Five LGBTQ activists that spoke up for transgenr, gay rights 2022

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• THE YOUNG LGBTQ ACTIVISTS ARE FIGHTG FOR CHANGE ALL OVER THE WORLD, SOME RISKG THEIR LIV‘FORGE YOUR OWN PATH’GETTYTHE SPIRG YOUNG LGBTQ ACTIVISTS—OM NIGERIA, ZIMBABWE, COLOMBIA, ATRALIA, AND THE U.S.—ARE FIGHTG FOR EQUALY THEIR UNTRI, EVEN IF PUTS THEIR LIV PERIL.TIM TEEMANSENR EDOR AND WRERUPDATED JUN. 12, 2020 12:57PM EDT / PUBLISHED JUN. 12, 2020 4:16AM EDT WOMEN DELIVER, WHICH CHAMPNS GENR EQUALY AND THE HEALTH AND RIGHTS OF GIRLS AND WOMEN ALL OVER THE WORLD, JT ANNOUNCED S NEWT CLASS OF 300 YOUNG ADVOT OM 96 UNTRI. ALMOST A THIRD OF THIS NEW CLASS IS MA UP OF LGBTQIA+ DIVIDUALS WORKG ON GENR EQUALY THEIR MUNI AND UNTRI.BELOW, SIX OF THE ADVOT—OM ZIMBABWE, COLOMBIA, NIGERIA, THE USA, AND ATRALIA—TALK ABOUT THEIR LIV AND ACTIVISM. ALL OF THEM ARE PASSNATE, ELOQUENT, AND TERMED. SOME ARE RISKG THEIR SAFETY AND THEIR LIV TO DO WHAT THEY BELIEVE . ESPECIALLY PRI MONTH, THEIR BRAVERY WHEN STANDG UP TO EXTREME PREJUDICE AND BULLI SHOULD SPIRE ALL LGBTQ PEOPLE AND THEIR ALLI TO FIGHT ON. TIM TEEMAN JORDAN CHASA, 23, ZIMBABWEI GREW UP HARARE, ZIMBABWE, FOR THE MAJORY OF MY LIFE BUT I FISHED MY FAL YEARS OF HIGH SCHOOL JOHANNBURG, SOUTH AI. I AM A WOMAN OF TRANSGENR EXPERIENCE. I FE MY SEXUALY AS BEG PANSEXUAL BEE I AM NOT ATTRACTED TO ANY SPECIFIC GENR. GROWG UPMY CHILDHOOD WAS VERY WEIRD BEE OM AS EARLY AS I REMEMBER WAS ALWAYS A PROBLEM THAT I WAS SO FEME. AT HOME, AT SCHOOL, AROUND OTHER CHILDREN MY AGE, THE ROUNDG QUTN WAS ALWAYS “WHY DO YOU ACT LIKE A GIRL JORDAN, N’T YOU JT BE NORMAL?” SO, OM AN EARLY AGE HAD ALREADY BEEN REGISTERED TO MY MD THAT I WASN'T WHAT SOCIETY WOULD CLASS AS “NORMAL” BASED ON THE GENR BARI THAT EXIST AND THAT HAVE ERNED THE STATE OF OUR SOCIETY FOR CENTURI.AS A RULT OF NSTANTLY BEG REMD THAT SOMETHG WAS “WRONG” WH ME, I END UP BEG VERY CLOSED OFF AND PROTECTIVE OF MYSELF BEE I KNEW THAT REJECTN WAS ALWAYS SOMETHG I NEED TO BE READY FOR BEE I WAS SO DIFFERENT. I SPENT MOST OF MY CHILDHOOD TRYG TO LEARN HOW TO BE “NORMAL” AND TO BE ABLE TO F TO AVOID UNFORTABLE SUATNS, WHICH DIRECTLY LED ME TO BEG SOMEONE WHO STUDIED THE PATTERNS AND NSISTENCI WH OUR SOCIETY. I WOULD SAY THAT MY CHILDHOOD WAS FILLED WH A LOT OF TRMATIC EXPERIENC, A LOT OF EMBARRASSMENT, A LARGE AMOUNT OF MY TIME TRYG TO FD A PLACE THAT I F TO, AND ALSO A LOT OF SELF-LOATHG FOR NOT BEG “NORMAL” AND THE FACT THAT WASN’T SOMETHG I ULD JT CHANGE.HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED BULLYG AND PREJUDICE? I HAVE EXPERIENCED A LOT OF PREJUDICE AND BULLYG THROUGHOUT MY LIFE EVEN THE PRENT TIM. WHEN I WAS MUCH YOUNGER I WOULD HANDLE VERY BADLY. I WOULD GET REALLY SAD AND I WOULD CRY AND WONR WHY THGS WEREN’T SO GREAT FOR ME. I WOULD PARE MYSELF TO OTHER PEOPLE AND TRY TO UNRSTAND WHAT I HAD DONE TO SERVE MY PLIGHT. ADVERTISEMENT I EVENTUALLY BEME VERY PRSED AND EVEN SUICIDAL THE OLR THAT I GOT. I ED TO DULGE SELF-HARM AS AN OUTLET FOR MY PA. AS I’VE GOTTEN OLR HAS BEE EASIER TO AL WH. IT’S SOMETHG THAT I KNOW TO EXPECT. I WILL SAY THAT THERE ARE DAYS WHEN N ALL BEE TOO OVERWHELMG AND I DO NEED TO HAVE A GOOD CRY. BUT MALY I JT SHARE WHAT I’M FEELG WH MY CLOST IENDS.I FIRST ME OUT AS GAY WHEN I WAS ABOUT 14. I TOLD MY FAY, BUT THERE WEREN’T OPEN ARMS TO ME G OUT, WAS MORE LIKE SOMETHG THAT ADD TO THE PROBLEMS OF ME ALREADY NOT BEG “NORMAL.” AS TIME WENT ON I STARTED TO REALIZE THAT I WASN’T ACTUALLY GAY BEE THE IA OF FG MYSELF AS A MAN WAS SOMETHG THAT NEVER SAT WELL WH ME AND WAS VERY APPARENT THE KD OF PARTNERS THAT I WOULD ATTRACT. I LATER ME OUT PUBLICLY AS A TRANS WOMAN THROUGH A FACEBOOK POST (THERE WAS A LOT OF PHBACK OM PEOPLE MY LIFE AS THEY FELT ENTLED TO KNOWG ABOUT BEFORE SEEG ON A FACEBOOK POST, WHICH I LARGELY DISAGREED WH). MY CISN WAS MY OWN, AND I CHOSE TO BE HONT ABOUT WHO I AM ORR TO LET OTHERS KNOW THAT ’S OK TO BE PROUD OF YOUR DIFFERENCE.MY FAY IS VERY CHRISTIAN AND THERE WAS ALWAYS HOMOPHOBIC RHETORIC THAT I GREW UP AROUND, SO WHEN I ME OUT THERE WAS A LOT OF PHBACK, AND MANY QUTNS ABOUT WHY I WAS CHOOSG TO PURSUE THIS LIFE REGARDLS OF EVERYTHG I GREW UP KNOWG; WHY I WAS CHOOSG TO BE REBELL AND SO ON. IT WAS ALWAYS A PROBLEM. MY DAD IS SOMEONE WHO BELIEV THAT QUEERNS OR TRANSNS IS SOMETHG ONLY THE VIL ULD FACILATE, SO WAS ALWAYS A SUATN OF HIM TRYG TO PRAY THIS “SPIR” OUT OF ME. THEY ARE MORE RPECTFUL AND TOLERANT NOW. JORDAN CHASA, ZIMBABWECOURTY JORDAN CHASA WHAT ARE THE LAWS AND ATTUS LIKE TOWARDS LGBTQ PEOPLE ZIMBABWE NOW? ADVERTISEMENT THE LAWS REGARDG LGBTQIA+ PERSONS WHERE I LIVE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN VERY ANTI. THE RHETORIC OF ZIMBABWEANS IS VERY, VERY HOMOPHOBIC AND TRANSPHOBIC DUE TO THE FACT THAT OUT FORMER PRINT, ROBERT GABRIEL MUGABE, WAS SO STRONG ON HIS ANTI LGBTQIA+ STANCE. MUGABE ONCE LLED HOMOSEXUALY “UNNATURAL,” AND SAID THAT “THERE IS NO QUTN OF EVER ALLOWG THE PEOPLE TO BEHAVE WORSE THAN DOGS AND PIGS.” THE LAW STAT THAT TWO MEN ARE NOT TO ENGAGE SODOMY AND IS THEREFORE A PUNISHABLE OFFENSE. THAT IS THE ONLY LAW THAT REALLY SPEAKS ABOUT THE LGBTQIA+ MUNY AND OUR PRACTIC. ALSO, SAME SEX MARRIAGE IS NOT REGNIZED THIS UNTRY. THIS LAW HAS BEEN THE PREMISE FOR MANY RAIDS AND VLENT ACTS ENACTED ON OUR MUNY. THERE ED TO BE A LAW THAT STATED THAT IF ANYONE SPECTS THAT A FELLOW CIZEN IS ENGAGG HOMOSEXUAL ACTIVY THEN THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO FOLLOW THROUGH WH A CIZEN’S ARRT UNTIL THE POLICE ARRIVE. OVER TIME THE TENSN AND HATE TOWARDS OUR MUNY HAS LSENED. WHEN OUR NEW PRINT ME TO POWER HE HAD A MEETG WH PEOPLE WHO LEAD LGBTQIA+ ANIZATNS WHERE HE SAID THAT IS NOT HIS JOB TO MPAIGN FOR OUR MUNY, BUT THAT WAS FACT THE JOB OF OUR MUNY TO NVCE OUR FELLOW CIZENS TO UNRSTAND . THIS GAVE A LOT OF HOPE TO OUR MUNY AS SHOWED THAT HE WAS NOT OUTRIGHT HIS ANTI-LGBTQIA+ STANCE LIKE OUR PREV PRINT.WHEN DID YOUR ACTIVISM BEG? ADVERTISEMENT MY ACTIVISM BEGAN WHEN I FIRST ME OUT AS GAY AND I ULD SEE THAT SOCIETY HAD SO MANY NSISTENCI ROOTED S SYSTEM. IT MA ME VERY ANGRY THAT OTHER HUMANS FELT LIKE THEY HAD THE RIGHT TO PLAY GOD AND EFFECTIVELY FEEL AS IF THEY HAD THE POWER TO EVEN END SOMEONE’S LIFE ON THE BASIS THAT IS NOT “NORMAL” TO BE OM OUR MUNY. “I ED TO GET FOLLOWED TOWN, I WOULD RECEIVE ATH THREATS AND PEOPLE WOULD THREATEN TO BEAT ME SENSELSLY. I WAS REFED JOBS, I WAS REFED ENTRY TO CERTA PLAC JT BEE OF MY INTY”— JORDAN CHASA I SAW HOW SO MANY OF THE PEOPLE I HAD LLED IENDS AND FAY TURNED AWAY OM ME JT BEE THEY KNEW THIS NEW RMATN ABOUT ME. IT WAS WORSE WHEN I ME OUT AS A TRANS WOMEN AND THERE WAS EVEN MORE PHBACK. I ED TO GET FOLLOWED TOWN, I WOULD RECEIVE ATH THREATS AND PEOPLE WOULD THREATEN TO BEAT ME SENSELSLY. I WAS REFED JOBS, I WAS REFED ENTRY TO CERTA PLAC JT BEE OF MY INTY. THIS MA ME EXTREMELY OUTRAGED BEE I FELT LIKE I WAS NOW FALLY LIVG MY TTH AND SOCIETY WASN’T HAPPY ABOUT . WHEN I WAS YOUNGER I SPENT A LOT OF MY LIFE TRYG TO HI WHO I WAS TO F AND THAT WASN'T ENOUGH—AND SO FELT LIKE YOU ACTUALLY NEVER W WH SOCIETY IF YOU ARE SOMEONE BORN OUTSI OF THE SPE OF “NORMALY.” I BEGAN TO WANT TO FIGHT FOR MY PLACE WH THIS SOCIETY, WHICH LED ME TO ALSO NSIR PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT HAVE ALL THE PRIVILEGE THAT I HAVE AND ARE FAR WORSE CIRCUMSTANC THAN MYSELF, WHICH IS WHERE MY ACTIVISM JOURNEY BEGAN.ARE ATTUS TO GENR AND SEXUALY CHANGG? ADVERTISEMENT THE ATTU SURROUNDG GENR EQUALY, GENR INTY, AND SEXUAL ORIENTATN HAVE EVOLVED ONLY BY A SMALL AMOUNT. MY UNTRY IS BUILT ON A VERY PATRIARCHAL SYSTEM THAT GRATIFI HETEROSEXUAL MEN AND IS STILL VERY MUCH LIKE THAT. THERE HASN’T BEEN MUCH CHANGE BEE WE ONLY HAVE FEW WOMEN HIGH POSNS OF POWER AND EVEN THE WOMEN PERPETUATE MISOGYNY AND THE PATRIARCHY. THERE IS AN ATTU THAT WOMEN SHOULD KNOW THEIR PLACE THE SOCIETY AND THAT PLACE HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO SERVE THE MAN. IN TERMS OF GENR INTY IS VERY PLEX BEE SOME OF OUR CULTURAL HISTORY, THE IA OF SOMEONE TRANSCENDG THE RIGID GENR NORMS WAS NSIRED TO BE A SPIRUAL THG AND TRANS PEOPLE WERE TREATED WH GREAT REVERENCE AND RPECT, BUT OVER TIME THERE HAS BEEN SOME NFN.THE PATRIARCHY IS NOT VERY UNRSTANDG OF THE IA THAT A “MAN” WOULD BE WILLG TO DISRPECT THE IA OF WHAT MEANS TO BE A MAN BY CHOOSG TO LIVE AS A WOMAN. IN THE SAME BREATH THEY WILL NOT RPECT TRANS WOMEN BEE THEY NNOT BE NSUMED BY MEN THE SAME WAY THAT CIS-WOMEN ARE NSUMED BY MEN. ON THE FLIP SI THEY NNOT RPECT A “WOMAN” WHO IS CHOOSG TO LIVE AS A MAN BEE THEIR MDS A WOMAN ULD NEVER POSSS THE NATE POWER THAT A MAN DO—THEREFORE THEY ULD NEVER BE A MAN. IN THE SAME BREATH THEY SEE AS THE “WOMAN” REBELLG AGAST THE PATRIARCHY, ASSUMG THAT THIS PERSON WANTS TO MAKE A REBELL STATEMENT BEE NO MAN WANTS TO NSUME HER OR PARTAKE OF HER BODY SEXUALLY. IN TERMS OF SEXUAL ORIENTATN, THE BELIEF STANDS STRONG HERE THAT PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT MEN BELONG WH WOMEN AND THAT IS THE ONLY SEXUAL ORIENTATN THAT WILL BE ACKNOWLEDGED.WHAT DO YOUR WORK FOC ON? ADVERTISEMENT I AM AN ACTIVIST FOR LGBTQIA+ RIGHTS MALY FOCG ON TRANS RIGHTS. MY WORK VOLV ME HELPG TO MOBILIZE PEOPLE WH MY MUNY AND THEN HELPG TO PROVI THEM WH ACCS TO EE SEXUAL HEALTH SERVIC. MY WORK ALSO CLUS HELPG TO CREATE SAFE SPAC FOR PEOPLE WH MY MUNY TO BE ABLE TO MUNE WH PEOPLE WHO ARE ALSO DIFFERENT, BUT ALSO PEOPLE THAT THEY N RELATE TO BEE OF THEIR DIFFERENCE. A LARGE PART OF MY WORK VOLV ACTIVISM THROUGH THE MEDIA. IN OUR UNTRY IS IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO SEE THAT PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF EXIST ON MAJOR PLATFORMS, SO I SPEND A LOT OF MY TIME FDG PLAC TO SPEAK ABOUT ISSU RELATG TO OUR MUNY, BY SHARG STORI OM OUR MUNY—BUT MALY BY SHARG MY OWN EXPERIENC AN ATTEMPT TO SHED LIGHT ON THE HUMANY THAT OUR MUNY POSSS. I WORK FOR A TRANS ANIZATN, I AM ALSO PART OF A LLECTIVE OF QUEER PEOPLE WHO WORK TO CREATE SAFE SPAC AND EVENTS FOR LGBTQIA+ PERSONS A UNTRY WHERE THIS IS SO MUCH FEAR AND TENSN SURROUNDG THIS TOPIC. “WHEN A YOUNGER PERSON NTACTS ME TO TELL ME THAT THEY ADMIRE EVERYTHG THAT I AM DOG, AND THAT THEY GAED THE URAGE TO BE MORE HONT WH THEMSELV BEE OF ME, WARMS MY HEART TO THE RE”— JORDAN CHASA WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF ACHIEVG? ADVERTISEMENT WHAT HAS MA ME MOST PROUD MY WORK IS TO SEE HOW THE URAGE WH OUR MUNY HAS EVOLVED JT THE SPACE THAT I HAVE BEEN DOG WHAT I AM DOG. WHEN A YOUNGER PERSON WH OUR MUNY NTACTS ME TO TELL ME THAT THEY ADMIRE EVERYTHG THAT I AM DOG, AND THAT THEY GAED THE URAGE TO BE MORE HONT WH THEMSELV BEE OF ME, WARMS MY HEART TO THE RE, AND LETS ME KNOW THAT WHAT I AM DOG IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE FUTURE GENERATNS OF OUR NATN.WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO YOUNGER ACTIVISTS?TST YOUR STCTS. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHAT IS THAT YOU’RE FIGHTG FOR AND TABLISHG A PLAN ON HOW YOU THK YOU N ACHIEVE . I WOULD SAY THAT IS IMPORTANT TO NOT BE TIMIDATED BY THIS FIELD JT BEE OF YOUR AGE. AGE IS ONLY A NUMBER WHICH DO NOT FE YOUR PABILI, OR YOUR PACY TO ENACT CHANGE. I WOULD SAY THAT ’S VERY IMPORTANT TO ALWAYS BE REARCHG AND READG UP ON RMATN THAT HAS TO DO WH THE E THAT YOU ARE FIGHTG FOR, IS IMPORTANT TO ALWAYS STAY WELL RMED. ALSO, NEVER STOP ASKG QUTNS WHEN YOU DO NOT KNOW THE ANSWERS. WHEN YOU ASK A QUTN, BE WILLG TO DO THE WORK TO RECEIVE ANSWERS OM MORE THAN ONE SOURCE ORR TO BE ABLE TO FORM YOUR OWN EVALUATN. MATTHEW BLAISE, 21, LAGOS, NIGERIA ADVERTISEMENT GROWG UPI’M GAY. MY CHILDHOOD WAS FAR OM GREAT. WHENEVER I REMEMBER THE LOVE I WAS NIED AS A CHILD BEE OF MY FEMY AND PERCEIVED SEXUAL ORIENTATN, I BURST TO TEARS PROFELY BEE I KNOW I AM UNSERVG OF THAT TREATMENT. I WAS BORN TO A FAY OF NE THE OUTSKIRTS OF LAGOS. I NEVER UNRSTOOD WHAT PRIVACY FELT LIKE BEE WE LIVED A TY ROOM APARTMENT WH 5 OTHER TENANTS SHARG A BAD TOILET FACILY. DUE TO THE POVERTY LEVEL, I WAS NIED OF STANDARD PRIMARY TN, GOOD HOG, GOOD FOOD, AND A HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT. MANY YOUNG PEOPLE DIED VLENCE ON THE STREETS. I ALSO GOT TO SEE MANY HEARTBREAKG EVENTS LIKE ROBBERY, RAPE, KILLGS, AND POLICE BTALY WHICH I HAD NO POWER TO STOP.AFTER I REALIZED MY SEXUALY, I NCLUD I WANTED TO BEE A PRIT, AND MY MOTHER FULLY SUPPORTED ME BEE SHE THOUGHT WAS OM A GOOD PLACE. SHE DID NOT KNOW THAT I WANTED TO GO TO THE PRITHOOD TO SHIELD MY HOMOSEXUAL TENNCI. I THOUGHT THAT NOT GETTG MARRIED WOULD TOMATILLY EXTGUISH MY SEXUALY, WHICH WAS EVINCE OF MY TERNALIZED HOMOPHOBIA. AFTER SOME GUYS MY STREET DISVERED I WAS GAY I BEME THEIR PREY. THEY THREATENED TO OUT ME TO MY PARENTS IF I DIDN’T DO WHAT THEY WANTED. I NSTANTLY LIVED FEAR, AND THIS DIDN’T EVEN ALLOW ME TO ENJOY THE REMAS OF CHILDHOOD. “EVERY DAY WE ARE EXPLOED, HARASSED, ABED, SEXUALLY, EVEN RAPED BEE WE HAVE NO ONE TO TURN TO”— MATTHEW BLAISE ADVERTISEMENT WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR EXPERIENCE OF PREJUDICE?BEG A NATN DIVID ALONG RELIG L, THE NORTHERN PART OF NIGERIA PRACTIC SHARIA LAW AND FOLLOWS A PENAL DIFFERENT OM THE SOUTHERN, CHRISTIAN PORTN OF THE NATN. BOTH REGNS, EPLY RELIG AND HOMOPHOBIC, BATTLE FIERCELY FOR