Lesbians come out of the closet, say they are not weird

By CARO CHEBII

In a country where homosexuals are shunned by society, many decide to hide their alternative lifestyle. These two ladies have decided to come out of the closet and bare all about their ‘queer’ relationship.

When did you realise that you were gay?

Shannon: In primary school, Standard Eight, I noticed I enjoyed playing around with girls hair and later, in high school, realised that I was more attracted to girls than boys.

Is your social life affected by your sexual orientation?

Yes, because I cannot appear in social places with my partner and â??just be myselfâ?? lest people start seeing with their mouths open. So we opt for more convenient places for people like us. At work, I try to be discreet and keep my orientation secret because disclosing it might put my career at risk. I have been deserted by my family members and lost friends since I went public with the truth about my sexual orientation.

Many gay men pretend to be heterosexual, so they marry women even though they are still having sex with men. I don’t want to live a double life.

Christians reckon that homosexuality is an abomination. What do you say?

Homosexuality is not a crime. Those who practice it do not harm anyone when it is done between consenting adults. Christians, who label lesbians, gay, bisexuals and trans-gendered (LGBT) people as immoral are complicit in the violence meted on us. There is no middle ground even the gospel of loving the sinner and hating the sin is nothing but hypocrisy.

Why do you think the public should listen to the sexual minorities in Kenya?

Simply because we are human beings just like them, and should be treated equally because we are created in God’s image. Besides, the Gay and Lesbian Coalition of Kenya, the organisation that represents the LGBT have done better community service than those who condemn us. We have been financially and morally supporting our athletes from the Rift Valley as they train so they can fly our flag high. We have also contributed and donated towards children homes and volunteered for community work.

 Does homosexuality increase the chances of contracting HIV?

Until recently, HIV and Aids was perceived as a heterosexual disease in Africa, even by gay men. But homosexuals are at risk because in Africa, there’s a long-standing unwillingness to acknowledge homosexuality. Many of them pretend to be heterosexual, so that men marry women even though they are still having sex with men.
Indeed, homosexuals face a double jeopardy suffering the pariah status of homosexuals in a deeply conservative culture with the stigma of HIV and Aids. ?

 Janeth, Is homosexuality normal? In scientific terms, normal sexuality is described as a sexual behaviour that is devoid of inappropriate feelings of guilt or anxiety and is not compulsive. It is therefore unfair to compare somebody of normal sexual orientation to petty thieves and pick-pockets.

Don’t gay people dispense with gender roles?

Heterosexuals have set gender roles that place man over woman, with a supposed divine dictate that makes male superiority uncontested. Men therefore assume social and sexual roles that place them over and above women and this is reinforced by cultural and religious norms and practices.

Curiously, women buy in on homophobia without much critical thought. That is why we struggle to show that the proactive women must stand against homophobia, not just because same-sex sexuality is an affront to a common enemy-negative masculinity, but also because women need to regain their right to health and self-determination.

What are the challenges faced by homosexuals today? They are endless  such as blackmail and extortion, where gay people are paid off by family to live secret lives. We’ve been made into??the soft targets because the law has not given us an equal chance to voice our views in public discussions.