My rainbow experience
by Amos – kanthari 2021 participant
I used to be afraid of embracing the true nature of myself not realizing that I hold magic in my feet.
The unshelled individual who not only is unapologetic but vigorous towards life and its beauty.
Slapped down many a time by the community and family, but with agility I always rise.
The world view of Africa is driven by stories of war, homophobia, xenophobia and HIV. Right now, gay people are telling stories of loving, thriving, and living beautiful vibrant lives, creating a feeling that gay lives are worthy of happiness.
I realize that my life is more than my sexuality, but the main aim is to contribute to a world where other fellow gay people see themselves reflected in ways that capture a full range of their human experience: the rainbow experience.
I was rejected and asked to move out when I was 15 years old. Since then, I have been independent. I didn’t have a beautiful childhood. I went through marginalization as a child. I have seen quite a lot as a child as I never had anyone who could guide me. That made me feel that I should do something for children like me. I want to normalize African gay men and women falling in love freely.
Right now, they build lives in secret as same sex expressions are prohibited, but that doesn’t stop living from going on. This is enough proof of queer existence. The queer nation upholds a discourse of their set of imagination in their own world.
In Zimbabwe, for years, gays have been engaged in fashion, music, and creative media, education and with an aim of challenging gender normative.
We are capable of running for political office and change communities.
Human Rights are for all, please desist from describing me with my sexual preference.
I am not my sexuality, there is more to me.
These experiences led me to believe that why are we not recognized for the skills and the knowledge or the work that we do than our gender / sexuality. Considered as a minority group, I aim higher for the betterment of our community and not let this belief limit me to thrive to attain more for my community.
It’s about aiming higher and gaining more, not less but day by day thriving to attain more for the betterment of the community I hail from. I want to tell my readers that ‘what I am seeking is not acceptance, but an understanding to who I am and who we are”.
And I would like people to open their minds to understand people of every kind.
Right now, when I am writing this, I am in the kanthari campus in Kerala, South of India. I am here to acquire skills on how to run a successful social venture. It is the idea that I have which burns and I have the strongest desire to implement it. I require training or to say guidance on how I can create impact in the most effective way.
I also hope to acquire knowledge about working partnerships and long-term connections, and to get a clear understanding of what it is to be a successful social changemaker. Enthusiasm and dedication towards my dream project is my driving force, working with fellow change makers will in many ways expose the experiences of people and it is a lesson to behold.
- Amos’s organization “Iromh-Africa” {I reach out my hand – Africa} is focusing on the older LgbtIQ generation to offer comprehensive healthcare. This specific part of his organisation is called “Total together”.