THE RIGHT TO KILL, MAIM, OR RCERATE GAY PEOPLE FOR A GOOD PORTN OF OUR LIV. SCE THE PASSG OF THE ANTI-GAY LAW (THE SAME SEX MARRIAGE PROHIBN ACT, SSMPA, 2014), PUBLIC HOSTILY HAS SKYROCKETED. THE LAW NO LONGER PROTECTS OM EVEN THE REGULAR ILLS OF SOCIETY. A GAY PERSON IS VULNERABLE BEE THE LAW WOULD RATHER BEAT DOWN ON THEM WH THE GAVEL THAN PERFORM JTICE. SO EVERY DAY WE ARE EXPLOED, HARASSED, ABED, SEXUALLY, EVEN RAPED BEE WE HAVE NO ONE TO TURN TO. BOTH THE PHYSIL AND VIRTUAL SPAC ARE UNSAFE, EVEN DOWN TO DATG APPS LIKE GRDR, HOR, ROMEO, AND TR. THE POLICE, WHOSE DUTY IS TO PROTECT CIZENS, EXPLO “SPECTED” LGBTQI PEOPLE AFTER UNLAWFUL SEARCH AND VASN OF THEIR PHON AND PRIVATE SPAC. THEY ARE NOT THE ONLY CULPRS; HOMOPHOB ALSO DISGUISE THEMSELV AS LGBTQI PERSONS TO HARASS, ROB, AND ASSLT .IT’S A TAD WORSE FOR ONE SUCH AS I, WHO IS EFFEMATE AND VISIBLY GAY. MANY TIM, I HAVE BEEN BEATEN BY FELLOW UNRGRADUAT THE UNIVERSY, BY HOODLUMS ON THE STREET, CURSED OUT, SPAT AT, EVEN STONED. SHARIA LAW STIPULAT ATH BY STONG FOR THOSE WHO ARE GAY. THOUGH SHARIA LAW IS ONLY PRACTICED THE NORTH OF NIGERIA, WOULD SEEM EVEN SOUTHERNERS HAVE A PREDILECTN FOR STONG GAY PEOPLE. I FELL PREY TO A LOT OF THE MY FIRST YEAR AS AN UNRGRADUATE, THOUGH WASN’T JT SCHOOL. NO PLACE WAS TOO SACROSANCT FOR ABE, NOT EVEN THE HALLOWED “HOE OF GOD.” ADVERTISEMENT THE ASSISTANT PRIT MY CHURCH AFTER SEEG MY LGBTQ ADVOCY POSTS ON FACEBOOK VED ME OVER TO HIS OFFICE WHERE HE ASSLTED ME PHYSILLY, PUNCHG ME REPEATEDLY AND STRANGLG ME UNTIL I ALMOST MET MY MAKER. I’M PRETTY SURE THAT’S NOT HOW THE SCRIPTUR STIPULATED WE BE TAKEN TO GOD. HE DID NOT STOP THERE, HE EMOTNALLY BLACKMAILED ME AND I SUFFERED PSYCHOLOGILLY FOR MONTHS. ALSO, A VISG PRIT VED ME TO HIS OFFICE FOR “LIVERANCE.” HE ED VAR OBJECTS ON ME WHICH “LIVERED” A LOT OF PA TO ME AND PROCEED TO TRY TO MISRM ME ABOUT MY SEXUALY. MONTHS AGO ON FACEBOOK, I SHARED A STORY ABOUT HOW A SENR LECTURER SUMMONED ME TO HIS OFFICE AND SAID HURTFUL WORDS TO ME A BID TO SUBDUE “THE GAY.” HE SAID “THE KGDOM OF GOD AND THE KGDOM OF DARKNS WERE HAVG A BATTLE” OVER ME, AND WAS EVINT “THAT THE KGDOM OF DARKNS WAS WNG.” “MANY NIGERIANS HAVE THREATENED TO REPORT ME TO THE POLICE AND MAKE ME SUFFER THE 14-YEAR JAIL TERM FOR DARG TO BE GAY, EXIST, AND HAVE A VOICE. MOST OF THEM HAVE THREATENED TO ASSLT AND EVEN KILL ME”— MATTHEW BLAISE LOTS OF LECTURERS HAVE ED MY PHYSIQUE AND SEXUAL ORIENTATN TO MAKE SILLY, HOMOPHOBIC JOK CLASS. VIRTUAL PERSECUTN IS A PART OF MY DAILY LIFE BEE OF THE ADVOCY I DO. MANY NIGERIANS HAVE THREATENED TO REPORT ME TO THE POLICE AND MAKE ME SUFFER THE 14-YEAR JAIL TERM FOR DARG TO BE GAY, EXIST, AND HAVE A VOICE. MOST OF THEM HAVE THREATENED TO ASSLT AND EVEN KILL ME.IN OCTOBER 2019, I WAS ARRTED AND ASSLTED BY POLICEMEN. THEY ARRTED ME BEE THEY SAW A TATTOO ON MY PALM WHICH READ “GAY AND PROUD.” THE POLICEMAN ASKED TO SEE MY PHONE, AND I TOLD HIM THAT DOG SO WHOUT A WARRANT WOULD BE A VLATN OF MY RIGHTS. THE POLICEMAN H ME HARD, PHED ME TO THEIR B AND MUTTERED, “THERE IS NOTHG LIKE HUMAN RIGHTS NIGERIA.” I NTUE TO MATA A LOUD SOCIAL MEDIA PRENCE—ON FACEBOOK AND EVEN TWTER WHERE I HAVE EVEN TREND SEVERAL TIM AND SPARKED NATNAL DISCSNS ON LGBTQ RIGHTS. LOL BLOGS EVEN PILFER OM THE EXPERIENC I POST ON MY SOCIAL MEDIA TO BOOST THEIR WEBSE TRAFFIC AS THEY KNOW THE NATN IS EAGER TO LAP UP THE NUGGETS OF MY LIFE I PUT OUT THERE. ADVERTISEMENT MATTHEW BLAISE, NIGERIACOURTY MATTHEW BLAISE HOW DID YOU E OUT, IF YOU ARE OUT?I DIDN’T ACTUALLY WRE TO ANY NEWSPAPER AGENCY OR OFFICIALLY E OUT TO MY FAY ON THE DNER TABLE, I NEVER ENJOYED THAT LUXURY. BUT AS AN EFFEMATE GAY PERSON NIGERIA I WAS DRAGGED OUT OF MY CLOSET BY FEMME-PHOBIC AND HOMOPHOBIC PEOPLE. THEY WOULD ALWAYS LL ME “WOMAN WRAPPER,” “NWOKE NWANYI” (BOY GIRL), “WOMAN MAN” AND OTHER NSCENDG TAGS FOR FEMME MEN, WHICH ALWAYS LEFT ME EPLY WOUND. THEY WOULD LL ME “GAY” EVEN WHEN THEY KNOW THE SOCIAL IMPLITN OF THAT AND LGHED WHEN I BURST OUT TEARS. INTERNALIZED HOMOPHOBIA REALLY PUTS YOU A TIGHT RNER. THIS HAPPENED FOR A WHILE UNTIL I ACCEPTED THE TTH WHICH I HAVE NIED FOR SO LONG. WHENEVER THEY LL ME GAY NOW, “I SIMPLY SAY ‘Y, I AM GAY AND SO WHAT?’” “WHENEVER I OWN THAT WORD, I FEEL SO POWERFUL. I FEEL LIKE I HAVE UPROOTED THE SHAME EPLY BURIED ME AND TRANSFORMED TO SOMETHG VERY UAL, JT LIKE MY NAME”— MATTHEW BLAISE THIS OFTEN LEFT THEM SHOCKED OR PHYSILLY ABIVE TO ME. HOWEVER, WHENEVER I OWN THAT WORD, I FEEL SO POWERFUL. I FEEL LIKE I HAVE UPROOTED THE SHAME EPLY BURIED ME AND TRANSFORMED TO SOMETHG VERY UAL, JT LIKE MY NAME. ADVERTISEMENT HOW HAS YOUR FAY BEEN ABOUT ?WHEN MY BROTHER STARTED SEEG PICTUR OF ME WH POLISHED NAILS, ANKLETS, AND WAIST BEADS ON WHATSAPP, HE WAS VERY, VERY UNFORTABLE. I ULD REMEMBER HE LLED ME ONE DAY TO EXPRS HIS DISGT AND THREATENED TO BEAT OUT OF ME, WHICH EAKED ME OUT. I BLOCKED HIM ON WHATSAPP IMMEDIATELY. UNBEKNOWN TO ME, HE HAD TOLD MY MOTHER THAT I WAS TURNG TOTALLY SANE. MY MOTHER, WHO WAS A VERY RELIG WOMAN, WOULD ALWAYS GET MAD AT ME. SHE SAID SO MANY HURTFUL WORDS THAT MA THE HOE BEE VERY UNFORTABLE, SO I HAD TO LEAVE FOR SOMEWHERE ELSE. I TOTALLY EMBRACED MY QUEER INTY AFTER A YEAR AWAY OM THEM. EVEN WHEN I TREND ON A NATNAL NEWSPAPER’S WEBSE, I DIDN’T MD WHAT MY FAY WOULD SAY. “I HAVE E TO REALIZE THAT IF MY FAY DON’T SUPPORT ME, I N ALWAYS GET THIS SAME SOURCE OF STRENGTH OM SOMEWHERE ELSE; OM MYSELF, OM MY CHOSEN FAY”— MATTHEW BLAISE IT WAS JT EARLIER THIS YEAR THAT THEY ALL BEGAN ACCEPTG THIS REALY. HOWEVER, I NEVER RED ABOUT THEIR ACCEPTANCE. I KNOW THERE IS A FORM OF STRENGTH THAT WH KNOWG YOUR FAY SUPPORTS YOU, BUT I HAVE ALSO E TO REALIZE THAT IF THEY DON’T SUPPORT ME, I N ALWAYS GET THIS SAME SOURCE OF STRENGTH OM SOMEWHERE ELSE; OM MYSELF, OM MY CHOSEN FAY. I MIGHT HAVE MEMORI OF GROWG UP, BUT NO AMOUNT OF THE N SURPASS BEG HAPPY AND TE TO YOURSELF. AS CLICHéD AS THAT SOUNDS, HAS ALWAYS BEEN MY GUI. ADVERTISEMENT DCRIBE THE LAW AND ATTUS WHERE YOU LIVE GENERALLY TO LGBTQ PEOPLE? HAVE YOU SEEN THEM EVOLVE?NIGERIA IS A PREDOMATELY HOMOPHOBIC UNTRY. BEFORE THE PASSAGE OF ANY LAWS, GAY PEOPLE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN BEATEN, KILLED, STRIPPED NAKED, AND DRAGGED ON THE STREETS. NIGERIAN LAW SCRIB SEX BETWEEN PEOPLE OF THE SAME SEX AS “BEYOND THE ORR OF NATURE,” AND PUNISH WH IMPRISONMENT ANY ONE UGHT THE ACT. THE VAR STAT NIGERIA HAVE PASSED LAWS THEIR VAR STAT WHICH ENABL DISCRIMATORY AND VLENT BEHAVRS TOWARDS LGBTQIA+ PERSONS. WHEN UNTRI LIKE AMERI LEGALIZED MARRIAGE EQUALY, THE NATNAL ASSEMBLY OF NIGERIA STARTED TO IATE NVERSATNS BANNG SAME SEX MARRIAGE NIGERIA. NOTABLE ACTIVISTS TALKED ABOUT WHAT AN UNNSTUTNAL LAW LIKE THAT ULD DO TO LGBTQIA+ PERSONS, AND HOW IS BASILLY UNNECSARY BEE HOMOSEXUALY IS A NATURAL THG. UNFORTUNATELY THE SSMPA WAS PASSED BY PRINT GOODLUCK JONATHAN 2014 AND IS WORTH NOTG THAT THE LAW WOULD HAVE BEEN PASSED WH OR WHOUT HIM. THE NSTUTN OF NIGERIA (SECTN 58) STAT THAT WHERE A PRINT REF TO GIVE HIS ASSENT SHALL GO BACK TO THE NATNAL ASSEMBLY AND ON THE AGREEMENT OF A TWO THIRDS MAJORY OF EACH HOE, THE BILL SHALL BE PASSED. THEREFORE, DUE TO THE HOMOPHOBIC AND HYPOCRIL NATURE OF OUR LEARS THE LAW WOULD HAVE BEEN PASSED REGARDLS. THE ATTU OF THE ERNMENT AND PEOPLE TOWARDS LGBTQIA PERSONS HAS BEEN APPALLG, DISAPPOTG, DISCRIMATORY AND HUMANE.ACRDG TO THE 2018 HUMAN RIGHTS VLATNS REPORT BY THE INIATIVE FOR EQUAL RIGHTS (TIERS), “THE DIRECT BREACH OF DIVIDUAL RIGHTS WHOUT PROPER RTUTN OFTEN LEAV A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON PEOPLE. IN A SOCIETY WHERE ACCEPTANCE AND TOLERANCE IS DIFFICULT, IS CREASGLY HARD FOR LGBTQIA+ PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN WRONGED TO ACCS JTICE.” ADVERTISEMENT HOW DID YOUR ACTIVISM BEG?ACTIVISM FOR ME BEGAN WHEN I REALIZED THERE WERE NO ACTIVE YOUNG LGBTQIA+ VOIC NIGERIA. THE ACTIVISTS I KNEW WERE EHER OLR OR YOUNG PEOPLE WHO HAD FLED THE UNTRY FOR THEIR LIV. ONLY A FEW REMAED. I THOUGHT WAS IMPORTANT TO LEND MY VOICE TO THE NATNAL NVERSATN AND HELP CREATE AWARENS ABOUT HOMOSEXUALY WHILE G MY LIVED EXPERIENC TO SPIRE YOUNG LGBTQIA+ PERSONS WHO HAVE BEEN POISONED BY HOMOPHOBIA.ARE ATTUS CHANGG AT ALL?ACRDG TO STATISTICS GATHERED BY NOIPOLL FOR TIERS, THERE IS A GROWG ACCEPTANCE OF QUEERNS NIGERIA. THE 2017 SURVEY FOUND A 7 PERCENT CREASE SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE RATE, ROUNDG UP TO 39 PERCENT OF THOSE SURVEYED WHO THK GAY PEOPLE HAVE THE RIGHT TO EQUAL ACCS OF PUBLIC SERVIC LIKE HEALTH RE, HOG AND TN.ALTHOUGH, THERE HASN’T BEEN ANOTHER RECENT POLL, THE ACCEPTANCE RATE SEEMS TO HAVE DRAMATILLY CREASED, WHICH ONE N DUCE OM ONLE AND OFFLE NVERSATNS. THE RPONS OF PEOPLE TOWARDS LGBTQIA+ ISSU HAS BEEN ENURAGG, AND I BELIEVE THIS IS BEE OF THE WORK OF ANIZATNS AND DIVIDUALS TOWARDS ACCELERATG SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE NIGERIA THROUGH NVERSATNS ON SOCIAL MEDIA, OFFLE SPAC, THE ARTS AND OTHER OPEN SPAC.TELL ME ABOUT ATTUS TOWARDS TRANS PEOPLE THERE ADVERTISEMENT THE ATTU OF NIGERIANS TOWARDS TRANS PEOPLE IS STILL VERY APPALLG, FOR THOSE THAT EVEN KNOW THEY EXIST. ACRDG TO ONE TRANS MAN I KNOW NIGERIA, “I’VE LOST UNT OF HOW OFTEN I HEARD PEOPLE SAY I NEVER KNEW WE HAD TRANS MEN/TRANS PEOPLE NIGERIA.” IN A SOCIALLY REGRSIVE UNTRY LIKE NIGERIA, TRANS LAWS ARE NON-EXISTENT. IF WERE UP TO THE LAWS, TRANS PEOPLE WOULD NOT EXIST. AWARENS IS JT STARTG TO GO MASTREAM NIGERIA, THANKS TO SOCIAL MEDIA. BUT MOST TRANS PEOPLE NIGERIA STILL LIVE THE SHADOWS, QUIETNS, ISOLATN, SEEKG SAFETY. SO THEY’RE NOT VERY VOL, NOT YET—APART OM A FEW. TELL ME ABOUT YOUR WORK NOW: WHAT DO YOU DO?I AM A CURRENTLY A STUNT AND I AM VOLVED A LOT OF DIGAL ADVOCY. I HAVE TAKEN A STAND AGAST EVERY FORM OF HOMOPHOBIA, TRANSPHOBIA, AND EQUALY. RECENTLY I FOLLOWED A GROUP OF WOMEN TO STAND AGAST RAPE NIGERIA. THIS IS WHAT I HAVE DONE WH THE LTLE ROURC AND ENERGY THAT I HAVE AS AN UNRPRIVILEGED NIGERIAN. IT ISN’T A LOT, BUT IS THE START TO WHAT I HOPE TO BE A PATHWAY TO LGBTQIA+ ADVOCY. WHAT HAS MA YOU MOST PROUD YOUR WORK?I WAS PART OF THE TEAM THAT LNCHED THE #ENDHOMOPHOBIAINNIGERIA MPAIGN NIGERIA, WHICH A NASTY BOY (A NIGERIAN LGBTQ MAGAZE) SCRIBED AS “THE START OF A CULTURAL REVOLUTN.” ADVERTISEMENT THE MPAIGN WAS AN AVENUE FOR GAY PEOPLE TO EXPRS THE HURT OF HOMOPHOBIA, WHILE ADVOTG FOR A BETTER PLACE FOR GAY PEOPLE THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA. THIS MPAIGN LASTED FOR TWO DAYS, AND SCE THEN I HAVE GRANTED TERNATNAL AND NATNAL TERVIEWS TO DISCS THIS MPAIGN, AND I’VE ALSO BEEN PANEL DISCSNS FOR THIS SAME PURPOSE. “BE YOU. KNOW YOU ARE NOT THE PROBLEM, DON’T ADJT FOR THE WORLD. LET ADJT FOR YOU, AS CLICHéD AS THAT SOUNDS. IT HAS BEEN A VERY POWERFUL GUI FOR ME”— MATTHEW BLAISE WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO THE FUTURE?I WOULD LIKE TO BE THE SOURCE OF SPIRATN AND STRENGTH FOR YOUNG LGBTQIA+ NIGERIANS. I HOPE TO DO THIS THROUGH FILM-MAKG AND BY JT LIVG AS AN UNAPOLOGETIC OPENLY GAY PERSON NIGERIA. WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE FOR OTHER YOUNG PEOPLE WANTG TO GET ACTIVE THIS FIELD?BE YOU. KNOW YOU ARE NOT THE PROBLEM, DON’T ADJT FOR THE WORLD. LET ADJT FOR YOU, AS CLICHéD AS THAT SOUNDS. IT HAS BEEN A VERY POWERFUL GUI FOR ME FACG EVERYDAY HOMOPHOBIA AND FEMME-PHOBIA NIGERIA. ADVERTISEMENT MARLON MáRQUEZ GUARDO, 20, CARTAGENA, COLOMBIA I WAS BORN CARTAGENA, COLOMBIA, AND LIVED MY WHOLE LIFE HERE. I HAVE BEEN GAY SCE I HAVE THE E OF REASON, HAHA.GROWG UPWHEN I WAS THE SIXTH GRA, I WAS BULLIED FOR BEHAVG DIFFERENTLY OM THE OTHER MEN THE ROOM, BEE I DIDN’T LIKE PRACTICG THE SPORTS THEY PLAYED, I DIDN’T LIKE LISTENG TO THE MIC THEY WERE LISTENG TO, I DIDN’T LIKE BEG THE WAY THEY WERE. THIS GENERATED MANY NFLICTS WH ME. I REFED THE OPPORTUNY TO NVERSE WH ME. THEY NVCED ME TO BE WH ME WAS A REASON FOR REPUDIATN. REJECT ME, ABANDON ME.ACCEPTG MYSELF WAS ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT PROCS OF MY LIFE. HOMOPHOBIA LEARNED AND REPRODUCED IS ONE OF THE MOST RECURRG SOCIAL PROBLEMS REALY FOR MANY PEOPLE THE WORLD. LEARNG TO ACCEPT MYSELF HAS BEEN MY MOST IMPORTANT ACHIEVEMENT. LEARNG TO NSTCT SUCH NORMALIZED IALS HELPED ME UNRSTAND THAT WE N ALL LOVE DIFFERENT WAYS, THAT FOR LOVE THERE ARE NO GENR BARRIERS, SEX OR LI THAT STOP . ADVERTISEMENT “MY G OUT OF THE CLOSET WAS THE MOST BETIFUL AND LIBERATG THG THAT HAS HAPPENED TO ME”— MARLON MáRQUEZ GUARDO I UNRSTOOD THAT PATRIARCHY HAS DONE SO MUCH DAMAGE OUR SOCIETY TO THE POT OF G TO FEAR BEG OURSELV. I HOPE THAT MORE PEOPLE LIKE ME WILL SUCCEED BREAKG DOWN THE BARRIERS OF STCTURAL AND STUTNAL HATRED, AND THE RACIST, SEXIST, GENR, ENOMIC, GEOGRAPHIL PONENTS THAT IMPOSE THEMSELV UPON AND PREVENT OM BEG EE.HOW WAS G OUT FOR YOU?MY G OUT OF THE CLOSET WAS THE MOST BETIFUL AND LIBERATG THG THAT HAS HAPPENED TO ME. IT WAS DEC. 24, 2017. MY FAY TOOK WELL ENOUGH, THEY ACCEPTED AND LOVE ME AS I AM. I AM ALWAYS GRATEFUL FOR THAT. NOWADAYS I HELP MY FAY TO UNRSTAND MORE THE DIVERSY THAT CHARACTERIZ AS A SOCIETY.I REMEMBER THAT ONE DAY I PUBLICLY MENTED ON HOW WAS TO E OUT OF THE CLOSET FOR ME. A GIRL WROTE ME A MSAGE ON SOCIAL MEDIA, SAYG, “THANK YOU FOR DARG TO SAY , HELPED ME UNRSTAND MYSELF.” FROM THAT DAY