This Christmas - The Truth about Life for Queer Refugees in Kenya and Uganda.
Christmas should celebrate love amongst families and friends. But it's not always a happy time, especially for Queer refugees in Africa and around the globe.
Good parents normally love their children no matter what. What happens when this fails?
One of the worst episodes in my friend Onics Bukenya Yusuf's life occurred when he was discovered with his boyfriend at school in Uganda. His late father's biggest regret was that he didn't bring his machete to the school to finish him off. How can love die so quickly?
I have known Onics for around 2 years and he is not the only person with whom we have worked in supporting Queer refugees in East Africa. Life for these people is horrendous, facing violent oppression and death for who they love. Thankfully, Onics is now safely in the U.S.A. but he is still working with the safe house he started in Nairobi to support refugees who are not entitled to work and who sometimes can only live on the streets reverting to sex work to survive.
In this interview, he tells his story. I have not heard it before and I have to tell you I found it heartbreaking as my questions took him back to dark periods of his life that he would rather forget. The enemy is culture - often fed by religion - requiring families to stop loving their child because he/she/they don't fit the acceptable mould that is what the community expects. Where in this is love?
I ask how can I not love my children. How can I not love my grandchildren?
I understand a little because I spent years in a fundamentalist cult where there was a strong belief in good and evil. Similar thinking to that which made Onics life miserable. Such thinking now makes me sick. Where is love?
Please listen and please consider supporting our work. The Patreon link is embedded in each podcast. Please, please also share the podcast with your friends. Humanity matters. Justice matters. Love is everything, but indifferent silence kills.
No Sex Please - I'm religious
A fun but serious look at religious attitudes to SEX over the centuries and the discrimination that many groups have suffered. These have included people of ALL sexualities, faith and no faith at all. Proceeds from the Podcast help us support LGBTIQ refugees in Africa and other places.
- No. of episodes: 15
- Latest episode: 2023-12-06
- Comedy Religion & Spirituality Comedy Interviews Religion
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