You Saw My Sexuality by Seun Idris.

Dear Africa,

 

Seun Idris

You are the continent of cliché. Africa the conventional continent of
customs and traditions. Africa the enigmatic continent. Africa the
game continent. Africa the Africa. I write this letter to let you know
about your irrationality in disguise. I will begin from the minute I
became a citizen in you. Hear me!
    My childhood was as innocent and loyal to you as the child who
was born yesterday. I respected you as much as I respect my parents. I
adored you more than I thought anyone would. But I never knew, until
now, that you are as brutal as the ISIS terrorists to me. You lost
your value from me the same day I realised your backwardness and
adversity towards nature and diversity. You lost your value from me
the day I realised you are unequal when it calls for judging. You
generally refuse me and deprive me of virtually everything that I am
entitled to as a citizen, simply because I am different.
    Listen to me, Africa. Please, submit a little more of your time to
me. Do you remember me as Seun Idris at all? The child who was born in
one of your compartments on the 22nd of July 1996. Let me remind you
that  I cried like any other child did as they were born. I remember I
smiled at you as a sign of peace and joy. I thought you'd be glad to
have me as your citizen, as  I think you were to those you term as
"normal". I didn't have an idea that you saw my sexuality and I as
"abnormal". You are not fair. I initially felt you'd fight for the
rights of everybody equally, not selectively. It's disheartening.
    I am a gay man, and I have been gay since I've known myself. It so
sad that the moods in your territory for gay people are; prejudice,
bullying, social-isolation, unemployment, adversity, disease,
death, homelessness, I could go on. Why should  it be so? Why? Is this
rational? Yet, you give excuses of  "anti-  custom and tradition", in
place of liberty and expression. All this said,there are some citizens
who kill to become rich. There are some people who kill to live. There
are some people  who kill to appease a "god" in the blindness of
religion. There are terrorists in you. There are some who embezzle the
resources that belongs to everybody, for their interest.  What have
you done to all this? Where were your customs and traditions? Where?
Nowhere to be found! So down-pushing.
  I vividly remember my encounters as a closeted gay man. I remember
the uncountable bullies

,assaults,taunts, verbal attacks- because I am different. I remember
when I couldn't help my poor self from trauma. I remember when these
words pushed me to the wall and left me with no other option than
committing suicide, which I attempted. I remember when I was tortured
by my parents based on my sexuality. You planted a lot of negativity
in your citizens. Too bad.
  Africa, I'd like you to pay attention to this hazardous brief story
of mine that happened some weeks behind. After this story, I will
judge if you are still as inhumane as you've been or not. Recently, I
came-out as gay on my Facebook page. And mind you, my Facebook is a
welcoming arena for all kinds of Persons. Moving on, after the
article, the turnout from people wasn't welcoming. The threats were
venomous and totally spiteful. The vitriol has been my breakfast
every morning. Why should it be so? Why can't my rights be protected
as a citizen?  Why, Africa? Devastating.
  Africa, when would you learn that diversity must take place- that
it is a natural thing? When would you realise all cars can't go on the
same track? When would you realise that all cars can't reach the same
destination? Even if you compel us to go by your rules, we may
eventually lose out. 

Africa, learn!!!!