ON I UNRSTOOD THAT I AM DOG SOMETHG RIGHT, THAT I AM SPIRG PEOPLE. THAT DAY I FELT THAT I DID SOMETHG GOOD FOR SOMEONE, AND FOR THAT REASON I WAKE UP EVERY DAY THKG THAT MY ACTNS SPIRE CHANGE, AND I NSIR THAT IF WE ALL TAKE THAT CHANGE WE N BUILD A BETTER SOCIETY WHERE WE ARE NOT AAID TO BE OURSELV, WHERE WE ARE NOT AAID OF CHANGE. ADVERTISEMENT HOW ARE THE LAW AND ATTUS GENERALLY COLOMBIA?I THK THAT COLOMBIA STILL HAS A LONG WAY TO GO TERMS OF SOCIETY, ALTHOUGH WE HAVE MA GREAT LEGAL ADVANC SUCH AS BEG ABLE TO ADOPT AND EQUAL MARRIAGE. THE LATT REPORT RELEASED BY ONE OF COLOMBIA’S LGBT + ANIZATNS, CARIBE AFIRMATIVO, SAYS THAT MORE THAN 204 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED HATE CRIM, AND THAT IS NOT RIGHT. THE ERNMENT MT PROVI MORE GUARANTE AND REGNIZE THAT WE AS AN LGBTI+ MUNY ALSO EXIST AND RIST. MARLON MáRQUEZ GUARDO, COLOMBIACOURTY MARLON MáRQUEZ GUARDO HOW DID YOUR ACTIVISM BEG?I THK MY ACTIVISM STARTED WHEN I STILL DIDN'T KNOW THAT THAT WORD EXISTED. I THK WAS WHEN I WAS 7 OR 8 YEARS OLD WHEN WE ED TO PLAY BETWEEN NEIGHBORS ON MY STREET. HOWEVER, WE ALWAYS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM THAT A NEIGHBOR DID NOT LIKE TO PLAY ONT OF HIS HOE, SO I TOLD MY IENDS TO PLAY ONT OF HIS HOE, BEE THE STREET IS PUBLIC. I THK ALL STARTED THERE.WHAT MOTIVAT YOUR WORK? ADVERTISEMENT I THK THE WORLD STILL HAS AN EQUALY GAP THAT NEEDS TO CLOSE. AND YOU MT DO NOW, NOT TOMORROW, NOT THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW. TODAY.CHIMAMANDA NGOZI ADICHIE HAS A SHORT PHRASE THAT I LOVE, “THE SGLE STORY CREAT STEREOTYP…” I NSIR THAT THE STEREOTYP ARE SO TRSIC OUR CULTURE, OUR SOCIETY, THAT MAK NECSARY TO RETHK OUR HUMANY, TO RETHK OUR MENTAL MOLS AND OUR STUTNS. THE WORLD AS WE KNOW HAS BEEN BUILT OM A PATRIARCHAL AND HETEROSEXUAL VISN, SO THAT WOMEN AND WE DIVERSE PEOPLE NEVER PARTICIPATE WHAT WE KNOW TODAY AS SOCIETY. SO, IF WE WANT TO CLOSE THOSE GAPS WE MT SUBSCRIBE TO NEW NONIL IAS. WE MT SUBSCRIBE TO A FEMISM THAT AIMS TO BREAK DOWN STEREOTYP OF SEX, GENR, RACE, ET CETERA.WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF?“DELIBERAR” IS A PLATFORM I CREATED FOR SOCIAL IATIV THAT AIMS TO BUILD THE SOCIAL FABRIC DIVERSE WAYS, WHERE ALL PEOPLE N BUILD A BETTER FUTURE. WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKG ON TWO PROJECTS THAT WE HOPE AND N BE FANCED. THE FIRST IS A PLATFORM THAT MAPS AND GEO-REFERENC VLENT ACTS TO LGBTI+ PEOPLE HERE COLOMBIA, AND BASED ON THAT, IS ABLE TO GENERATE STATISTICS THAT IMPACT THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE POLICI. TODAY, FRIDAY, I WILL HAVE AN TERVIEW WH ONE OF THE COLOMBIAN NGRSWOMEN WHO LEADS BILLS FOR OUR LGBTQ+ MUNY. ADVERTISEMENT THE SEND PROJECT WE ARE WORKG ON IS THE NSTCTN OF MUNY LIBRARI WAR-AFFECTED AREAS OF ARMED NFLICT. “WHEN WE BREAK THE BARRIERS OF HATRED AND EQUALY THAT HAVE BEEN BUILT SOCIETY, WE WILL UNRSTAND THAT WE N ALL HAVE THE EEDOM TO LOVE AND RPECT THOSE AROUND ”— MARLON MáRQUEZ GUARDO WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE TO YOUNGER ACTIVISTS?MY ADVICE TO ALL PEOPLE IS PERSEVERANCE. I HAVE THIS QUOTE THAT I SAY A LOT: “WHEN WE BREAK THE BARRIERS OF HATRED AND EQUALY THAT HAVE BEEN BUILT SOCIETY, WE WILL UNRSTAND THAT WE N ALL HAVE THE EEDOM TO LOVE AND RPECT THOSE AROUND . WE N SETTLE OUR DIFFERENC THROUGH DIALOGUE AND ROLVE OUR PROBLEMS THROUGH ACTN.”WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO THE FUTURE?I THK ONE OF MY BIGGT DREAMS WOULD BE THAT DELIBERAR IS POSNED WORLDWI AS AN ANIZATN THAT IS PABLE OF SOLVG PROBLEMS OF SOCIAL AND ENOMIC EQUALY. AND I WOULD ALSO DARE TO SAY THAT I WOULD LIKE TO BE A NGRSMAN OM MY UNTRY. THERE ARE MANY THGS COLOMBIA TO DO, BUT THIS IS ALREADY A VERY DISTANT DREAM. BEFORE THAT I WANT TO DO SOME MASTER’S GRE. ADVERTISEMENT ELISE STEPHENSON, 28, BRISBANE, ATRALIAHOW DO YOU FE ON THE LGBTQ SPECTM?GAY WOMAN, OR QUEER WOMAN.TELL ME ABOUT YOUR CHILDHOOD GROWG UP, I LIVED ON A LARGE ACREAGE ON THE EDGE OF THE ATRALIAN BH, AND WAS VERY LUCKY TO ROAM WILY AND EELY. I WAS VERY OUTDOORSY AND WAS ALWAYS VOLVED SOME KD OF HANDS-ON PROJECT.  ADVERTISEMENT HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED BULLYG AND PREJUDICE? IF SO, HOW DID YOU HANDLE ?WHILE I HAVE BEEN FAIRLY LUCKY, HOMOPHOBIC BULLYG AND PREJUDICE ALWAYS CUTS STRAIGHT TO A PERSON’S RE AND TO ME IS A REMR THAT NO MATTER THE PROGRS MA, HATE AND MISUNRSTANDG IS STILL A LARGE PART OF PEOPLE’S EXPERIENC UNR THE SURFACE. AS I SPEND A LOT OF MY WORKG LIFE ON THE ROAD (I HAVE DRIVEN OVER 65,000KMS OVER THE PAST FOUR YEARS—A DISTANCE ONE AND A HALF TIM AROUND THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE EARTH) WORKG WH REGNAL AND REMOTE ATRALIA, I AM ALWAYS REFUL OF MY SAFETY SMALL MUNI, AS BULLYG AND PREJUDICE IS THE FOUNDATN STONE TO FURTHER ACTS OF HOMOPHOBIA—AND OFTEN VLENCE. OFTEN THE SUATNS, HANDLG PREJUDICE MEANS MIMIZG WHO I AM. GENERALLY SOCIETY HOWEVER, I TRY TO TE AND RAISE AWARENS WHEN NONTED WH HOMOPHOBIA.HOW DID YOU E OUT, IF YOU ARE OUT? IN SOME WAYS, I DIDN’T E OUT, I JT BEME MORE OF WHO I REALLY WAS. HOW WAS YOUR FAY? ADVERTISEMENT VERY SUPPORTIVE.HOW ARE THE LAW AND ATTUS WHERE YOU LIVE GENERALLY? HAVE YOU SEEN THEM EVOLVE? WIR SOCIAL ATTUS HAVE UNRGONE REMARKABLE CHANGE ATRALIA THE LAST FEW YEARS, PARTICULARLY SCE SAME SEX MARRIAGE WAS LEGALIZED ATRALIA. EVEN 10 YEARS AGO, SCHOOLS, THE WIR MUNY, AND POLICS WERE VERY VRLIC ABOUT LGBTI+ RIGHTS OR LIV—SOMETIM TO VASTATG EFFECT, WH MENTAL HEALTH ISSU AND SUICI A LARGE PART OF MANY LGBTI+ PEOPL’ EXPERIENC. 10 YEARS LATER, I AM SOUGHT OUT BY SCHOOLS TO TALK ABOUT LGBTI+ ISSU AND LIV, AND HAS BEE SOMETHG THAT PEOPLE ARE TRYG TO TE THEMSELV ON, AND FD WAYS OF MOVG FORWARDS AS A MUNY. I THK THE PROGRS MA—ALTHOUGH NOT GUARANTEED—HAS BEEN VERY IMPORTANT, AND OPENS UP OPPORTUNI TO FURTHER BRG MARGALIZED LGBTI+ PEOPLE’S ISSU AND RIGHTS TO THE SURFACE, CLUDG FOR TRANS PEOPLE AND FOR MARGALIZED ETHNICI AND RELIGNS WHO MAY BE PART OF THE LGBTI+ MUNY.TELL ME ABOUT HOW YOUR ACTIVISM BEGANIT WAS A WEEK AFTER A VLENT CINT OF DOMTIC VLENCE HAD BEEN MTED AGAST A TRANS WOMAN MY HOME CY, VOLVG HER VLENT MURR BY HER PARTNER, THAT I SAT A WORKSHOP ON GENR-BASED VLENCE PREVENTN. ADVERTISEMENT IT HAD E TO THE ATTENTN OF SOME OF THE PARTICIPANTS THAT I INTIFIED AS A QUEER/GAY WOMAN. ONE OF THE WOMEN OPPOSE ME THE ROOM TURNED TO ME AND ONT OF EVERYONE, SAID: “I FUNDAMENTALLY DISAGREE WH WHO YOU ARE.”  “TO NY SOMEONE’S INTY IS DISRPECTFUL, AND N HAVE EPLY-FELT IMPACTS ON DIVIDUALS AND MUNI”— ELISE STEPHENSON WHEN I RETOLD THIS STORY LATER TO SOME DIENC, THEY LGHED. BUT FOR ME, THE CINT REMD ME THAT EVEN THE SPAC DITED TO IMPROVG THE LIV OF WOMEN ARE STILL SPAC AFFECTED BY HOMOPHOBIA, RACISM, AND ERASURE OF THE INTY OF PEOPLE WHO DO NOT F THE NORM.TO NY SOMEONE’S INTY IS DISRPECTFUL, AND N HAVE EPLY-FELT IMPACTS ON DIVIDUALS AND MUNI. IN THIS SE, I WAS LUCKY TO HAVE A SUPPORTIVE GROUP AROUND ME. ALLYSHIP AND PEOPLE BEG WILLG TO SI WH YOU, AND STAND UP FOR YOU, IS VERY IMPORTANT BATG HATE OR DISCRIMATN. HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT HOW ATTUS AROUND GENR EQUALY AND SEXUAL ORIENTATN HAVE EVOLVED WHERE YOU LIVE? GENR EQUALY, AS WELL AS LGBTI+ EQUALI, ARE STILL CREDIBLY IMPORTANT ISSU TO ROLVE ATRALIA. MOST PEOPLE REGNIZE THAT EQUALI NTUE, AND REQUIRE HARD WORK, LEARNG AND UNLEARNG TO BAT. YET, I DO FD TROUBLG WHEN SOME SECTORS OF ATRALIA NY EQUALI AND ASSERT THAT WE HAVE ALREADY ACHIEVED GENR AND SEXUAL ORIENTATN EQUALY—THE REARCH MONSTRAT THAT THIS IS SIMPLY NOT TE. ADVERTISEMENT ELISE STEPHENSON, ATRALIACOURTY ELISE STEPHENSON TELL ME ABOUT YOUR WORK NOW: WHAT IS , WHAT DO YOU DO? I AM A REARCHER AND ENTREPRENR, AND HAVE JT PLETED ATRALIA’S LARGT EVER STUDY ON GENR AND SEXUALY TERNATNAL DIPLOMACY AND NATNAL SECURY FOR MY PHD. I AM ALSO THE -FOUNR AND DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL GOOD OUTPOST, AN ATRALIAN STRATEGIC MUNITNS AGENCY THAT HELPS PURPOSE-LED ANIZATNS TO ACHIEVE SOCIAL IMPACT. THROUGH MY BS AND REARCH I WORK ACROSS THE INDO-PACIFIC REGN PARTICULARLY ON TOPICS OF GENR EQUALY, ENTREPRENRSHIP, NATNAL SECURY, DIPLOMACY, AND THE GENRED OR HUMAN RIGHTS IMPLITNS OF THGS LIKE CLIMATE CHANGE, SPACE EXPLORATN, AND DISASTER REVERY. I WORK TO EMBED GENR EQUALY AND AN TERSECTNAL AWARENS OF SOCIAL ISSU TO THE WAY THAT UNTRI NEGOTIATE AND MAKE CISNS GLOBALLY ON EMERGG ISSU.THIS REPORTER IS A LONGTIME NEIGHBOURS FAN, AND THE LONG-NNG SOAP OPERA HAS GAY CHARACTERS, AND NOW A TRANS CHARACTER. HOW IMPORTANT HAS THE ATRALIAN MEDIA BEEN SOCIAL CHANGE? I HAVE MET THE WONRFUL GEIE STONE (WHO PLAYS TRANS TEEN MACKENZIE NEIGHBOURS) AND, WHO IS A FEARLS AND STRONG ACTRS AND TRANSGENR RIGHTS ACTIVIST. I’M VERY PROUD THAT WE HAVE SUCH A WONRFUL YOUNG PERSON ON TV. ADVERTISEMENT I HAVE TO SAY, THE SHOW KATH & KIM THE 2000S WAS ABSOLUTELY PNEERG THE NORMALIZATN OF LGBTI+ WHAT AT THE TIME WAS A VERY NSERVATIVE SOCIETY, AND HAVG JT RE-WATCHED THE SERI, I AM REALLY PROUD THAT SOME OF OUR LEADG ACTORS AND EDIANS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN SUPPORTIVE AND MANY WAYS LED THE RT OF THE UNTRY TO THE LIGHT. ALMOST EVERYWHERE I LOOK NOW, OM MORE NSERVATIVE TV SHOWS TO MORE POPULAR SHOWS, I REALLY FEEL THAT PEOPLE ARE TRYG THEIR BT TO BE MORE REPRENTATIVE. IT’S QUE AMAZG JT HOW QUICK THIS CHANGE HAS OCCURRED, BUT MAK A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE, PARTICULARLY FOR YOUNG LGBTI+ PEOPLE, AND PARTICULARLY FOR THOSE OM RAL ATRALIA, GIVEN THAT ATRALIA N BE QUE ISOLATED AND THOSE RAL AREAS EXPERIENCE SUBSTANTIALLY CREASED RAT OF MENTAL ILLNS. HOW IS TRANS EQUALY ATRALIA?WHILE I AM BY NO MEANS AN EXPERT, NOR AM I TRANS, TRANS PEOPLE HAVE FACED AND NTUE TO FACE EP TRANSPHOBIA AND DISCRIMATN WIR SOCIETY, WH MANY LEGAL AND SOCIAL CHALLENG REMAG. HOWEVER, GENR DIVERSY HAS ALWAYS BEEN PART OF ATRALIA'S HISTORY, OM THE YIMPNI OF THE DIGENO TIWI PEOPLE OF ATRALIA'S NORTHERN TERRORY, TO THE LEARS WE ARE SEEG ACROSS ATRALIAN TV, ERNMENT, AND CIVIL MUNY. MANY GREAT MUNY-LED IATIV, SUCH AS ONE I’VE BEEN VOLVED WH THAT SEEKS TO PROVI LGBTI+ CLIVE TRAG FOR MEDIL STUNTS AND PROFSNALS—WAVELENGTH MEDIL EDUTN—ARE PNEERG WIR SOCIAL AND LEGAL CHANGE. REGNN OF GENR INTY, CLIVE MEDIL SUPPORT, WORKPLACE SUPPORT AND THE CHAMPNG OF TRANS PEOPLE, AND WIR SOCIAL SUPPORT AND STIGMATIZATN REMA ISSU THAT ATRALIA NEEDS TO NONT.  ADVERTISEMENT WHAT HAS MA YOU MOST PROUD YOUR WORK? FROM GATHERG WORLD LEARS HONG KONG 2018 TO TALK ABOUT HOW CLIMATE CHANGE MIGHT AFFECT TRANS WOMEN THE PACIFIC ISLANDS, TO DISCSG HOW THE MYANMAR CIVIL NFLICT MIGHT AFFECT DIGENO QUEER HUMAN RIGHTS FENRS THAILAND, OR HOW BHFIR MIGHT AFFECT RAL LGBTI+ MUNI ATRALIA, I’M MOST PROUD OF BRGG A DIFFERENT LENS TO IMPORTANT ACTIVISM OUR REGN. “IF YOU DON’T STEP UP AND MAKE THE KD OF CHANGE YOU WISH TO SEE, CHANC ARE THAT SOMEONE ELSE WON’T. IF IS IMPORTANT TO YOU, FD A WAY TO DO , EVEN IF YOU START REALLY SMALL”— ELISE STEPHENSON WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO THE FUTURE? I’D LOVE TO BE AT THE FOREONT OF EMBEDDG GENR EQUALY HUMAN OPERATNS AND ENAVORS ON SPACE, OR OTHER EMERGG ONTIERS OF TERNATNAL RELATNS. I’M PASSNATE ABOUT BG REARCH AND ENTREPRENRSHIP TO ELEVATE GENR EQUALY.WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE FOR OTHER YOUNG PEOPLE WANTG TO GET ACTIVE THIS FIELD? ADVERTISEMENT IF YOU DON’T STEP UP AND MAKE THE KD OF CHANGE YOU WISH TO SEE, CHANC ARE THAT SOMEONE ELSE WON’T. IF IS IMPORTANT TO YOU, FD A WAY TO DO , EVEN IF YOU START REALLY SMALL. YOUR MOMENTUM WILL BUILD AND YOU WILL GATHER SUPPORTERS. THIERRY HART (PSDONYM), 27, BULAWAYO, ZIMBABWEGROWG UPI’M GAY. MY CHILDHOOD WAS RELATIVELY PLITED BY ISSU OF BEG AN EFFEMATE BOY, WH A DISAPPROVG SOCIETY. FEELG VERY DIFFERENT BUT YET UNABLE TO RELATE TO ANYONE OFTEN LEFT ME FEELG ALONE AND UNSIRABLE, AS IF THERE WAS SOMETHG NATELY WRONG WH ME. IN A WAY I FELT LIKE AN ABOMATN, LIKE I WAS WEAK FOR ALLOWG THE UNGODLY EMOTNS TO TAKE A HOLD OF ME. THIS ED ME A GREAT AL OF SELF-DOUBT AND GRADUALLY LOW SELF TEEM RIGHT TO MY TEENS. I WAS UNABLE TO SOCIALIZE FOR FEAR OF BEG JUDGED AND EVEN PLIMENTS SOUND LIKE SULTS AT TIM. FOR EXAMPLE, ONE PERSON LLED ME PRETTY, BUT THIS WAS NOT A GOOD THG BEE ONLY GIRLS AND WOMEN ARE TO BE LLED PRETTY. ADVERTISEMENT I WAS UNABLE TO SEE THE BETY MYSELF OR TERME MY SELF WORTH, LET ALONE TERME WHAT MY FUTURE WOULD BE… I JT ULD NEVER VISUALIZE . I WAS MORE OF A RECLE AND HAD MY SELECT GROUP OF IENDS. I WAS MORE AMILLY DRIVEN BUT LARGELY I FELT UNFULFILLED AND ABNORMAL. MY UNTRY ZIMBABWE IS ANYTHG BUT WELG TO THE QUEER MUNY, PECIALLY THE QUEER MALE.HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED BULLYG AND PREJUDICE? IF SO, HOW DID YOU HANDLE ?I HAVE OFTEN BEEN BULLIED BEE OF MY SOFT NATURE AND OUTLOOK ON LIFE. IN MY MUNY A MAN IS SUPPOSED TO MAKE HIS PRENCE FELT AND MONSTRATE HIS MANLS—ALL OF WHICH I WAS UNABLE TO EXPRS—AS WELL AS CHASE AFTER GIRLS AND RRY OUT FEELGS I WAS UNABLE TO RECIPROTE. THIS OFTEN LED TO ME BEG A TARGET OF BULLYG THROUGH NAME-LLG, TNTG, AND MANY STANC UNJTIFIED PUNISHMENTS AND PHYSIL ASSLTS EVEN OM JUNRS, WHO FELT THEY ULD CHALLENGE ME BEE I WAS TOO EFFEMATE. I WAS GENERALLY A NON-VLENT, NON-MALEVOLENT PERSON AND