Imagine a time way back around the end of 2014 and the beginning of 2015.
Very young Transpersons were looking for where to find a stable peaceful moment after fleeing persecution. They were running away from hate, abuse and ridicule. They were running to a place where they had no relative or a person they could tell their pain.
But.......
These very young Transpersons had one thing going for them.
It was their personality!
They were in pain but shared a blanket, a piece of food and joined hands to form the Nature Network Group (TNNG).
Many years after, a Resource Center was borne out of their hard work as you will see in some pictures.
Really hard work.
Let us celebrate all Transpersons because it is they who have given their best to make possible a dignified life for many others.
We want to share this applause as well as a call to many others to celebrate love and replace/denounce homophobia, transphobia or bi-phobia.
We also want to share with you how we detest homophobia from some LGBTIQQ. This is the worst kind.
The Judas LGBTIQQ are a worst kind.
They are among us and use their positions to manipulate, abuse, gossip, not follow instructions, pretend they are special; spend lots of money on booze yet they could use that money to pay rent; they use money supposed to help a wider community for personal ends yet, they could have supported many others; they use money to bribe the Law Enforcement/ Police to round up other LGBTIQQ whom they get into custody and lead to costly court cases. This kind of homophobia is lowest of the lowest demise.
In the pictures below one will notice there is a mixture of themes.
In some pictures you will note that there is a peaceful activity going on, with chicken in the back and fore ground.
In others you will notice, our resource center has broken windows and doors. No, it was not a burglary but rather an act instigated by a guest we had provided board, bed and breakfast while awaiting pre-qualification as a refugee. You see that window period immediately after one has claimed refugee status and registered with the relevant authorities is so crucial. One has to have a place to stay. Most applicants come to Kenya with a single dress, coat and nothing else. So, when we have space we provide the much needed companionship and support. But, to our amazement this one person we provided reception to has been the bane of our existence.
If you think homophobia is external, the most deadly kind of homophobia is within the LGBTIQQ Community. I showed you earlier how this happens. If one or two among the LGBTIQQ Community chooses to use their power or position destructively then it leads to fault lines. It is these fault lines that make homophobia very devastating.
Imagine, you provide a room, bed and a meal in your home to a person. This person becomes a guest. But, the guest should not over step boundaries. When this happens it becomes abusive. When abuse goes on then disruptive occurrences happen. Right now our resource center was destroyed, locks were broken, equipment was stolen and people had access to our place when none of us was around. These people defeacated in the different rooms and cabinets.
We talk of homophobia and think it is external, but the worst kind is that from within. Some leaders make it worse too. There are those given money to pay for rent, they instead divert the money for private ends. One organization was given funds to purchase food for LGBTIQQ Refugees but they ended up giving food to indigenous "friends with other attachments to consider." We know of a leader who was given funds to pay for six months rent and this leader ended up giving the money to a "new catch!"
These kinds of practices are as homophobic as a straight person shaming a queer because of their orientation.
This is both a reflection and call for change in how we conduct leadership from now on.
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