I had a crazy weekend, minus the fact that it was my 23rd birthday I met new gay people which got me thinking. Would I leave this country so that I can be openly gay?
I ask this because I met a very beautiful man. Yes! people beautiful and man go hand in hand when it comes to this particular guy. When I saw him I thought right of the bat that he is transgender and I proceeded to ask him if he is trans but he told me that he is very gay...lol! Trust me he was very gay, make up,leggings,girls jacket..the full works.
I am not stereotypically gay. Like I very easily pass off for straight. Minus my new hair cut you would not think I am gay. I do not consider myself closeted... I have come out to people who matter in my life except my family because that is too crazy, I will deal with it when I deal with it. When I saw him he automatically made me feel like it is ok to be myself. It is ok to be gay and proud and be comfortable in my own skin. Hell! He was a man with make up...how more gay and proud could you be?
But I cannot seem to get to that place where I check into a space and exude gay pride because of the stigma attached with being gay in Kenya. First of all, it is illegal in accordance with the law, so being open and proud to love who you love is really really hard without constantly looking over your shoulder or sneaking around.
Second, Kenya is in a weird space where people have choosen not to talk about it and look the other way. Even us gays are cowering away because of fear of stigma and the law. I believe that for a revolution to happen we require critical mass to change and educate minds on homosexuality. It is not sex it is sexuality.
All this always makes me wonder if I had the chance to leave my beautiful country just to be openly gay...would I? Would I leave everybody I love, all I have ever known just to be me, to be free? Or should I stick around and fight to form the critical mass? Fight not for me but for my kids to be free and love who they love.
I ask this because I met a very beautiful man. Yes! people beautiful and man go hand in hand when it comes to this particular guy. When I saw him I thought right of the bat that he is transgender and I proceeded to ask him if he is trans but he told me that he is very gay...lol! Trust me he was very gay, make up,leggings,girls jacket..the full works.
I am not stereotypically gay. Like I very easily pass off for straight. Minus my new hair cut you would not think I am gay. I do not consider myself closeted... I have come out to people who matter in my life except my family because that is too crazy, I will deal with it when I deal with it. When I saw him he automatically made me feel like it is ok to be myself. It is ok to be gay and proud and be comfortable in my own skin. Hell! He was a man with make up...how more gay and proud could you be?
But I cannot seem to get to that place where I check into a space and exude gay pride because of the stigma attached with being gay in Kenya. First of all, it is illegal in accordance with the law, so being open and proud to love who you love is really really hard without constantly looking over your shoulder or sneaking around.
Second, Kenya is in a weird space where people have choosen not to talk about it and look the other way. Even us gays are cowering away because of fear of stigma and the law. I believe that for a revolution to happen we require critical mass to change and educate minds on homosexuality. It is not sex it is sexuality.
All this always makes me wonder if I had the chance to leave my beautiful country just to be openly gay...would I? Would I leave everybody I love, all I have ever known just to be me, to be free? Or should I stick around and fight to form the critical mass? Fight not for me but for my kids to be free and love who they love.
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