THIS MA ME NNON FODR FOR MY TORMENTORS.THIS LED ME TO QUTN WHY WAS THE WORST THG WE N SEE A MAN WAS TRAC OF FEMY. IS SO DISGTG FOR A MAN TO DISPLAY ANY TRAS OF NSIRED FEME? I DID NOT PE WELL IALLY AND I BEGAN TO LOSE WEIGHT AND SPEND MANY A WAKG MOMENT DISTRACTED AND OFFEND. AS I GREW OLR AND I MET MANY LIKE ME, I BEGAN TO GA MORE NFINCE AND REALIZE MY OWN SURVIVAL STCTS. I DISVERED I WAS NOT ALONE AND A WAY SELF-THERAPY AND MY AMIC ACHIEVEMENTS BEME A CTCH FOR ME. I WAS ABLE TO EXCEL AND SENCE PROVE MY ABERS WRONG. ADVERTISEMENT HOW DID YOU E OUT, IF YOU ARE OUT?I AM OUT TO SELECT FAY MEMBERS AND IENDS, AS UNFORTUNATELY MY CIRCUMSTANC DO NOT ALLOW MUCH. I AM NOT YET FANCIALLY STABLE AND UNFORTUNATELY I HAVE AN ABIVE FATHER, WHO WILL MOST CERTALY BLAME MY POOR MOTHER FOR RAISG ME QUEER—SOMETHG SHE WOULD HAVE ADVERTENTLY DONE SEEG AS SHE IS ABSOLUTELY AGAST HOMOSEXUALY A LARGE PART THANKS TO CULTURE AND RELIGN. TO THE FEW IENDS I HAVE TOLD I WAS WELED, AND TO SOME JT MA SENSE. I AM GRADUALLY WORKG ON RELEASG THE RMATN, BUT ONLY TO PARTI I EM TO BE ACCEPTG AND NON-HOSTILE. MANY MY FAY ARE STILL YET TO KNOW, OWG TO THE REASONS ABOVE AND RAMPANT HOMOPHOBIA.HOW ARE THE LAW AND ATTUS WHERE YOU LIVE GENERALLY? HAVE YOU SEEN THEM EVOLVE?THERE HAVE BEEN MOR ADVANC THE LAW, OM SER PERSECUTN AND GREAT RISK OF IMPRISONMENT TO A MORE CLEAR TERPRETATN AND ATTEMPTS BY CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATNS (CSOS) TO GA JTICE AND REDRS FOR MANY THE MUNY WHO MAY BE VICTIMS OF ATTACKS. THE ANIZATNS, LIKE THE SEXUAL RIGHTS CENTRE (SRC), HAVE EMPLOYED A TEAM OF PARALEGALS TO ASSIST WH ISSU PERTAG TO ABE MEMBERS OF OUR MUNY SUFFERS, AND HAVE ALSO ENGAGED POLICY MAKERS AND THE SENATE ABOUT PERHAPS ALTERG THE LAWS TO BEE MORE CLIVE OF LGBT RIGHTS. ADVERTISEMENT AT THE MOMENT WE ARE ENFORCG THE NEED FOR HEALTH-RE STAFF TO LIVER SERVIC WHOUT PREJUDICE. CURRENTLY AS THE LAW STANDS IS NOT ILLEGAL TO BE GAY ZIMBABWE BUT ONLY ILLEGAL TO M GAY OR IMMORAL ACTS. CURRENTLY THE CHANGE I HAVE OBSERVED IS MIMAL, WHILE THE GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE HAS GIVEN LGBT CSOS THE ROOM TO ADVOTE FOR THEMSELV, THEY HAVE ALSO MANAGED TO ADVISE THE POLICE TO ALSO STAND DOWN THEIR PERSECUTN OF . IT NOW VARI ACRDG TO THE PERSONAL ATTUS ONE MAY ENUNTER.HOW DID YOUR ACTIVISM BEG?I HAD A HEALTH SRE. I HAD JT RETURNED TO ZIMBABWE AFTER PLETG MY UNRGRADUATE STUDI SOUTH AI, OUR MORE ACCEPTG NEIGHBORG UNTRY. (THIS WAS SENTIAL, I GAED MORE NFINCE AND LEARNED TO BE MORE ACCEPTG OF MYSELF AND EVENTUALLY GAED NFINCE TO E OUT TO MYSELF.) I FOUND OUT MY BOYIEND HAD BEEN UNFAHFUL AND I WAS EXPERIENCG STI-LIKE SYMPTOMS, BUT DIDN’T KNOW WHERE TO GO. PREVLY, DOCTORS HAD BEEN OBLIGATED TO REPORT S OF SPECTED SODOMY SO I WAS STRAND AND UNSURE OF WHERE TO GO TO SEEK HEALTH RE AND ASSISTANCE. I WAS TRODUCED TO THE SRC AND AFTER MEETG MANY LIKE ME, I WAS SPIRED. I WAS NOT ALONE, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY I WAS ABLE TO OBSERVE MY PRIVILEG. “WE ARE ALREADY AT RISK AS GAY MEN AND WOMEN, AND THEN THAT RISK IS HEIGHTENED BY OUR ABILY TO ACCS HEALTH SERVIC AND FEAR OF PERSECUTN”— THIERRY HART I HAVE A HEALTH GREE, AND MANY OF MY LLEAGU DUE TO POVERTY AND UNRLYG UNDIAGNOSED MENTAL HEALTH ISSU ARE OFTEN FORCED TO LEAVE SCHOOL AND NNOT WORK TOWARDS TERTIARY TN. THIS LEADS TO MANY A RTLS LGBT WHO DULG HEAVILY ACTIVI WHICH THE LONG N ARE TRIMENTAL TO OUR HEALTH SUCH AS HEAVY DRKG, MULTIPLE PARTNERS, AND SO ON. SEX WORK IS A NORM, AS WELL AS ABE. ADVERTISEMENT WE ARE ALREADY AT RISK AS GAY MEN AND WOMEN, AND THEN THAT RISK IS HEIGHTENED BY OUR ABILY TO ACCS HEALTH SERVIC AND FEAR OF PERSECUTN. THIS IS HOW I WAS SPIRED TO PUT ASI MY REER AND TNAL PURSUS AND E MY PRIVILEGE AND MY GREE TO ASSIST AND TE MY MUNY. IT PAS ME WHEN I LOOK AND I REALIZE THERE IS NOT MUCH MANY N DO FOR THEMSELV, AND THIS PLAC GREATLY AT RISK FOR HIV/AIDS AND MENTAL ILLNS. THAT IS WHY I BEGAN TO VOLUNTEER AND RRY OUT MY ACTIVISM.HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT HOW ATTUS AROUND GENR EQUALY AND SEXUAL ORIENTATN HAVE EVOLVED WHERE YOU LIVE?GRADUALLY THEY ARE EVOLVG. THE SRC TOGETHER WH OTHER CSOS AND POPULATN SERVIC INTERNATNAL HAVE BEEN NNG PROGRAMS TO IMPROVE HEALTH-RE ACCS, MAND JTICE, AND ENROLL PROGRAMS THAT PROTECT AGAST HIV AND AIDS AS WELL AS MENTAL HEALTH. WE ARE SLOWLY (TRATGLY SO) BUT SURELY ASKG FOR A SEAT AT THE TABLE. WE ARE MOVG TOWARDS ACCEPTANCE AND AT THE VERY LEAST ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND CLN.FORMER PRINT MUGABE CREATED A SYSTEM THAT WE NTUE TO SUFFER OM TODAY. HIS SYSTEM WAS A EPLY RPTED SENSE OF HIGHER MORALY THAT JTIFIED ABE ON LGBT BY CLARG A WTERN IMPORT AND IS VERY FAMO FOR HIDG BEHD RELIGN, ALBE A VERY PERVERTED SENSE OF . MANY WERE ABED, LGBT PEOPLE TURNED ON THEIR OWN ORR FOR SURVIVAL, AND THE ATH RAT OM HIV WHERE OVERWHELMG. HE PUBLICLY HUMANIZED LGBT PEOPLE AS WORSE THAN PIGS AND DOGS. THIS HAS LED TO PEOPLE JTIFYG THEIR HOMOPHOBIA, REFG TO SERVE , AND EVEN PREACHG AND NVERSN THERAPY ATTEMPTS. IT TLY IS SICKENG THE AMOUNT OF BIGOTRY HIS ACTNS GAVE BIRTH TO. ZIMBABWE IS GRADUALLY MOVG FORWARDS, BUT EVERY NOW AND THEN WE HAVE CINC THAT ALSO TAKE SEVERAL STEPS BACK AND ISOLATED S OF LGBTQ MUNY ABE WHICH, AS YOU N IMAGE, LEAVE MY MUNY WH MANY A MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE. RECENT S CLU A PARTICULAR TABLOID-LIKE GROUP THAT HAS BEEN PHG ANTI-GAY PROPAGANDA AND PUBLISHG FALSE STORI THAT POT OUT NOTHG BUT SEXUAL IMMORALY, WHILE MONIZG . ADVERTISEMENT OTHER ISOLATED EVENTS HAVE CLUD THE ABE AND ASSLT OF TRANS MEMBERS OF THE MUNY. ONE WAS EVEN FORCED TO LEAVE HER MUNY. LGBT PEOPLE HAVE SURVIVED BY FORMG THEIR OWN MUNI AND SUPPORTG ONE ANOTHER, AND LARGELY OM SUPPORT OM THE CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATNS. THEY OFFER SAFE SPAC, PROVI UNSELG, AND THE SRC, FOR EXAMPLE, HAS ON MORE THAN ONE OCSN OFFERED TO EVEN PAY FOR THE HEALTH NEEDS AND EMERGENCI OF VAR MEMBERS OF THE MUNY AND EVEN FANCIAL SUPPORT.HOW ARE TRANSGENR PEOPLE FARG ZIMBABWE?THEY ARE MY OPN THE BRAVT AND SADLY MOST ABED. THEY ARE MOST PRONE TO HIV FECTNS, ABE AT THE HANDS OF THEIR LOVERS, AND RARELY DO THEY GET JTICE. EVEN WH OUR OWN LGBT MUNY THEY ARE LOOKED DOWN UPON AND JUDGED. MANY SEE THEM AS MENTALLY ILL AND THEIR ALGS WH LAW ENFORCEMENT, HEALTH-RE STAFF, AND THE GENERAL POPULATN HAVE BEEN TRMATIZG—OM THE OUTRIGHT REFAL OF THEIR RIGHTS TO SEXUAL ABE AND RRECTIVE RAP. ONE OF MY LLEAGU, A TRANS WOMAN, HAS BEEN MISSG FOR THE LAST THREE MONTHS. THEIR MUNY IS HIGHLY PRONE TO SEX WORK, HAVG VERY LTLE TERMS OF JOB AND SCHOOL PROSPECTS WHICH I ASSUME MT BE AREAS OF TORMENT FOR THEM WH DRS LEGISLATUR PROVG TO BE VERY RTRICTIVE. MANY HAVE BEEN OSTRACIZED OM CHURCH AND EVEN BARS; THEY ARE HEAVILY MONIZED, BUT STILL, THEY ARE RILIENT. ON THE BRIGHT SI, THEY HAVE MANAGED TO TABLISH A FEW ANIZATNS OF THEIR OWN, WHICH STAND ALONE AND SUPPORT THEM, PROVIDG SAFE SPAC AND PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT, AND TERG TO AND FOR SOME FANCIAL NEEDS. A BRIGHT LIGHT IS THE SE OF RICKY NATHANSON, A TRANS WOMAN AND ADVOTE WHO WAS ARRTED FOR MAKG E OF A FEMALE TOILET. SHE SUCCSFULLY SUED THE GOVERNMENT/POLICE AND WAS AWARD DAMAG FOR HER TRMA ON THE BASIS OF THE CONSTUTN NOT SETTG CLEAR PARAMETERS OF E OF THE TOILET. SHE PLAYED A HUGE ROLE THE VELOPMENT OF THE SRC, AND CURRENTLY RIS AND WORKS THE U.S. ADVERTISEMENT TELL ME ABOUT YOUR JOBI WORK AS A KEY POPULATNS DIFFERENTIATED SERVIC DELIVERY ASSISTANT. KEY POPULATNS (KPS) CLU GAY AND BISEXUAL MEN (MEN HAVG SEX WH OTHER MEN; MSM), SEX WORKERS (SWS) AND ADOLCENT GIRLS AND YOUNG WOMEN (AGYWS). MY ROL ARE TO SERVE THE MUNI WORKG TOWARDS ACHIEVG THE 90:90:90 GOALS HIV TREATMENT AND MANAGEMENT. IT CLUS MANAGG THE DISSEMATN OF RMATN, RECG KPS TO ENROLL AND MAKE E OF PROGRAMS, EHER BY ENURAGG PROPHYLACTIC E (NDOMS, BIRTH NTROL AND PREP) OR TREATMENT (MEDIL, AND ANTIRETROVIRAL THERAPY). THIS IS TO MIMIZE THE SPREAD OF HIV. ONE OF MY OTHER ROL IS TO PROVI ADHERENCE UNSELG AND NDNG, AND HELPG VELOP EVENTS TAILOR-MA TO SU THE NEEDS OF THE KPS. “I WOULD LIKE TO REVOLUTNIZE MY UNTRY’S HEALTH-RE SYSTEM; TO MAKE MORE PREHENSIVE AND CLIVE”— THIERRY HART WHAT HAS MA YOU MOST PROUD YOUR WORK?BEG SELECTED TO ADDRS THE LEGISLATORS ON LGBT RIGHTS, WORKG WH SWS TO DISCS HEALTH, AND FACILATG AROUND DIFFERENT SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND RIGHTS TOPICS, AND DG AND SUBSTANCE ABE. ADVERTISEMENT WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO THE FUTURE?I WOULD LIKE TO REVOLUTNIZE MY UNTRY’S HEALTH-RE SYSTEM; TO MAKE MORE PREHENSIVE AND CLIVE. WE LACK TAILED SEX TN, AND PREVENTATIVE MEASUR. SEX AND FEMALE SEXUALY HAS A HEAVY TABOO PLACED ON , LEAVG OUR GIRLS (AND GAYS) EXTREMELY VULNERABLE, EXPOSED AND NFED TO PARTICULAR BOX. I WOULD LIKE TO PROTECT THEM MORE. SEXUAL MORI SHOULD NOT ENUNTER BARRIERS WHEN TO ACCSG MUCH-NEED HEALTH-RE SERVIC. I WOULD LIKE TO PUT WOMEN AND LGBT PEOPLE BETTER PLAC AND ADVANCE OUR MOVEMENTS FOR SEATS AT THE TABLE AND NEGOTIATE FOR BETTER HEALTH RE AND RIGHTS. WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE FOR OTHER YOUNG PEOPLE WANTG TO GET ACTIVE THIS FIELD?FE YOUR OWN PATH, DILIGENTLY AND EMPHATILLY BUT WH PATIENCE. THERE IS MORE THAN ONE RIGHT ANSWER AND EVEN QUIET, FACELS ACTIVISM IS STILL ACTIVISM… JT LIKE WONR WOMAN. ADVERTISEMENT LEO CRANNEY, 26, SAN FRANCIS, U.S.GROWG UPI’M QUEER, AND OF TRANS EXPERIENCE. I GREW UP A FEW SMALL TOWNS SOUTHERN IDAHO. MY PARENTS DIVORCED WHEN I WAS 3, AND MY FATHER GOT CTODY. HE REMARRIED WHEN I WAS AROUND 5. HE AND MY STEPMOM ARE VERY STRICTLY MORMON. MOST OF SOUTHERN IDAHO IS MORMON, WAS ALL I KNEW FOR A REALLY LONG TIME. I WAS A BELIEVER FOR A WHILE UNTIL I GOT OLR AND REALIZED DIDN’T FEEL GOOD. I DIDN’T AGREE WH MOST PEOPLE ON ANYTHG. I REMEMBER HAVG TO TAKE A TT AT HIGH SCHOOL SIGNED TO SEE WHO WAS NSERVATIVE AND WHO WAS LIBERAL. I WAS THE ONLY LIBERAL THE CLASS. I TOLD MY FAY AND THEY WERE LIKE, “OH NO.” I REMEMBER BEG TOLD WHEN I WAS YOUNGER THAT GAY PEOPLE WERE BAD AND GOG TO HELL.TODAY, THE MORMON CHURCH MAY HAVE GOTTEN A LTLE BETTER (AROUND LGBTQ ISSU), BUT LIKE ALL LARGE STUTNS THIS HAS HAPPENED BEE PEOPLE MAND CHANGE, THEY WERE FORCED TO CHANGE—RATHER THAN THKG WAS THE RIGHT THG TO DO.TELL ME ABOUT G OUT ADVERTISEMENT I DIDN’T KNOW I WAS QUEER UNTIL I WAS 19. LOOKG BACK I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN. THERE WERE LOTS OF SIGNS AND FEELGS, BUT I WAS TOLD AS A CHILD THAT ONLY BAD PEOPLE WERE QUEER. I THOUGHT, “I’M NOT A BAD PERSON SO I N’T BE QUEER.” I DIDN’T KNOW FOR A LONG TIME.I WAS LLEGE WHEN I ME OUT, AND WAED TO E TO CALIFORNIA BEFORE I TOLD MY PARENTS OVER THE PHONE. I AM NOT TOUCH WH ANY HIGH SCHOOL IENDS. ONCE I ME OUT, MANY OF THEM UNIEND ME ON FACEBOOK. I HAVE NOT SPOKEN TO ANYONE OM HIGH SCHOOL YEARS, AND I AM NOT TERTED ANY OF THEIR BELIEFS EHER.I ME OUT AS TRANS A LTLE OVER A YEAR AGO. MY FAY DIDN’T DISOWN ME. IT HAS BEEN ODD TO ME THAT PEOPLE CELEBRATE THAT FACT— IS WEIRD TO ME THAT THAT IS THE BAR. I N SAY THAT MY FAY KD OF TRI. SOME OF THEM TRY HARR THAN OTHERS. I AM NOT VERY CLOSE TO THEM, SO N ONLY WATCH THEIR REACTNS OM A DISTANCE. I AM G TO PEACE WH THAT, BUT ’S HARD, PECIALLY AFTER GROWG UP A RELIGN WHERE FAY IS VERY IMPORTANT. WE ARE TOLD TO LOVE OUR FAI NO MATTER WHAT. BUT ’S HARD TO SEE PEOPLE SAY, “I LOVE YOU,” BUT THEN NOT TAKE THE TIME TO GET TO KNOW YOU.HOW HAS YOUR QUEER JOURNEY BEEN?I DIDN’T EVEN KNOW TRANS PEOPLE EXISTED UNTIL I WAS AN ADULT. THERE WAS NOBODY WHO WAS OUT WHERE I LIVED. IT WAS VERY HH-HH, NOBODY TALKED ABOUT . WHEN I MOVED TO CALIFORNIA, I HAD TRANS AND GENR-DIVERSE IENDS WHO OPENED MY EY TO WHAT IS POSSIBLE. THE SOCIALLY NSTCTED BARY OF GENR IS WEIRD, AND NOT EVEN NORMAL. ADVERTISEMENT I WISH I WOULD HAVE KNOWN AND BEEN EXPOSED TO A LOT MORE WHEN I WAS YOUNGER. BUT I DIDN’T KNOW WAS EVEN A POSSIBILY, SO TOOK ME A LONG TIME TO GET HERE. I HADN’T REALLY HAD A LONG-TERM RELATNSHIP UNTIL I MET MY PRENT PARTNER. WE HAVE BEEN TOGETHER FOR JT OVER A YEAR. “THERE IS A NSTANT NVERSATN ABOUT QUEER AND TRANS RIGHTS ALWAYS ON THE TABLE—ALTHOUGH PROBABLY NOT THE WAY SHOULD BE OR LED BY THE PEOPLE WHO SHOULD BE LEADG ”— LEO CRANNEY HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE STATE OF LGBTQ RIGHTS AND EQUALY AMERI RIGHT NOW?IT’S GREAT A WAY. THERE IS A NSTANT NVERSATN ABOUT QUEER AND TRANS RIGHT ALWAYS ON THE TABLE—ALTHOUGH PROBABLY NOT THE WAY SHOULD BE OR LED BY THE PEOPLE WHO SHOULD BE LEADG . BUT AT LEAST NVERSATNS ARE BEG HAD. IT IS HEARTBREAKG THAT BLACK TRANS WOMEN ARE BEG MURRED, AND LATER MISGENRED BY THE NEWS. I HAVE MIXED FEELGS. I AM PROUD TO WORK FOR STUTNS THAT ARE FIGHTG FOR OUR RIGHTS, BUT IS ALSO SAD THAT ONCE WAS TRANS PEOPLE BATHROOMS THAT PEOPLE FOCED ON, NOW ’S TRANS KIDS PLAYG SPORTS.TMP AND PENCE ARE TERRIFYG. THIS ADMISTRATN NEEDS TO GO. I DON’T THK THE DEMOCRATS ARE MUCH BETTER. I READ AN TERVIEW WH ANGELA DAVIS, WHERE SHE TALKED ABOUT THE NEED FOR A THIRD PARTY THAT UNRSTOOD BLACK, TRANS, AND QUEER PEOPLE. THAT PARTY DON’T EXIST YET, BUT THAT’S THE PARTY I WOULD BELIEVE . LEO ADVERTISEMENT TELL ME ABOUT YOUR ACTIVISMI AM STILL A STUNT AT MILLS COLLEGE, OAKLAND. I WILL GRADUATE DECEMBER. PUBLIC