
