POLICY LAW IS THE FOC OF MY STUDY. I AM VERY EXCED TO WORK PART-TIME WH THE LAWYERS’ COMMTEE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS UNR LAW, WHICH FOC ON ENOMIC, RACIAL, AND IMMIGRANT JTICE. I SEE THEM MAKG CHANG WH THIS ADMISTRATN, AND ’S HEARTWARMG.ON MP, I LED A MPAIGN TO GET REGULAR TRASH NS (ALONGSI POSTABLE ON) STALLED THE MEN’S RTROOMS. I WAS STILL EXPERIENCG PERDS, AND WAS A PROBLEM FOR ME—HAVG TO THROW WHAT I E THE POSTABLE TRASH OR RRY OUT TO THE HALL. ALSO, CIS MEN GENERATE TRASH WHICH ISN’T POSTABLE! I ALSO LED A MPAIGN TO MAKE TRANS HEALTH RE MORE ACCSIBLE ON MP, LEADG TO PRODUCE A RD WH A LIST OF TRANS HEALTH-RE PROVIRS THE LOL AREA. MY EXPERIENCE OF THE BAY AREA IS THAT MOST DOCTORS HAVE NO EXPERIENCE OF TRANS HEALTH RE. “I HAD A DOCTOR LERALLY SAY TO MY FACE, ‘I KNOW NOTHG ABOUT TRANS HEALTH RE AND DON’T PLAN ON LEARNG ANYTHG ABOUT ’” I HAD A DOCTOR LERALLY SAY TO MY FACE, “I KNOW NOTHG ABOUT TRANS HEALTH RE AND DON’T PLAN ON LEARNG ANYTHG ABOUT .” EVERY TIME I SEE HER SHE REMDS ME TO GO SEE A DIFFERENT DOCTOR. HER EXCE IS THAT SHE’S OLD AND HAS ALREADY LEARNED A LOT, AND DON’T FEEL LIKE LEARNG ANYTHG ELSE. ADVERTISEMENT INSURANCE FOR AFFIRMG PROCR HAS BEEN A STGGLE FOR ME. EVERYTHG HAS BEEN ON HOLD FOR EIGHT MONTHS NOW, WHICH HAS BEEN EXTREMELY TRATG. TRANSNG HAS BEEN HARD. I HAVE BEEN ON TTOSTERONE FOR A WHILE, BUT HAVEN’T HAD SURGERI. I THK I MAY SEEM NFG TO PEOPLE. BEE OF A BACK JURY I DON’T BD. I ALSO HAVE FACIAL HAIR. BUT I AM WHE, AND THAT GIV ME PRIVILEGE AND A PASS A LOT OF PLAC. I FD MYSELF THKG LOTS OF THGS, LIKE ARE PEOPLE BEG TO ME, EYEG ME UP? ARE THEY TRANSPHOBIC, OR AM I DOG SOMETHG WRONG, OR ARE THEY HAVG A BAD DAY? I’M ALSO 5 FOOT 2, SO I’M NCERNED FOR MY SAFETY WAYS I HAVEN’T BEEN BEFORE.I SEE A LOT OF TRANS MEN ON TWTER SAY THEY FEEL ERASED. I DO NOT. TO ME, ’S LIKE THOSE PEOPLE WHO SAY ALL LIV MATTER RPONSE TO BLACK LIV MATTER. WELL, Y THEY DO, BUT ’S BLACK LIV WE SHOULD BE FOCED ON RIGHT NOW. TRANS MEN DO EXPERIENCE HARM, BUT ’S BLACK TRANS WOMEN WHO ARE BEG MURRED, AND TRANS WOMEN WHO FAMO PEOPLE LIKE TO ATTACK. SO OUR FOC AND SUPPORT SHOULD BE WH THEM. I HAVE NEVER SEEN A FAMO PERSON ATTACK TRANS MEN. “I DON’T KNOW IF I HAVE DONE ENOUGH OF THE WORK TO FEEL PROUD, AND DON’T KNOW IF I EVER WILL FEEL I HAVE DONE ENOUGH OF THE WORK TO FEEL PROUD”— LEO CRANNEY WHAT HAS MA YOU PROUST YOUR WORK?I JT THK THE WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE AND I’M A POSN TO BE PRIVILEGED TO HAVE THE ROURC AND TIME TO DO THE WORK. I FEEL I SHOULD DO , BUT I ALSO ENJOY . I DON’T KNOW IF I HAVE DONE ENOUGH OF THE WORK TO FEEL PROUD, AND DON’T KNOW IF I EVER WILL FEEL I HAVE DONE ENOUGH OF THE WORK TO FEEL PROUD. ADVERTISEMENT WHAT ABOUT THE FUTURE?I PLAN ON GETTG A MASTERS PUBLIC POLICY, THEN TAKG A BREAK OM SCHOOL. I WOULD LIKE TO GET VOLVED THE LEGISLATIVE PROCS—PLANNG, WRG, AND PHG THROUGH POLICY, WHICH WOULD BE EXCG. I'VE BEEN WORKG WH THE EQUALY CALIFORNIA INSTUTE. LAST YEAR I ATTEND THEIR LEARSHIP AMY AS A STUNT FELLOW, AND THIS SUMMER I WAS ACCEPTED TO THEIR COMST FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM. I WOULD LOVE TO WORK WH THEM, OR THE TRANSGENR LAW CENTER, TO WORK ON PHG LEGISLATN THROUGH TO IMPROVE THE LIV OF THE LGBTQ MUNY. THEN LAW SCHOOL AFTER THAT. I WANT TO BE GOOD ENOUGH AT LAW TO DO THGS PRO BONO FOR PEOPLE. BUT NOTHG IS SET STONE. I HAVE LEARNED THAT LIFE LGHS AT YOU IF YOU MAKE PLANS. I HAVE A FUZZY GOAL, AND I’M JT TRYG TO GET THERE.WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR OTHER YOUNG ACTIVISTS?IT’S HARD TO START, PECIALLY IF YOU E OM A PLACE WHERE ACTIVISM IS A BAD THG. IT WAS HARD FOR ME TO GET A FOOT THROUGH THE DOOR. BUT APPLY FOR THGS, REACH OUT TO PEOPLE, AND JT DO ! TIM TEEMAN
• GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENT
• 7 EARLY PNEERS OF THE GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENTBEFORE THE STONEWALL RTS, THE ACTIVISTS HELPED SET THE STAGE FOR ADVANC THE LGBTQ CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT.BY: JOSEPH BENNGTON-CASTROUPDATED: JUNE 8, 2023 | ORIGAL: JUNE 1, 2023PY PAGE LKPRT PAGEBILL MRER/NY DAILY NEWS ARCHIVE VIA GETTY IMAGTHE 1960S SAW SOME MAJOR STRIS LGBTQ ACTIVISM, CLUDG THE GAY “SIP-IN” PROTT AGAST DISCRIMATN OM NEW YORK CY BARS AND THE 1969 STONEWALL RTS. BUT SOME ACTIVISTS TOOK A STAND FOR LGBTQ RIGHTS BEFORE THAT FAMED , OPERATG UNR THE FEAR OF LOSG THEIR JOBS SHOULD THEY BE OUTED OR BEG ARRTED FOR SIMPLY EXISTG HETERONORMATIVE SPAC. THE URAGE OF THE EARLY U.S. QUEER ACTIVISTS SET THE STAGE FOR POLIL VICTORI LGBTQ RIGHTS THE S TO E.WILLIAM DORSEY SWANN (1860–?)JT THREE YEARS BEFORE THE EMANCIPATN PROCLAMATN, WILLIAM DORSEY SWANN WAS BORN THE PROPERTY OF A WHE PLANTATN WOMAN, ACRDG TO REARCH BY CHANNG GERARD JOSEPH. HE GREW UP TO BEE THE FIRST PERSON THE UNED STAT TO FIGHT FOR THE LGBTQ MUNY’S RIGHT TO GATHER THROUGH LEGAL AND POLIL CHANNELS. HE WAS ALSO THE FIRST SELF-PROFSED QUEEN OF DRAG.SWANN HELD DRAG BALLS, OR DANCE PARTI WHICH ATTEN (BLACK MEN, MANY FORMER SLAV) WOULD DRS WOMEN’S SILKS AND SATS. ONE OF THE WASHGTON, D.C. PARTI WAS RAID BY POLICE 1888 AND ABOUT A DOZEN OF THE DRAGGED-UP ATTEN WERE ARRTED, SWANN CLUD.HE WAS TAED SEVERAL MORE TIM AND NVICTED 1896 FOR THE FALSE CHARGE OF “KEEPG A DISORRLY HOE,” OR A BROTHEL. DURG HIS 10-MONTH SENTENCE, SWANN PETNED PRINT GROVER CLEVELAND FOR A PARDON, WHICH WAS NIED. AFTER HIS RELEASE, SWANN NTUED TO THROW BALLS AS THE QUEEN OF DRAG. THE YEAR OF HIS ATH IS UNCERTA, ALTHOUGH SOME LIST AS 1925, WHEN HE WOULD HAVE BEEN 66-67 YEARS OLD.HENRY GERBER (1892–1972)IN 1924, HENRY GERBER FOUND THE FIRST GAY RIGHTS ANIZATN AMERI: THE SOCIETY FOR HUMAN RIGHTS. THE CHIGO-BASED ANIZATN PRODUCED FRIENDSHIP AND FREEDOM, THE FIRST AMERIN PUBLITN FOR HOMOSEXUALS.IN 1925, GERBER AND OTHER ANIZATN MEMBERS WERE ARRTED FOR “OBSCENY” AFTER THE POLICE RECEIVED A TIP OM A -FOUNR’S WIFE. THOUGH THE CHARG WERE EVENTUALLY DROPPED, FIGHTG THEM ST GERBER HIS LIFE’S SAVGS AND HIS JOB WH THE U.S. POSTAL SERVICE, AS WELL AS THE DISSOLUTN OF HIS ANIZATN.GERBER WENT ON TO LIVE AN UNASSUMG LIFE, WRG ARTICL ABOUT HOMOSEXUAL OPPRSN UNR A PSDONYM, WORKG AND BUILDG MUNY.HARRY HAY (1912–2002)HARRY HAY WAS A MUNIST ACTIVIST WHO -FOUND THE MATTACHE SOCIETY, THE FIRST ENDURG GAY RIGHTS ANIZATN, 1950. HAY WAS SUBSEQUENTLY DIVORCED BY HIS WIFE, FELLOW MUNIST ANA PLATKY, AND EXPELLED OM THE MUNIST PARTY, WHICH NSIRED HIM A SECURY RISK, A FEW YEARS LATER. THE BURGEONG MATTACHE SOCIETY FORCED HAY AND OTHER MUNIST FOUNRS TO STEP DOWN 1953.HAY NTUED HIS QUEER ACTIVISM FOLLOWG HIS EXPULSN. HE WAS ELECTED THE FIRST CHAIR OF THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA GAY LIBERATN FRONT—A ANT QUEER RIGHTS GROUP—AFTER THE STONEWALL RTS AND -FOUND THE RADIL FAIRI A LATER. HE SPENT HIS LATER YEARS BEG VOLVED NATIVE AMERIN TWO-SPIR ACTIVISM.DEL MART (1921–2008) AND PHYLLIS LYON (1924–2020)NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARYPHYLIS LYON AND DEL MART, CIR 1970.IN 1955, DEL MART AND PHYLLIS LYON -FOUND THE FIRST MAJOR ANIZATN FOR LBIANS THE UNED STAT—THE DGHTERS OF BILIS. THE UPLE SOON LNCHED AND BEME EDORS OF LADR, THE ANIZATN’S NATNAL PUBLITN AND PLATFORM FOR LBIANS TO ANONYMOLY OR OPENLY WRE ABOUT ISSU PERTENT TO THE MUNY. MART AND LYON WERE ALSO THE FIRST LBIAN UPLE TO JO THE NATNAL ORGANIZATN FOR WOMEN.DGHTERS OF BILIS EVENTUALLY SHUTTERED AS THE QUEER RIGHTS MOVEMENT BEME MORE ANT, BUT MART AND LYON NTUED THEIR ACTIVISM. AFTER MORE THAN FIVE S TOGETHER, THE PAIR WERE THE FIRST OF 90 GAY UPL TO BE ILLEGALLY MARRIED BY SAN FRANCIS’S THEN-MAYOR GAV NEWSOM. THEY WERE MARRIED AGA FOUR YEARS LATER, 2008, AFTER CALIFORNIA LEGALIZED SAME-SEX MARRIAGE. DALE JENNGS (1917–2000)A FOUNDG MEMBER OF THE MATTACHE SOCIETY, DALE JENNGS BEME A QUEER RIGHTS HERO WHEN HE PROTTED URT A 1951 CHARGE OF SEXUAL SOLICATN LOS ANGEL. AT THE TIME, ENTRAPMENT BY TECTIV POSG AS GAY MEN BARS, PUBLIC PARKS, AND RTROOMS WAS MON. THOSE CHARGED WH SOLICG POLICE OFFICERS FOR SEX TYPILLY PLEAD GUILTY RATHER THAN FACE BEG OUTED AS GAY. JENNGS, AT HAY’S SUGGTN, FOUGHT THE CHARGE TO BRG ATTENTN TO THE DISCRIMATORY POLICY. IN 1952, THE JURY ADLOCKED FOR ACQUTAL AND THE JUDGE DISMISSED THE CHARGE.THAT YEAR, JENNGS -FOUND ONE INC., WHICH PRODUCED THE NATNAL GAY JOURNAL ONE MAGAZE. IN 1954, A LOS ANGEL POSTMASTER NFISTED THE MAGAZE FOR BEG ''OBSCENE, LEWD, LASCIV AND FILTHY,” WHICH ONE FOUGHT URT. A LOWER URT LED FAVOR OF THE POSTMASTER BUT THE U.S. SUPREME COURT, 1958, UNANIMOLY REVERSED THE CISN, UPHOLDG A NSTUTNAL PROTECTN FOR PRO-GAY WRGS.CHRISTE JENSEN (1926–1989)
• AFTER YEARS OF PROGRS ON GAY RIGHTS, HOW DID THE US BEE SO ANTI-LGBTQ+?

THE YOUNG LGBTQ ACTIVISTS ARE FIGHTG FOR CHANGE ALL OVER THE WORLD, SOME RISKG THEIR LIV‘FORGE YOUR OWN PATH’GETTYTHE SPIRG YOUNG LGBTQ ACTIVISTS—OM NIGERIA, ZIMBABWE, COLOMBIA, ATRALIA, AND THE U.S.—ARE FIGHTG FOR EQUALY THEIR UNTRI, EVEN IF PUTS THEIR LIV PERIL.TIM TEEMANSENR EDOR AND WRERUPDATED JUN. 12, 2020 12:57PM EDT / PUBLISHED JUN. 12, 2020 4:16AM EDT WOMEN DELIVER, WHICH CHAMPNS GENR EQUALY AND THE HEALTH AND RIGHTS OF GIRLS AND WOMEN ALL OVER THE WORLD, JT ANNOUNCED S NEWT CLASS OF 300 YOUNG ADVOT OM 96 UNTRI. ALMOST A THIRD OF THIS NEW CLASS IS MA UP OF LGBTQIA+ DIVIDUALS WORKG ON GENR EQUALY THEIR MUNI AND UNTRI.BELOW, SIX OF THE ADVOT—OM ZIMBABWE, COLOMBIA, NIGERIA, THE USA, AND ATRALIA—TALK ABOUT THEIR LIV AND ACTIVISM. ALL OF THEM ARE PASSNATE, ELOQUENT, AND TERMED. SOME ARE RISKG THEIR SAFETY AND THEIR LIV TO DO WHAT THEY BELIEVE . ESPECIALLY PRI MONTH, THEIR BRAVERY WHEN STANDG UP TO EXTREME PREJUDICE AND BULLI SHOULD SPIRE ALL LGBTQ PEOPLE AND THEIR ALLI TO FIGHT ON. TIM TEEMAN JORDAN CHASA, 23, ZIMBABWEI GREW UP HARARE, ZIMBABWE, FOR THE MAJORY OF MY LIFE BUT I FISHED MY FAL YEARS OF HIGH SCHOOL JOHANNBURG, SOUTH AI. I AM A WOMAN OF TRANSGENR EXPERIENCE. I FE MY SEXUALY AS BEG PANSEXUAL BEE I AM NOT ATTRACTED TO ANY SPECIFIC GENR. GROWG UPMY CHILDHOOD WAS VERY WEIRD BEE OM AS EARLY AS I REMEMBER WAS ALWAYS A PROBLEM THAT I WAS SO FEME. AT HOME, AT SCHOOL, AROUND OTHER CHILDREN MY AGE, THE ROUNDG QUTN WAS ALWAYS “WHY DO YOU ACT LIKE A GIRL JORDAN, N’T YOU JT BE NORMAL?” SO, OM AN EARLY AGE HAD ALREADY BEEN REGISTERED TO MY MD THAT I WASN'T WHAT SOCIETY WOULD CLASS AS “NORMAL” BASED ON THE GENR BARI THAT EXIST AND THAT HAVE ERNED THE STATE OF OUR SOCIETY FOR CENTURI.AS A RULT OF NSTANTLY BEG REMD THAT SOMETHG WAS “WRONG” WH ME, I END UP BEG VERY CLOSED OFF AND PROTECTIVE OF MYSELF BEE I KNEW THAT REJECTN WAS ALWAYS SOMETHG I NEED TO BE READY FOR BEE I WAS SO DIFFERENT. I SPENT MOST OF MY CHILDHOOD TRYG TO LEARN HOW TO BE “NORMAL” AND TO BE ABLE TO F TO AVOID UNFORTABLE SUATNS, WHICH DIRECTLY LED ME TO BEG SOMEONE WHO STUDIED THE PATTERNS AND NSISTENCI WH OUR SOCIETY. I WOULD SAY THAT MY CHILDHOOD WAS FILLED WH A LOT OF TRMATIC EXPERIENC, A LOT OF EMBARRASSMENT, A LARGE AMOUNT OF MY TIME TRYG TO FD A PLACE THAT I F TO, AND ALSO A LOT OF SELF-LOATHG FOR NOT BEG “NORMAL” AND THE FACT THAT WASN’T SOMETHG I ULD JT CHANGE.HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED BULLYG AND PREJUDICE? I HAVE EXPERIENCED A LOT OF PREJUDICE AND BULLYG THROUGHOUT MY LIFE EVEN THE PRENT TIM. WHEN I WAS MUCH YOUNGER I WOULD HANDLE VERY BADLY. I WOULD GET REALLY SAD AND I WOULD CRY AND WONR WHY THGS WEREN’T SO GREAT FOR ME. I WOULD PARE MYSELF TO OTHER PEOPLE AND TRY TO UNRSTAND WHAT I HAD DONE TO SERVE MY PLIGHT. ADVERTISEMENT I EVENTUALLY BEME VERY PRSED AND EVEN SUICIDAL THE OLR THAT I GOT. I ED TO DULGE SELF-HARM AS AN OUTLET FOR MY PA. AS I’VE GOTTEN OLR HAS BEE EASIER TO AL WH. IT’S SOMETHG THAT I KNOW TO EXPECT. I WILL SAY THAT THERE ARE DAYS WHEN N ALL BEE TOO OVERWHELMG AND I DO NEED TO HAVE A GOOD CRY. BUT MALY I JT SHARE WHAT I’M FEELG WH MY CLOST IENDS.I FIRST ME OUT AS GAY WHEN I WAS ABOUT 14. I TOLD MY FAY, BUT THERE WEREN’T OPEN ARMS TO ME G OUT, WAS MORE LIKE SOMETHG THAT ADD TO THE PROBLEMS OF ME ALREADY NOT BEG “NORMAL.” AS TIME WENT ON I STARTED TO REALIZE THAT I WASN’T ACTUALLY GAY BEE THE IA OF FG MYSELF AS A MAN WAS SOMETHG THAT NEVER SAT WELL WH ME AND WAS VERY APPARENT THE KD OF PARTNERS THAT I WOULD ATTRACT. I LATER ME OUT PUBLICLY AS A TRANS WOMAN THROUGH A FACEBOOK POST (THERE WAS A LOT OF PHBACK OM PEOPLE MY LIFE AS THEY FELT ENTLED TO KNOWG ABOUT BEFORE SEEG ON A FACEBOOK POST, WHICH I LARGELY DISAGREED WH). MY CISN WAS MY OWN, AND I CHOSE TO BE HONT ABOUT WHO I AM ORR TO LET OTHERS KNOW THAT ’S OK TO BE PROUD OF YOUR DIFFERENCE.MY FAY IS VERY CHRISTIAN AND THERE WAS ALWAYS HOMOPHOBIC RHETORIC THAT I GREW UP AROUND, SO WHEN I ME OUT THERE WAS A LOT OF PHBACK, AND MANY QUTNS ABOUT WHY I WAS CHOOSG TO PURSUE THIS LIFE REGARDLS OF EVERYTHG I GREW UP KNOWG; WHY I WAS CHOOSG TO BE REBELL AND SO ON. IT WAS ALWAYS A PROBLEM. MY DAD IS SOMEONE WHO BELIEV THAT QUEERNS OR TRANSNS IS SOMETHG ONLY THE VIL ULD FACILATE, SO WAS ALWAYS A SUATN OF HIM TRYG TO PRAY THIS “SPIR” OUT OF ME. THEY ARE MORE RPECTFUL AND TOLERANT NOW. JORDAN CHASA, ZIMBABWECOURTY JORDAN CHASA WHAT ARE THE LAWS AND ATTUS LIKE TOWARDS LGBTQ PEOPLE ZIMBABWE NOW? ADVERTISEMENT THE LAWS REGARDG LGBTQIA+ PERSONS WHERE I LIVE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN VERY ANTI. THE RHETORIC OF ZIMBABWEANS IS VERY, VERY HOMOPHOBIC AND TRANSPHOBIC DUE TO THE FACT THAT OUT FORMER PRINT, ROBERT GABRIEL MUGABE, WAS SO STRONG ON HIS ANTI LGBTQIA+ STANCE. MUGABE ONCE LLED HOMOSEXUALY “UNNATURAL,” AND SAID THAT “THERE IS NO QUTN OF EVER ALLOWG THE PEOPLE TO BEHAVE WORSE THAN DOGS AND PIGS.” THE LAW STAT THAT TWO MEN ARE NOT TO ENGAGE SODOMY AND IS THEREFORE A PUNISHABLE OFFENSE. THAT IS THE ONLY LAW THAT REALLY SPEAKS ABOUT THE LGBTQIA+ MUNY AND OUR PRACTIC. ALSO, SAME SEX MARRIAGE IS NOT REGNIZED THIS UNTRY. THIS LAW HAS BEEN THE PREMISE FOR MANY RAIDS AND VLENT ACTS ENACTED ON OUR MUNY. THERE ED TO BE A LAW THAT STATED THAT IF ANYONE SPECTS THAT A FELLOW CIZEN IS ENGAGG HOMOSEXUAL ACTIVY THEN THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO FOLLOW THROUGH WH A CIZEN’S ARRT UNTIL THE POLICE ARRIVE. OVER TIME THE TENSN AND HATE TOWARDS OUR MUNY HAS LSENED. WHEN OUR NEW PRINT ME TO POWER HE HAD A MEETG WH PEOPLE WHO LEAD LGBTQIA+ ANIZATNS WHERE HE SAID THAT IS NOT HIS JOB TO MPAIGN FOR OUR MUNY, BUT THAT WAS FACT THE JOB OF OUR MUNY TO NVCE OUR FELLOW CIZENS TO UNRSTAND . THIS GAVE A LOT OF HOPE TO OUR MUNY AS SHOWED THAT HE WAS NOT OUTRIGHT HIS ANTI-LGBTQIA+ STANCE LIKE OUR PREV PRINT.WHEN DID YOUR ACTIVISM BEG? ADVERTISEMENT MY ACTIVISM BEGAN WHEN I FIRST ME OUT AS GAY AND I ULD SEE THAT SOCIETY HAD SO MANY NSISTENCI ROOTED S SYSTEM. IT MA ME VERY ANGRY THAT OTHER HUMANS FELT LIKE THEY HAD THE RIGHT TO PLAY GOD AND EFFECTIVELY FEEL AS IF THEY HAD THE POWER TO EVEN END SOMEONE’S LIFE ON THE BASIS THAT IS NOT “NORMAL” TO BE OM OUR MUNY. “I ED TO GET FOLLOWED TOWN, I WOULD RECEIVE ATH THREATS AND PEOPLE WOULD THREATEN TO BEAT ME SENSELSLY. I WAS REFED JOBS, I WAS REFED ENTRY TO CERTA PLAC JT BEE OF MY INTY”— JORDAN CHASA I SAW HOW SO MANY OF THE PEOPLE I HAD LLED IENDS AND FAY TURNED AWAY OM ME JT BEE THEY KNEW THIS NEW RMATN ABOUT ME. IT WAS WORSE WHEN I ME OUT AS A TRANS WOMEN AND THERE WAS EVEN MORE PHBACK. I ED TO GET FOLLOWED TOWN, I WOULD RECEIVE ATH THREATS AND PEOPLE WOULD THREATEN TO BEAT ME SENSELSLY. I WAS REFED JOBS, I WAS REFED ENTRY TO CERTA PLAC JT BEE OF MY INTY. THIS MA ME EXTREMELY OUTRAGED BEE I FELT LIKE I WAS NOW FALLY LIVG MY TTH AND SOCIETY WASN’T HAPPY ABOUT . WHEN I WAS YOUNGER I SPENT A LOT OF MY LIFE TRYG TO HI WHO I WAS TO F AND THAT WASN'T ENOUGH—AND SO FELT LIKE YOU ACTUALLY NEVER W WH SOCIETY IF YOU ARE SOMEONE BORN OUTSI OF THE SPE OF “NORMALY.” I BEGAN TO WANT TO FIGHT FOR MY PLACE WH THIS SOCIETY, WHICH LED ME TO ALSO NSIR PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT HAVE ALL THE PRIVILEGE THAT I HAVE AND ARE FAR WORSE CIRCUMSTANC THAN MYSELF, WHICH IS WHERE MY ACTIVISM JOURNEY BEGAN.ARE ATTUS TO GENR AND SEXUALY CHANGG? ADVERTISEMENT THE ATTU SURROUNDG GENR EQUALY, GENR INTY, AND SEXUAL ORIENTATN HAVE EVOLVED ONLY BY A SMALL AMOUNT. MY UNTRY IS BUILT ON A VERY PATRIARCHAL SYSTEM THAT GRATIFI HETEROSEXUAL MEN AND IS STILL VERY MUCH LIKE THAT. THERE HASN’T BEEN MUCH CHANGE BEE WE ONLY HAVE FEW WOMEN HIGH POSNS OF POWER AND EVEN THE WOMEN PERPETUATE MISOGYNY AND THE PATRIARCHY. THERE IS AN ATTU THAT WOMEN SHOULD KNOW THEIR PLACE THE SOCIETY AND THAT PLACE HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO SERVE THE MAN. IN TERMS OF GENR INTY IS VERY PLEX BEE SOME OF OUR CULTURAL HISTORY, THE IA OF SOMEONE TRANSCENDG THE RIGID GENR NORMS WAS NSIRED TO BE A SPIRUAL THG AND TRANS PEOPLE WERE TREATED WH GREAT REVERENCE AND RPECT, BUT OVER TIME THERE HAS BEEN SOME NFN.THE PATRIARCHY IS NOT VERY UNRSTANDG OF THE IA THAT A “MAN” WOULD BE WILLG TO DISRPECT THE IA OF WHAT MEANS TO BE A MAN BY CHOOSG TO LIVE AS A WOMAN. IN THE SAME BREATH THEY WILL NOT RPECT TRANS WOMEN BEE THEY NNOT BE NSUMED BY MEN THE SAME WAY THAT CIS-WOMEN ARE NSUMED BY MEN. ON THE FLIP SI THEY NNOT RPECT A “WOMAN” WHO IS CHOOSG TO LIVE AS A MAN BEE THEIR MDS A WOMAN ULD NEVER POSSS THE NATE POWER THAT A MAN DO—THEREFORE THEY ULD NEVER BE A MAN. IN THE SAME BREATH THEY SEE AS THE “WOMAN” REBELLG AGAST THE PATRIARCHY, ASSUMG THAT THIS PERSON WANTS TO MAKE A REBELL STATEMENT BEE NO MAN WANTS TO NSUME HER OR PARTAKE OF HER BODY SEXUALLY. IN TERMS OF SEXUAL ORIENTATN, THE BELIEF STANDS STRONG HERE THAT PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT MEN BELONG WH WOMEN AND THAT IS THE ONLY SEXUAL ORIENTATN THAT WILL BE ACKNOWLEDGED.WHAT DO YOUR WORK FOC ON? ADVERTISEMENT I AM AN ACTIVIST FOR LGBTQIA+ RIGHTS MALY FOCG ON TRANS RIGHTS. MY WORK VOLV ME HELPG TO MOBILIZE PEOPLE WH MY MUNY AND THEN HELPG TO PROVI THEM WH ACCS TO EE SEXUAL HEALTH SERVIC. MY WORK ALSO CLUS HELPG TO CREATE SAFE SPAC FOR PEOPLE WH MY MUNY TO BE ABLE TO MUNE WH PEOPLE WHO ARE ALSO DIFFERENT, BUT ALSO PEOPLE THAT THEY N RELATE TO BEE OF THEIR DIFFERENCE. A LARGE PART OF MY WORK VOLV ACTIVISM THROUGH THE MEDIA. IN OUR UNTRY IS IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO SEE THAT PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF EXIST ON MAJOR PLATFORMS, SO I SPEND A LOT OF MY TIME FDG PLAC TO SPEAK ABOUT ISSU RELATG TO OUR MUNY, BY SHARG STORI OM OUR MUNY—BUT MALY BY SHARG MY OWN EXPERIENC AN ATTEMPT TO SHED LIGHT ON THE HUMANY THAT OUR MUNY POSSS. I WORK FOR A TRANS ANIZATN, I AM ALSO PART OF A LLECTIVE OF QUEER PEOPLE WHO WORK TO CREATE SAFE SPAC AND EVENTS FOR LGBTQIA+ PERSONS A UNTRY WHERE THIS IS SO MUCH FEAR AND TENSN SURROUNDG THIS TOPIC. “WHEN A YOUNGER PERSON NTACTS ME TO TELL ME THAT THEY ADMIRE EVERYTHG THAT I AM DOG, AND THAT THEY GAED THE URAGE TO BE MORE HONT WH THEMSELV BEE OF ME, WARMS MY HEART TO THE RE”— JORDAN CHASA WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF ACHIEVG? ADVERTISEMENT WHAT HAS MA ME MOST PROUD MY WORK IS TO SEE HOW THE URAGE WH OUR MUNY HAS EVOLVED JT THE SPACE THAT I HAVE BEEN DOG WHAT I AM DOG. WHEN A YOUNGER PERSON WH OUR MUNY NTACTS ME TO TELL ME THAT THEY ADMIRE EVERYTHG THAT I AM DOG, AND THAT THEY GAED THE URAGE TO BE MORE HONT WH THEMSELV BEE OF ME, WARMS MY HEART TO THE RE, AND LETS ME KNOW THAT WHAT I AM DOG IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE FUTURE GENERATNS OF OUR NATN.WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO YOUNGER ACTIVISTS?TST YOUR STCTS. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHAT IS THAT YOU’RE FIGHTG FOR AND TABLISHG A PLAN ON HOW YOU THK YOU N ACHIEVE . I WOULD SAY THAT IS IMPORTANT TO NOT BE TIMIDATED BY THIS FIELD JT BEE OF YOUR AGE. AGE IS ONLY A NUMBER WHICH DO NOT FE YOUR PABILI, OR YOUR PACY TO ENACT CHANGE. I WOULD SAY THAT ’S VERY IMPORTANT TO ALWAYS BE REARCHG AND READG UP ON RMATN THAT HAS TO DO WH THE E THAT YOU ARE FIGHTG FOR, IS IMPORTANT TO ALWAYS STAY WELL RMED. ALSO, NEVER STOP ASKG QUTNS WHEN YOU DO NOT KNOW THE ANSWERS. WHEN YOU ASK A QUTN, BE WILLG TO DO THE WORK TO RECEIVE ANSWERS OM MORE THAN ONE SOURCE ORR TO BE ABLE TO FORM YOUR OWN EVALUATN. MATTHEW BLAISE, 21, LAGOS, NIGERIA ADVERTISEMENT GROWG UPI’M GAY. MY CHILDHOOD WAS FAR OM GREAT. WHENEVER I REMEMBER THE LOVE I WAS NIED AS A CHILD BEE OF MY FEMY AND PERCEIVED SEXUAL ORIENTATN, I BURST TO TEARS PROFELY BEE I KNOW I AM UNSERVG OF THAT TREATMENT. I WAS BORN TO A FAY OF NE THE OUTSKIRTS OF LAGOS. I NEVER UNRSTOOD WHAT PRIVACY FELT LIKE BEE WE LIVED A TY ROOM APARTMENT WH 5 OTHER TENANTS SHARG A BAD TOILET FACILY. DUE TO THE POVERTY LEVEL, I WAS NIED OF STANDARD PRIMARY TN, GOOD HOG, GOOD FOOD, AND A HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT. MANY YOUNG PEOPLE DIED VLENCE ON THE STREETS. I ALSO GOT TO SEE MANY HEARTBREAKG EVENTS LIKE ROBBERY, RAPE, KILLGS, AND POLICE BTALY WHICH I HAD NO POWER TO STOP.AFTER I REALIZED MY SEXUALY, I NCLUD I WANTED TO BEE A PRIT, AND MY MOTHER FULLY SUPPORTED ME BEE SHE THOUGHT WAS OM A GOOD PLACE. SHE DID NOT KNOW THAT I WANTED TO GO TO THE PRITHOOD TO SHIELD MY HOMOSEXUAL TENNCI. I THOUGHT THAT NOT GETTG MARRIED WOULD TOMATILLY EXTGUISH MY SEXUALY, WHICH WAS EVINCE OF MY TERNALIZED HOMOPHOBIA. AFTER SOME GUYS MY STREET DISVERED I WAS GAY I BEME THEIR PREY. THEY THREATENED TO OUT ME TO MY PARENTS IF I DIDN’T DO WHAT THEY WANTED. I NSTANTLY LIVED FEAR, AND THIS DIDN’T EVEN ALLOW ME TO ENJOY THE REMAS OF CHILDHOOD. “EVERY DAY WE ARE EXPLOED, HARASSED, ABED, SEXUALLY, EVEN RAPED BEE WE HAVE NO ONE TO TURN TO”— MATTHEW BLAISE ADVERTISEMENT WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR EXPERIENCE OF PREJUDICE?BEG A NATN DIVID ALONG RELIG L, THE NORTHERN PART OF NIGERIA PRACTIC SHARIA LAW AND FOLLOWS A PENAL DIFFERENT OM THE SOUTHERN, CHRISTIAN PORTN OF THE NATN. BOTH REGNS, EPLY RELIG AND HOMOPHOBIC, BATTLE FIERCELY FOR THE RIGHT TO KILL, MAIM, OR RCERATE GAY PEOPLE FOR A GOOD PORTN OF OUR LIV. SCE THE PASSG OF THE ANTI-GAY LAW (THE SAME SEX MARRIAGE PROHIBN ACT, SSMPA, 2014), PUBLIC HOSTILY HAS SKYROCKETED. THE LAW NO LONGER PROTECTS OM EVEN THE REGULAR ILLS OF SOCIETY. A GAY PERSON IS VULNERABLE BEE THE LAW WOULD RATHER BEAT DOWN ON THEM WH THE GAVEL THAN PERFORM JTICE. SO EVERY DAY WE ARE EXPLOED, HARASSED, ABED, SEXUALLY, EVEN RAPED BEE WE HAVE NO ONE TO TURN TO. BOTH THE PHYSIL AND VIRTUAL SPAC ARE UNSAFE, EVEN DOWN TO DATG APPS LIKE GRDR, HOR, ROMEO, AND TR. THE POLICE, WHOSE DUTY IS TO PROTECT CIZENS, EXPLO “SPECTED” LGBTQI PEOPLE AFTER UNLAWFUL SEARCH AND VASN OF THEIR PHON AND PRIVATE SPAC. THEY ARE NOT THE ONLY CULPRS; HOMOPHOB ALSO DISGUISE THEMSELV AS LGBTQI PERSONS TO HARASS, ROB, AND ASSLT .IT’S A TAD WORSE FOR ONE SUCH AS I, WHO IS EFFEMATE AND VISIBLY GAY. MANY TIM, I HAVE BEEN BEATEN BY FELLOW UNRGRADUAT THE UNIVERSY, BY HOODLUMS ON THE STREET, CURSED OUT, SPAT AT, EVEN STONED. SHARIA LAW STIPULAT ATH BY STONG FOR THOSE WHO ARE GAY. THOUGH SHARIA LAW IS ONLY PRACTICED THE NORTH OF NIGERIA, WOULD SEEM EVEN SOUTHERNERS HAVE A PREDILECTN FOR STONG GAY PEOPLE. I FELL PREY TO A LOT OF THE MY FIRST YEAR AS AN UNRGRADUATE, THOUGH WASN’T JT SCHOOL. NO PLACE WAS TOO SACROSANCT FOR ABE, NOT EVEN THE HALLOWED “HOE OF GOD.” ADVERTISEMENT THE ASSISTANT PRIT MY CHURCH AFTER SEEG MY LGBTQ ADVOCY POSTS ON FACEBOOK VED ME OVER TO HIS OFFICE WHERE HE ASSLTED ME PHYSILLY, PUNCHG ME REPEATEDLY AND STRANGLG ME UNTIL I ALMOST MET MY MAKER. I’M PRETTY SURE THAT’S NOT HOW THE SCRIPTUR STIPULATED WE BE TAKEN TO GOD. HE DID NOT STOP THERE, HE EMOTNALLY BLACKMAILED ME AND I SUFFERED PSYCHOLOGILLY FOR MONTHS. ALSO, A VISG PRIT VED ME TO HIS OFFICE FOR “LIVERANCE.” HE ED VAR OBJECTS ON ME WHICH “LIVERED” A LOT OF PA TO ME AND PROCEED TO TRY TO MISRM ME ABOUT MY SEXUALY. MONTHS AGO ON FACEBOOK, I SHARED A STORY ABOUT HOW A SENR LECTURER SUMMONED ME TO HIS OFFICE AND SAID HURTFUL WORDS TO ME A BID TO SUBDUE “THE GAY.” HE SAID “THE KGDOM OF GOD AND THE KGDOM OF DARKNS WERE HAVG A BATTLE” OVER ME, AND WAS EVINT “THAT THE KGDOM OF DARKNS WAS WNG.” “MANY NIGERIANS HAVE THREATENED TO REPORT ME TO THE POLICE AND MAKE ME SUFFER THE 14-YEAR JAIL TERM FOR DARG TO BE GAY, EXIST, AND HAVE A VOICE. MOST OF THEM HAVE THREATENED TO ASSLT AND EVEN KILL ME”— MATTHEW BLAISE LOTS OF LECTURERS HAVE ED MY PHYSIQUE AND SEXUAL ORIENTATN TO MAKE SILLY, HOMOPHOBIC JOK CLASS. VIRTUAL PERSECUTN IS A PART OF MY DAILY LIFE BEE OF THE ADVOCY I DO. MANY NIGERIANS HAVE THREATENED TO REPORT ME TO THE POLICE AND MAKE ME SUFFER THE 14-YEAR JAIL TERM FOR DARG TO BE GAY, EXIST, AND HAVE A VOICE. MOST OF THEM HAVE THREATENED TO ASSLT AND EVEN KILL ME.IN OCTOBER 2019, I WAS ARRTED AND ASSLTED BY POLICEMEN. THEY ARRTED ME BEE THEY SAW A TATTOO ON MY PALM WHICH READ “GAY AND PROUD.” THE POLICEMAN ASKED TO SEE MY PHONE, AND I TOLD HIM THAT DOG SO WHOUT A WARRANT WOULD BE A VLATN OF MY RIGHTS. THE POLICEMAN H ME HARD, PHED ME TO THEIR B AND MUTTERED, “THERE IS NOTHG LIKE HUMAN RIGHTS NIGERIA.” I NTUE TO MATA A LOUD SOCIAL MEDIA PRENCE—ON FACEBOOK AND EVEN TWTER WHERE I HAVE EVEN TREND SEVERAL TIM AND SPARKED NATNAL DISCSNS ON LGBTQ RIGHTS. LOL BLOGS EVEN PILFER OM THE EXPERIENC I POST ON MY SOCIAL MEDIA TO BOOST THEIR WEBSE TRAFFIC AS THEY KNOW THE NATN IS EAGER TO LAP UP THE NUGGETS OF MY LIFE I PUT OUT THERE. ADVERTISEMENT MATTHEW BLAISE, NIGERIACOURTY MATTHEW BLAISE HOW DID YOU E OUT, IF YOU ARE OUT?I DIDN’T ACTUALLY WRE TO ANY NEWSPAPER AGENCY OR OFFICIALLY E OUT TO MY FAY ON THE DNER TABLE, I NEVER ENJOYED THAT LUXURY. BUT AS AN EFFEMATE GAY PERSON NIGERIA I WAS DRAGGED OUT OF MY CLOSET BY FEMME-PHOBIC AND HOMOPHOBIC PEOPLE. THEY WOULD ALWAYS LL ME “WOMAN WRAPPER,” “NWOKE NWANYI” (BOY GIRL), “WOMAN MAN” AND OTHER NSCENDG TAGS FOR FEMME MEN, WHICH ALWAYS LEFT ME EPLY WOUND. THEY WOULD LL ME “GAY” EVEN WHEN THEY KNOW THE SOCIAL IMPLITN OF THAT AND LGHED WHEN I BURST OUT TEARS. INTERNALIZED HOMOPHOBIA REALLY PUTS YOU A TIGHT RNER. THIS HAPPENED FOR A WHILE UNTIL I ACCEPTED THE TTH WHICH I HAVE NIED FOR SO LONG. WHENEVER THEY LL ME GAY NOW, “I SIMPLY SAY ‘Y, I AM GAY AND SO WHAT?’” “WHENEVER I OWN THAT WORD, I FEEL SO POWERFUL. I FEEL LIKE I HAVE UPROOTED THE SHAME EPLY BURIED ME AND TRANSFORMED TO SOMETHG VERY UAL, JT LIKE MY NAME”— MATTHEW BLAISE THIS OFTEN LEFT THEM SHOCKED OR PHYSILLY ABIVE TO ME. HOWEVER, WHENEVER I OWN THAT WORD, I FEEL SO POWERFUL. I FEEL LIKE I HAVE UPROOTED THE SHAME EPLY BURIED ME AND TRANSFORMED TO SOMETHG VERY UAL, JT LIKE MY NAME. ADVERTISEMENT HOW HAS YOUR FAY BEEN ABOUT ?WHEN MY BROTHER STARTED SEEG PICTUR OF ME WH POLISHED NAILS, ANKLETS, AND WAIST BEADS ON WHATSAPP, HE WAS VERY, VERY UNFORTABLE. I ULD REMEMBER HE LLED ME ONE DAY TO EXPRS HIS DISGT AND THREATENED TO BEAT OUT OF ME, WHICH EAKED ME OUT. I BLOCKED HIM ON WHATSAPP IMMEDIATELY. UNBEKNOWN TO ME, HE HAD TOLD MY MOTHER THAT I WAS TURNG TOTALLY SANE. MY MOTHER, WHO WAS A VERY RELIG WOMAN, WOULD ALWAYS GET MAD AT ME. SHE SAID SO MANY HURTFUL WORDS THAT MA THE HOE BEE VERY UNFORTABLE, SO I HAD TO LEAVE FOR SOMEWHERE ELSE. I TOTALLY EMBRACED MY QUEER INTY AFTER A YEAR AWAY OM THEM. EVEN WHEN I TREND ON A NATNAL NEWSPAPER’S WEBSE, I DIDN’T MD WHAT MY FAY WOULD SAY. “I HAVE E TO REALIZE THAT IF MY FAY DON’T SUPPORT ME, I N ALWAYS GET THIS SAME SOURCE OF STRENGTH OM SOMEWHERE ELSE; OM MYSELF, OM MY CHOSEN FAY”— MATTHEW BLAISE IT WAS JT EARLIER THIS YEAR THAT THEY ALL BEGAN ACCEPTG THIS REALY. HOWEVER, I NEVER RED ABOUT THEIR ACCEPTANCE. I KNOW THERE IS A FORM OF STRENGTH THAT WH KNOWG YOUR FAY SUPPORTS YOU, BUT I HAVE ALSO E TO REALIZE THAT IF THEY DON’T SUPPORT ME, I N ALWAYS GET THIS SAME SOURCE OF STRENGTH OM SOMEWHERE ELSE; OM MYSELF, OM MY CHOSEN FAY. I MIGHT HAVE MEMORI OF GROWG UP, BUT NO AMOUNT OF THE N SURPASS BEG HAPPY AND TE TO YOURSELF. AS CLICHéD AS THAT SOUNDS, HAS ALWAYS BEEN MY GUI. ADVERTISEMENT DCRIBE THE LAW AND ATTUS WHERE YOU LIVE GENERALLY TO LGBTQ PEOPLE? HAVE YOU SEEN THEM EVOLVE?NIGERIA IS A PREDOMATELY HOMOPHOBIC UNTRY. BEFORE THE PASSAGE OF ANY LAWS, GAY PEOPLE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN BEATEN, KILLED, STRIPPED NAKED, AND DRAGGED ON THE STREETS. NIGERIAN LAW SCRIB SEX BETWEEN PEOPLE OF THE SAME SEX AS “BEYOND THE ORR OF NATURE,” AND PUNISH WH IMPRISONMENT ANY ONE UGHT THE ACT. THE VAR STAT NIGERIA HAVE PASSED LAWS THEIR VAR STAT WHICH ENABL DISCRIMATORY AND VLENT BEHAVRS TOWARDS LGBTQIA+ PERSONS. WHEN UNTRI LIKE AMERI LEGALIZED MARRIAGE EQUALY, THE NATNAL ASSEMBLY OF NIGERIA STARTED TO IATE NVERSATNS BANNG SAME SEX MARRIAGE NIGERIA. NOTABLE ACTIVISTS TALKED ABOUT WHAT AN UNNSTUTNAL LAW LIKE THAT ULD DO TO LGBTQIA+ PERSONS, AND HOW IS BASILLY UNNECSARY BEE HOMOSEXUALY IS A NATURAL THG. UNFORTUNATELY THE SSMPA WAS PASSED BY PRINT GOODLUCK JONATHAN 2014 AND IS WORTH NOTG THAT THE LAW WOULD HAVE BEEN PASSED WH OR WHOUT HIM. THE NSTUTN OF NIGERIA (SECTN 58) STAT THAT WHERE A PRINT REF TO GIVE HIS ASSENT SHALL GO BACK TO THE NATNAL ASSEMBLY AND ON THE AGREEMENT OF A TWO THIRDS MAJORY OF EACH HOE, THE BILL SHALL BE PASSED. THEREFORE, DUE TO THE HOMOPHOBIC AND HYPOCRIL NATURE OF OUR LEARS THE LAW WOULD HAVE BEEN PASSED REGARDLS. THE ATTU OF THE ERNMENT AND PEOPLE TOWARDS LGBTQIA PERSONS HAS BEEN APPALLG, DISAPPOTG, DISCRIMATORY AND HUMANE.ACRDG TO THE 2018 HUMAN RIGHTS VLATNS REPORT BY THE INIATIVE FOR EQUAL RIGHTS (TIERS), “THE DIRECT BREACH OF DIVIDUAL RIGHTS WHOUT PROPER RTUTN OFTEN LEAV A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON PEOPLE. IN A SOCIETY WHERE ACCEPTANCE AND TOLERANCE IS DIFFICULT, IS CREASGLY HARD FOR LGBTQIA+ PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN WRONGED TO ACCS JTICE.” ADVERTISEMENT HOW DID YOUR ACTIVISM BEG?ACTIVISM FOR ME BEGAN WHEN I REALIZED THERE WERE NO ACTIVE YOUNG LGBTQIA+ VOIC NIGERIA. THE ACTIVISTS I KNEW WERE EHER OLR OR YOUNG PEOPLE WHO HAD FLED THE UNTRY FOR THEIR LIV. ONLY A FEW REMAED. I THOUGHT WAS IMPORTANT TO LEND MY VOICE TO THE NATNAL NVERSATN AND HELP CREATE AWARENS ABOUT HOMOSEXUALY WHILE G MY LIVED EXPERIENC TO SPIRE YOUNG LGBTQIA+ PERSONS WHO HAVE BEEN POISONED BY HOMOPHOBIA.ARE ATTUS CHANGG AT ALL?ACRDG TO STATISTICS GATHERED BY NOIPOLL FOR TIERS, THERE IS A GROWG ACCEPTANCE OF QUEERNS NIGERIA. THE 2017 SURVEY FOUND A 7 PERCENT CREASE SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE RATE, ROUNDG UP TO 39 PERCENT OF THOSE SURVEYED WHO THK GAY PEOPLE HAVE THE RIGHT TO EQUAL ACCS OF PUBLIC SERVIC LIKE HEALTH RE, HOG AND TN.ALTHOUGH, THERE HASN’T BEEN ANOTHER RECENT POLL, THE ACCEPTANCE RATE SEEMS TO HAVE DRAMATILLY CREASED, WHICH ONE N DUCE OM ONLE AND OFFLE NVERSATNS. THE RPONS OF PEOPLE TOWARDS LGBTQIA+ ISSU HAS BEEN ENURAGG, AND I BELIEVE THIS IS BEE OF THE WORK OF ANIZATNS AND DIVIDUALS TOWARDS ACCELERATG SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE NIGERIA THROUGH NVERSATNS ON SOCIAL MEDIA, OFFLE SPAC, THE ARTS AND OTHER OPEN SPAC.TELL ME ABOUT ATTUS TOWARDS TRANS PEOPLE THERE ADVERTISEMENT THE ATTU OF NIGERIANS TOWARDS TRANS PEOPLE IS STILL VERY APPALLG, FOR THOSE THAT EVEN KNOW THEY EXIST. ACRDG TO ONE TRANS MAN I KNOW NIGERIA, “I’VE LOST UNT OF HOW OFTEN I HEARD PEOPLE SAY I NEVER KNEW WE HAD TRANS MEN/TRANS PEOPLE NIGERIA.” IN A SOCIALLY REGRSIVE UNTRY LIKE NIGERIA, TRANS LAWS ARE NON-EXISTENT. IF WERE UP TO THE LAWS, TRANS PEOPLE WOULD NOT EXIST. AWARENS IS JT STARTG TO GO MASTREAM NIGERIA, THANKS TO SOCIAL MEDIA. BUT MOST TRANS PEOPLE NIGERIA STILL LIVE THE SHADOWS, QUIETNS, ISOLATN, SEEKG SAFETY. SO THEY’RE NOT VERY VOL, NOT YET—APART OM A FEW. TELL ME ABOUT YOUR WORK NOW: WHAT DO YOU DO?I AM A CURRENTLY A STUNT AND I AM VOLVED A LOT OF DIGAL ADVOCY. I HAVE TAKEN A STAND AGAST EVERY FORM OF HOMOPHOBIA, TRANSPHOBIA, AND EQUALY. RECENTLY I FOLLOWED A GROUP OF WOMEN TO STAND AGAST RAPE NIGERIA. THIS IS WHAT I HAVE DONE WH THE LTLE ROURC AND ENERGY THAT I HAVE AS AN UNRPRIVILEGED NIGERIAN. IT ISN’T A LOT, BUT IS THE START TO WHAT I HOPE TO BE A PATHWAY TO LGBTQIA+ ADVOCY. WHAT HAS MA YOU MOST PROUD YOUR WORK?I WAS PART OF THE TEAM THAT LNCHED THE #ENDHOMOPHOBIAINNIGERIA MPAIGN NIGERIA, WHICH A NASTY BOY (A NIGERIAN LGBTQ MAGAZE) SCRIBED AS “THE START OF A CULTURAL REVOLUTN.” ADVERTISEMENT THE MPAIGN WAS AN AVENUE FOR GAY PEOPLE TO EXPRS THE HURT OF HOMOPHOBIA, WHILE ADVOTG FOR A BETTER PLACE FOR GAY PEOPLE THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA. THIS MPAIGN LASTED FOR TWO DAYS, AND SCE THEN I HAVE GRANTED TERNATNAL AND NATNAL TERVIEWS TO DISCS THIS MPAIGN, AND I’VE ALSO BEEN PANEL DISCSNS FOR THIS SAME PURPOSE. “BE YOU. KNOW YOU ARE NOT THE PROBLEM, DON’T ADJT FOR THE WORLD. LET ADJT FOR YOU, AS CLICHéD AS THAT SOUNDS. IT HAS BEEN A VERY POWERFUL GUI FOR ME”— MATTHEW BLAISE WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO THE FUTURE?I WOULD LIKE TO BE THE SOURCE OF SPIRATN AND STRENGTH FOR YOUNG LGBTQIA+ NIGERIANS. I HOPE TO DO THIS THROUGH FILM-MAKG AND BY JT LIVG AS AN UNAPOLOGETIC OPENLY GAY PERSON NIGERIA. WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE FOR OTHER YOUNG PEOPLE WANTG TO GET ACTIVE THIS FIELD?BE YOU. KNOW YOU ARE NOT THE PROBLEM, DON’T ADJT FOR THE WORLD. LET ADJT FOR YOU, AS CLICHéD AS THAT SOUNDS. IT HAS BEEN A VERY POWERFUL GUI FOR ME FACG EVERYDAY HOMOPHOBIA AND FEMME-PHOBIA NIGERIA. ADVERTISEMENT MARLON MáRQUEZ GUARDO, 20, CARTAGENA, COLOMBIA I WAS BORN CARTAGENA, COLOMBIA, AND LIVED MY WHOLE LIFE HERE. I HAVE BEEN GAY SCE I HAVE THE E OF REASON, HAHA.GROWG UPWHEN I WAS THE SIXTH GRA, I WAS BULLIED FOR BEHAVG DIFFERENTLY OM THE OTHER MEN THE ROOM, BEE I DIDN’T LIKE PRACTICG THE SPORTS THEY PLAYED, I DIDN’T LIKE LISTENG TO THE MIC THEY WERE LISTENG TO, I DIDN’T LIKE BEG THE WAY THEY WERE. THIS GENERATED MANY NFLICTS WH ME. I REFED THE OPPORTUNY TO NVERSE WH ME. THEY NVCED ME TO BE WH ME WAS A REASON FOR REPUDIATN. REJECT ME, ABANDON ME.ACCEPTG MYSELF WAS ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT PROCS OF MY LIFE. HOMOPHOBIA LEARNED AND REPRODUCED IS ONE OF THE MOST RECURRG SOCIAL PROBLEMS REALY FOR MANY PEOPLE THE WORLD. LEARNG TO ACCEPT MYSELF HAS BEEN MY MOST IMPORTANT ACHIEVEMENT. LEARNG TO NSTCT SUCH NORMALIZED IALS HELPED ME UNRSTAND THAT WE N ALL LOVE DIFFERENT WAYS, THAT FOR LOVE THERE ARE NO GENR BARRIERS, SEX OR LI THAT STOP . ADVERTISEMENT “MY G OUT OF THE CLOSET WAS THE MOST BETIFUL AND LIBERATG THG THAT HAS HAPPENED TO ME”— MARLON MáRQUEZ GUARDO I UNRSTOOD THAT PATRIARCHY HAS DONE SO MUCH DAMAGE OUR SOCIETY TO THE POT OF G TO FEAR BEG OURSELV. I HOPE THAT MORE PEOPLE LIKE ME WILL SUCCEED BREAKG DOWN THE BARRIERS OF STCTURAL AND STUTNAL HATRED, AND THE RACIST, SEXIST, GENR, ENOMIC, GEOGRAPHIL PONENTS THAT IMPOSE THEMSELV UPON AND PREVENT OM BEG EE.HOW WAS G OUT FOR YOU?MY G OUT OF THE CLOSET WAS THE MOST BETIFUL AND LIBERATG THG THAT HAS HAPPENED TO ME. IT WAS DEC. 24, 2017. MY FAY TOOK WELL ENOUGH, THEY ACCEPTED AND LOVE ME AS I AM. I AM ALWAYS GRATEFUL FOR THAT. NOWADAYS I HELP MY FAY TO UNRSTAND MORE THE DIVERSY THAT CHARACTERIZ AS A SOCIETY.I REMEMBER THAT ONE DAY I PUBLICLY MENTED ON HOW WAS TO E OUT OF THE CLOSET FOR ME. A GIRL WROTE ME A MSAGE ON SOCIAL MEDIA, SAYG, “THANK YOU FOR DARG TO SAY , HELPED ME UNRSTAND MYSELF.” FROM THAT DAY ON I UNRSTOOD THAT I AM DOG SOMETHG RIGHT, THAT I AM SPIRG PEOPLE. THAT DAY I FELT THAT I DID SOMETHG GOOD FOR SOMEONE, AND FOR THAT REASON I WAKE UP EVERY DAY THKG THAT MY ACTNS SPIRE CHANGE, AND I NSIR THAT IF WE ALL TAKE THAT CHANGE WE N BUILD A BETTER SOCIETY WHERE WE ARE NOT AAID TO BE OURSELV, WHERE WE ARE NOT AAID OF CHANGE. ADVERTISEMENT HOW ARE THE LAW AND ATTUS GENERALLY COLOMBIA?I THK THAT COLOMBIA STILL HAS A LONG WAY TO GO TERMS OF SOCIETY, ALTHOUGH WE HAVE MA GREAT LEGAL ADVANC SUCH AS BEG ABLE TO ADOPT AND EQUAL MARRIAGE. THE LATT REPORT RELEASED BY ONE OF COLOMBIA’S LGBT + ANIZATNS, CARIBE AFIRMATIVO, SAYS THAT MORE THAN 204 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED HATE CRIM, AND THAT IS NOT RIGHT. THE ERNMENT MT PROVI MORE GUARANTE AND REGNIZE THAT WE AS AN LGBTI+ MUNY ALSO EXIST AND RIST. MARLON MáRQUEZ GUARDO, COLOMBIACOURTY MARLON MáRQUEZ GUARDO HOW DID YOUR ACTIVISM BEG?I THK MY ACTIVISM STARTED WHEN I STILL DIDN'T KNOW THAT THAT WORD EXISTED. I THK WAS WHEN I WAS 7 OR 8 YEARS OLD WHEN WE ED TO PLAY BETWEEN NEIGHBORS ON MY STREET. HOWEVER, WE ALWAYS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM THAT A NEIGHBOR DID NOT LIKE TO PLAY ONT OF HIS HOE, SO I TOLD MY IENDS TO PLAY ONT OF HIS HOE, BEE THE STREET IS PUBLIC. I THK ALL STARTED THERE.WHAT MOTIVAT YOUR WORK? ADVERTISEMENT I THK THE WORLD STILL HAS AN EQUALY GAP THAT NEEDS TO CLOSE. AND YOU MT DO NOW, NOT TOMORROW, NOT THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW. TODAY.CHIMAMANDA NGOZI ADICHIE HAS A SHORT PHRASE THAT I LOVE, “THE SGLE STORY CREAT STEREOTYP…” I NSIR THAT THE STEREOTYP ARE SO TRSIC OUR CULTURE, OUR SOCIETY, THAT MAK NECSARY TO RETHK OUR HUMANY, TO RETHK OUR MENTAL MOLS AND OUR STUTNS. THE WORLD AS WE KNOW HAS BEEN BUILT OM A PATRIARCHAL AND HETEROSEXUAL VISN, SO THAT WOMEN AND WE DIVERSE PEOPLE NEVER PARTICIPATE WHAT WE KNOW TODAY AS SOCIETY. SO, IF WE WANT TO CLOSE THOSE GAPS WE MT SUBSCRIBE TO NEW NONIL IAS. WE MT SUBSCRIBE TO A FEMISM THAT AIMS TO BREAK DOWN STEREOTYP OF SEX, GENR, RACE, ET CETERA.WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF?“DELIBERAR” IS A PLATFORM I CREATED FOR SOCIAL IATIV THAT AIMS TO BUILD THE SOCIAL FABRIC DIVERSE WAYS, WHERE ALL PEOPLE N BUILD A BETTER FUTURE. WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKG ON TWO PROJECTS THAT WE HOPE AND N BE FANCED. THE FIRST IS A PLATFORM THAT MAPS AND GEO-REFERENC VLENT ACTS TO LGBTI+ PEOPLE HERE COLOMBIA, AND BASED ON THAT, IS ABLE TO GENERATE STATISTICS THAT IMPACT THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE POLICI. TODAY, FRIDAY, I WILL HAVE AN TERVIEW WH ONE OF THE COLOMBIAN NGRSWOMEN WHO LEADS BILLS FOR OUR LGBTQ+ MUNY. ADVERTISEMENT THE SEND PROJECT WE ARE WORKG ON IS THE NSTCTN OF MUNY LIBRARI WAR-AFFECTED AREAS OF ARMED NFLICT. “WHEN WE BREAK THE BARRIERS OF HATRED AND EQUALY THAT HAVE BEEN BUILT SOCIETY, WE WILL UNRSTAND THAT WE N ALL HAVE THE EEDOM TO LOVE AND RPECT THOSE AROUND ”— MARLON MáRQUEZ GUARDO WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE TO YOUNGER ACTIVISTS?MY ADVICE TO ALL PEOPLE IS PERSEVERANCE. I HAVE THIS QUOTE THAT I SAY A LOT: “WHEN WE BREAK THE BARRIERS OF HATRED AND EQUALY THAT HAVE BEEN BUILT SOCIETY, WE WILL UNRSTAND THAT WE N ALL HAVE THE EEDOM TO LOVE AND RPECT THOSE AROUND . WE N SETTLE OUR DIFFERENC THROUGH DIALOGUE AND ROLVE OUR PROBLEMS THROUGH ACTN.”WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO THE FUTURE?I THK ONE OF MY BIGGT DREAMS WOULD BE THAT DELIBERAR IS POSNED WORLDWI AS AN ANIZATN THAT IS PABLE OF SOLVG PROBLEMS OF SOCIAL AND ENOMIC EQUALY. AND I WOULD ALSO DARE TO SAY THAT I WOULD LIKE TO BE A NGRSMAN OM MY UNTRY. THERE ARE MANY THGS COLOMBIA TO DO, BUT THIS IS ALREADY A VERY DISTANT DREAM. BEFORE THAT I WANT TO DO SOME MASTER’S GRE. ADVERTISEMENT ELISE STEPHENSON, 28, BRISBANE, ATRALIAHOW DO YOU FE ON THE LGBTQ SPECTM?GAY WOMAN, OR QUEER WOMAN.TELL ME ABOUT YOUR CHILDHOOD GROWG UP, I LIVED ON A LARGE ACREAGE ON THE EDGE OF THE ATRALIAN BH, AND WAS VERY LUCKY TO ROAM WILY AND EELY. I WAS VERY OUTDOORSY AND WAS ALWAYS VOLVED SOME KD OF HANDS-ON PROJECT.  ADVERTISEMENT HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED BULLYG AND PREJUDICE? IF SO, HOW DID YOU HANDLE ?WHILE I HAVE BEEN FAIRLY LUCKY, HOMOPHOBIC BULLYG AND PREJUDICE ALWAYS CUTS STRAIGHT TO A PERSON’S RE AND TO ME IS A REMR THAT NO MATTER THE PROGRS MA, HATE AND MISUNRSTANDG IS STILL A LARGE PART OF PEOPLE’S EXPERIENC UNR THE SURFACE. AS I SPEND A LOT OF MY WORKG LIFE ON THE ROAD (I HAVE DRIVEN OVER 65,000KMS OVER THE PAST FOUR YEARS—A DISTANCE ONE AND A HALF TIM AROUND THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE EARTH) WORKG WH REGNAL AND REMOTE ATRALIA, I AM ALWAYS REFUL OF MY SAFETY SMALL MUNI, AS BULLYG AND PREJUDICE IS THE FOUNDATN STONE TO FURTHER ACTS OF HOMOPHOBIA—AND OFTEN VLENCE. OFTEN THE SUATNS, HANDLG PREJUDICE MEANS MIMIZG WHO I AM. GENERALLY SOCIETY HOWEVER, I TRY TO TE AND RAISE AWARENS WHEN NONTED WH HOMOPHOBIA.HOW DID YOU E OUT, IF YOU ARE OUT? IN SOME WAYS, I DIDN’T E OUT, I JT BEME MORE OF WHO I REALLY WAS. HOW WAS YOUR FAY? ADVERTISEMENT VERY SUPPORTIVE.HOW ARE THE LAW AND ATTUS WHERE YOU LIVE GENERALLY? HAVE YOU SEEN THEM EVOLVE? WIR SOCIAL ATTUS HAVE UNRGONE REMARKABLE CHANGE ATRALIA THE LAST FEW YEARS, PARTICULARLY SCE SAME SEX MARRIAGE WAS LEGALIZED ATRALIA. EVEN 10 YEARS AGO, SCHOOLS, THE WIR MUNY, AND POLICS WERE VERY VRLIC ABOUT LGBTI+ RIGHTS OR LIV—SOMETIM TO VASTATG EFFECT, WH MENTAL HEALTH ISSU AND SUICI A LARGE PART OF MANY LGBTI+ PEOPL’ EXPERIENC. 10 YEARS LATER, I AM SOUGHT OUT BY SCHOOLS TO TALK ABOUT LGBTI+ ISSU AND LIV, AND HAS BEE SOMETHG THAT PEOPLE ARE TRYG TO TE THEMSELV ON, AND FD WAYS OF MOVG FORWARDS AS A MUNY. I THK THE PROGRS MA—ALTHOUGH NOT GUARANTEED—HAS BEEN VERY IMPORTANT, AND OPENS UP OPPORTUNI TO FURTHER BRG MARGALIZED LGBTI+ PEOPLE’S ISSU AND RIGHTS TO THE SURFACE, CLUDG FOR TRANS PEOPLE AND FOR MARGALIZED ETHNICI AND RELIGNS WHO MAY BE PART OF THE LGBTI+ MUNY.TELL ME ABOUT HOW YOUR ACTIVISM BEGANIT WAS A WEEK AFTER A VLENT CINT OF DOMTIC VLENCE HAD BEEN MTED AGAST A TRANS WOMAN MY HOME CY, VOLVG HER VLENT MURR BY HER PARTNER, THAT I SAT A WORKSHOP ON GENR-BASED VLENCE PREVENTN. ADVERTISEMENT IT HAD E TO THE ATTENTN OF SOME OF THE PARTICIPANTS THAT I INTIFIED AS A QUEER/GAY WOMAN. ONE OF THE WOMEN OPPOSE ME THE ROOM TURNED TO ME AND ONT OF EVERYONE, SAID: “I FUNDAMENTALLY DISAGREE WH WHO YOU ARE.”  “TO NY SOMEONE’S INTY IS DISRPECTFUL, AND N HAVE EPLY-FELT IMPACTS ON DIVIDUALS AND MUNI”— ELISE STEPHENSON WHEN I RETOLD THIS STORY LATER TO SOME DIENC, THEY LGHED. BUT FOR ME, THE CINT REMD ME THAT EVEN THE SPAC DITED TO IMPROVG THE LIV OF WOMEN ARE STILL SPAC AFFECTED BY HOMOPHOBIA, RACISM, AND ERASURE OF THE INTY OF PEOPLE WHO DO NOT F THE NORM.TO NY SOMEONE’S INTY IS DISRPECTFUL, AND N HAVE EPLY-FELT IMPACTS ON DIVIDUALS AND MUNI. IN THIS SE, I WAS LUCKY TO HAVE A SUPPORTIVE GROUP AROUND ME. ALLYSHIP AND PEOPLE BEG WILLG TO SI WH YOU, AND STAND UP FOR YOU, IS VERY IMPORTANT BATG HATE OR DISCRIMATN. HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT HOW ATTUS AROUND GENR EQUALY AND SEXUAL ORIENTATN HAVE EVOLVED WHERE YOU LIVE? GENR EQUALY, AS WELL AS LGBTI+ EQUALI, ARE STILL CREDIBLY IMPORTANT ISSU TO ROLVE ATRALIA. MOST PEOPLE REGNIZE THAT EQUALI NTUE, AND REQUIRE HARD WORK, LEARNG AND UNLEARNG TO BAT. YET, I DO FD TROUBLG WHEN SOME SECTORS OF ATRALIA NY EQUALI AND ASSERT THAT WE HAVE ALREADY ACHIEVED GENR AND SEXUAL ORIENTATN EQUALY—THE REARCH MONSTRAT THAT THIS IS SIMPLY NOT TE. ADVERTISEMENT ELISE STEPHENSON, ATRALIACOURTY ELISE STEPHENSON TELL ME ABOUT YOUR WORK NOW: WHAT IS , WHAT DO YOU DO? I AM A REARCHER AND ENTREPRENR, AND HAVE JT PLETED ATRALIA’S LARGT EVER STUDY ON GENR AND SEXUALY TERNATNAL DIPLOMACY AND NATNAL SECURY FOR MY PHD. I AM ALSO THE -FOUNR AND DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL GOOD OUTPOST, AN ATRALIAN STRATEGIC MUNITNS AGENCY THAT HELPS PURPOSE-LED ANIZATNS TO ACHIEVE SOCIAL IMPACT. THROUGH MY BS AND REARCH I WORK ACROSS THE INDO-PACIFIC REGN PARTICULARLY ON TOPICS OF GENR EQUALY, ENTREPRENRSHIP, NATNAL SECURY, DIPLOMACY, AND THE GENRED OR HUMAN RIGHTS IMPLITNS OF THGS LIKE CLIMATE CHANGE, SPACE EXPLORATN, AND DISASTER REVERY. I WORK TO EMBED GENR EQUALY AND AN TERSECTNAL AWARENS OF SOCIAL ISSU TO THE WAY THAT UNTRI NEGOTIATE AND MAKE CISNS GLOBALLY ON EMERGG ISSU.THIS REPORTER IS A LONGTIME NEIGHBOURS FAN, AND THE LONG-NNG SOAP OPERA HAS GAY CHARACTERS, AND NOW A TRANS CHARACTER. HOW IMPORTANT HAS THE ATRALIAN MEDIA BEEN SOCIAL CHANGE? I HAVE MET THE WONRFUL GEIE STONE (WHO PLAYS TRANS TEEN MACKENZIE NEIGHBOURS) AND, WHO IS A FEARLS AND STRONG ACTRS AND TRANSGENR RIGHTS ACTIVIST. I’M VERY PROUD THAT WE HAVE SUCH A WONRFUL YOUNG PERSON ON TV. ADVERTISEMENT I HAVE TO SAY, THE SHOW KATH & KIM THE 2000S WAS ABSOLUTELY PNEERG THE NORMALIZATN OF LGBTI+ WHAT AT THE TIME WAS A VERY NSERVATIVE SOCIETY, AND HAVG JT RE-WATCHED THE SERI, I AM REALLY PROUD THAT SOME OF OUR LEADG ACTORS AND EDIANS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN SUPPORTIVE AND MANY WAYS LED THE RT OF THE UNTRY TO THE LIGHT. ALMOST EVERYWHERE I LOOK NOW, OM MORE NSERVATIVE TV SHOWS TO MORE POPULAR SHOWS, I REALLY FEEL THAT PEOPLE ARE TRYG THEIR BT TO BE MORE REPRENTATIVE. IT’S QUE AMAZG JT HOW QUICK THIS CHANGE HAS OCCURRED, BUT MAK A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE, PARTICULARLY FOR YOUNG LGBTI+ PEOPLE, AND PARTICULARLY FOR THOSE OM RAL ATRALIA, GIVEN THAT ATRALIA N BE QUE ISOLATED AND THOSE RAL AREAS EXPERIENCE SUBSTANTIALLY CREASED RAT OF MENTAL ILLNS. HOW IS TRANS EQUALY ATRALIA?WHILE I AM BY NO MEANS AN EXPERT, NOR AM I TRANS, TRANS PEOPLE HAVE FACED AND NTUE TO FACE EP TRANSPHOBIA AND DISCRIMATN WIR SOCIETY, WH MANY LEGAL AND SOCIAL CHALLENG REMAG. HOWEVER, GENR DIVERSY HAS ALWAYS BEEN PART OF ATRALIA'S HISTORY, OM THE YIMPNI OF THE DIGENO TIWI PEOPLE OF ATRALIA'S NORTHERN TERRORY, TO THE LEARS WE ARE SEEG ACROSS ATRALIAN TV, ERNMENT, AND CIVIL MUNY. MANY GREAT MUNY-LED IATIV, SUCH AS ONE I’VE BEEN VOLVED WH THAT SEEKS TO PROVI LGBTI+ CLIVE TRAG FOR MEDIL STUNTS AND PROFSNALS—WAVELENGTH MEDIL EDUTN—ARE PNEERG WIR SOCIAL AND LEGAL CHANGE. REGNN OF GENR INTY, CLIVE MEDIL SUPPORT, WORKPLACE SUPPORT AND THE CHAMPNG OF TRANS PEOPLE, AND WIR SOCIAL SUPPORT AND STIGMATIZATN REMA ISSU THAT ATRALIA NEEDS TO NONT.  ADVERTISEMENT WHAT HAS MA YOU MOST PROUD YOUR WORK? FROM GATHERG WORLD LEARS HONG KONG 2018 TO TALK ABOUT HOW CLIMATE CHANGE MIGHT AFFECT TRANS WOMEN THE PACIFIC ISLANDS, TO DISCSG HOW THE MYANMAR CIVIL NFLICT MIGHT AFFECT DIGENO QUEER HUMAN RIGHTS FENRS THAILAND, OR HOW BHFIR MIGHT AFFECT RAL LGBTI+ MUNI ATRALIA, I’M MOST PROUD OF BRGG A DIFFERENT LENS TO IMPORTANT ACTIVISM OUR REGN. “IF YOU DON’T STEP UP AND MAKE THE KD OF CHANGE YOU WISH TO SEE, CHANC ARE THAT SOMEONE ELSE WON’T. IF IS IMPORTANT TO YOU, FD A WAY TO DO , EVEN IF YOU START REALLY SMALL”— ELISE STEPHENSON WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO THE FUTURE? I’D LOVE TO BE AT THE FOREONT OF EMBEDDG GENR EQUALY HUMAN OPERATNS AND ENAVORS ON SPACE, OR OTHER EMERGG ONTIERS OF TERNATNAL RELATNS. I’M PASSNATE ABOUT BG REARCH AND ENTREPRENRSHIP TO ELEVATE GENR EQUALY.WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE FOR OTHER YOUNG PEOPLE WANTG TO GET ACTIVE THIS FIELD? ADVERTISEMENT IF YOU DON’T STEP UP AND MAKE THE KD OF CHANGE YOU WISH TO SEE, CHANC ARE THAT SOMEONE ELSE WON’T. IF IS IMPORTANT TO YOU, FD A WAY TO DO , EVEN IF YOU START REALLY SMALL. YOUR MOMENTUM WILL BUILD AND YOU WILL GATHER SUPPORTERS. THIERRY HART (PSDONYM), 27, BULAWAYO, ZIMBABWEGROWG UPI’M GAY. MY CHILDHOOD WAS RELATIVELY PLITED BY ISSU OF BEG AN EFFEMATE BOY, WH A DISAPPROVG SOCIETY. FEELG VERY DIFFERENT BUT YET UNABLE TO RELATE TO ANYONE OFTEN LEFT ME FEELG ALONE AND UNSIRABLE, AS IF THERE WAS SOMETHG NATELY WRONG WH ME. IN A WAY I FELT LIKE AN ABOMATN, LIKE I WAS WEAK FOR ALLOWG THE UNGODLY EMOTNS TO TAKE A HOLD OF ME. THIS ED ME A GREAT AL OF SELF-DOUBT AND GRADUALLY LOW SELF TEEM RIGHT TO MY TEENS. I WAS UNABLE TO SOCIALIZE FOR FEAR OF BEG JUDGED AND EVEN PLIMENTS SOUND LIKE SULTS AT TIM. FOR EXAMPLE, ONE PERSON LLED ME PRETTY, BUT THIS WAS NOT A GOOD THG BEE ONLY GIRLS AND WOMEN ARE TO BE LLED PRETTY. ADVERTISEMENT I WAS UNABLE TO SEE THE BETY MYSELF OR TERME MY SELF WORTH, LET ALONE TERME WHAT MY FUTURE WOULD BE… I JT ULD NEVER VISUALIZE . I WAS MORE OF A RECLE AND HAD MY SELECT GROUP OF IENDS. I WAS MORE AMILLY DRIVEN BUT LARGELY I FELT UNFULFILLED AND ABNORMAL. MY UNTRY ZIMBABWE IS ANYTHG BUT WELG TO THE QUEER MUNY, PECIALLY THE QUEER MALE.HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED BULLYG AND PREJUDICE? IF SO, HOW DID YOU HANDLE ?I HAVE OFTEN BEEN BULLIED BEE OF MY SOFT NATURE AND OUTLOOK ON LIFE. IN MY MUNY A MAN IS SUPPOSED TO MAKE HIS PRENCE FELT AND MONSTRATE HIS MANLS—ALL OF WHICH I WAS UNABLE TO EXPRS—AS WELL AS CHASE AFTER GIRLS AND RRY OUT FEELGS I WAS UNABLE TO RECIPROTE. THIS OFTEN LED TO ME BEG A TARGET OF BULLYG THROUGH NAME-LLG, TNTG, AND MANY STANC UNJTIFIED PUNISHMENTS AND PHYSIL ASSLTS EVEN OM JUNRS, WHO FELT THEY ULD CHALLENGE ME BEE I WAS TOO EFFEMATE. I WAS GENERALLY A NON-VLENT, NON-MALEVOLENT PERSON AND THIS MA ME NNON FODR FOR MY TORMENTORS.THIS LED ME TO QUTN WHY WAS THE WORST THG WE N SEE A MAN WAS TRAC OF FEMY. IS SO DISGTG FOR A MAN TO DISPLAY ANY TRAS OF NSIRED FEME? I DID NOT PE WELL IALLY AND I BEGAN TO LOSE WEIGHT AND SPEND MANY A WAKG MOMENT DISTRACTED AND OFFEND. AS I GREW OLR AND I MET MANY LIKE ME, I BEGAN TO GA MORE NFINCE AND REALIZE MY OWN SURVIVAL STCTS. I DISVERED I WAS NOT ALONE AND A WAY SELF-THERAPY AND MY AMIC ACHIEVEMENTS BEME A CTCH FOR ME. I WAS ABLE TO EXCEL AND SENCE PROVE MY ABERS WRONG. ADVERTISEMENT HOW DID YOU E OUT, IF YOU ARE OUT?I AM OUT TO SELECT FAY MEMBERS AND IENDS, AS UNFORTUNATELY MY CIRCUMSTANC DO NOT ALLOW MUCH. I AM NOT YET FANCIALLY STABLE AND UNFORTUNATELY I HAVE AN ABIVE FATHER, WHO WILL MOST CERTALY BLAME MY POOR MOTHER FOR RAISG ME QUEER—SOMETHG SHE WOULD HAVE ADVERTENTLY DONE SEEG AS SHE IS ABSOLUTELY AGAST HOMOSEXUALY A LARGE PART THANKS TO CULTURE AND RELIGN. TO THE FEW IENDS I HAVE TOLD I WAS WELED, AND TO SOME JT MA SENSE. I AM GRADUALLY WORKG ON RELEASG THE RMATN, BUT ONLY TO PARTI I EM TO BE ACCEPTG AND NON-HOSTILE. MANY MY FAY ARE STILL YET TO KNOW, OWG TO THE REASONS ABOVE AND RAMPANT HOMOPHOBIA.HOW ARE THE LAW AND ATTUS WHERE YOU LIVE GENERALLY? HAVE YOU SEEN THEM EVOLVE?THERE HAVE BEEN MOR ADVANC THE LAW, OM SER PERSECUTN AND GREAT RISK OF IMPRISONMENT TO A MORE CLEAR TERPRETATN AND ATTEMPTS BY CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATNS (CSOS) TO GA JTICE AND REDRS FOR MANY THE MUNY WHO MAY BE VICTIMS OF ATTACKS. THE ANIZATNS, LIKE THE SEXUAL RIGHTS CENTRE (SRC), HAVE EMPLOYED A TEAM OF PARALEGALS TO ASSIST WH ISSU PERTAG TO ABE MEMBERS OF OUR MUNY SUFFERS, AND HAVE ALSO ENGAGED POLICY MAKERS AND THE SENATE ABOUT PERHAPS ALTERG THE LAWS TO BEE MORE CLIVE OF LGBT RIGHTS. ADVERTISEMENT AT THE MOMENT WE ARE ENFORCG THE NEED FOR HEALTH-RE STAFF TO LIVER SERVIC WHOUT PREJUDICE. CURRENTLY AS THE LAW STANDS IS NOT ILLEGAL TO BE GAY ZIMBABWE BUT ONLY ILLEGAL TO M GAY OR IMMORAL ACTS. CURRENTLY THE CHANGE I HAVE OBSERVED IS MIMAL, WHILE THE GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE HAS GIVEN LGBT CSOS THE ROOM TO ADVOTE FOR THEMSELV, THEY HAVE ALSO MANAGED TO ADVISE THE POLICE TO ALSO STAND DOWN THEIR PERSECUTN OF . IT NOW VARI ACRDG TO THE PERSONAL ATTUS ONE MAY ENUNTER.HOW DID YOUR ACTIVISM BEG?I HAD A HEALTH SRE. I HAD JT RETURNED TO ZIMBABWE AFTER PLETG MY UNRGRADUATE STUDI SOUTH AI, OUR MORE ACCEPTG NEIGHBORG UNTRY. (THIS WAS SENTIAL, I GAED MORE NFINCE AND LEARNED TO BE MORE ACCEPTG OF MYSELF AND EVENTUALLY GAED NFINCE TO E OUT TO MYSELF.) I FOUND OUT MY BOYIEND HAD BEEN UNFAHFUL AND I WAS EXPERIENCG STI-LIKE SYMPTOMS, BUT DIDN’T KNOW WHERE TO GO. PREVLY, DOCTORS HAD BEEN OBLIGATED TO REPORT S OF SPECTED SODOMY SO I WAS STRAND AND UNSURE OF WHERE TO GO TO SEEK HEALTH RE AND ASSISTANCE. I WAS TRODUCED TO THE SRC AND AFTER MEETG MANY LIKE ME, I WAS SPIRED. I WAS NOT ALONE, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY I WAS ABLE TO OBSERVE MY PRIVILEG. “WE ARE ALREADY AT RISK AS GAY MEN AND WOMEN, AND THEN THAT RISK IS HEIGHTENED BY OUR ABILY TO ACCS HEALTH SERVIC AND FEAR OF PERSECUTN”— THIERRY HART I HAVE A HEALTH GREE, AND MANY OF MY LLEAGU DUE TO POVERTY AND UNRLYG UNDIAGNOSED MENTAL HEALTH ISSU ARE OFTEN FORCED TO LEAVE SCHOOL AND NNOT WORK TOWARDS TERTIARY TN. THIS LEADS TO MANY A RTLS LGBT WHO DULG HEAVILY ACTIVI WHICH THE LONG N ARE TRIMENTAL TO OUR HEALTH SUCH AS HEAVY DRKG, MULTIPLE PARTNERS, AND SO ON. SEX WORK IS A NORM, AS WELL AS ABE. ADVERTISEMENT WE ARE ALREADY AT RISK AS GAY MEN AND WOMEN, AND THEN THAT RISK IS HEIGHTENED BY OUR ABILY TO ACCS HEALTH SERVIC AND FEAR OF PERSECUTN. THIS IS HOW I WAS SPIRED TO PUT ASI MY REER AND TNAL PURSUS AND E MY PRIVILEGE AND MY GREE TO ASSIST AND TE MY MUNY. IT PAS ME WHEN I LOOK AND I REALIZE THERE IS NOT MUCH MANY N DO FOR THEMSELV, AND THIS PLAC GREATLY AT RISK FOR HIV/AIDS AND MENTAL ILLNS. THAT IS WHY I BEGAN TO VOLUNTEER AND RRY OUT MY ACTIVISM.HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT HOW ATTUS AROUND GENR EQUALY AND SEXUAL ORIENTATN HAVE EVOLVED WHERE YOU LIVE?GRADUALLY THEY ARE EVOLVG. THE SRC TOGETHER WH OTHER CSOS AND POPULATN SERVIC INTERNATNAL HAVE BEEN NNG PROGRAMS TO IMPROVE HEALTH-RE ACCS, MAND JTICE, AND ENROLL PROGRAMS THAT PROTECT AGAST HIV AND AIDS AS WELL AS MENTAL HEALTH. WE ARE SLOWLY (TRATGLY SO) BUT SURELY ASKG FOR A SEAT AT THE TABLE. WE ARE MOVG TOWARDS ACCEPTANCE AND AT THE VERY LEAST ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND CLN.FORMER PRINT MUGABE CREATED A SYSTEM THAT WE NTUE TO SUFFER OM TODAY. HIS SYSTEM WAS A EPLY RPTED SENSE OF HIGHER MORALY THAT JTIFIED ABE ON LGBT BY CLARG A WTERN IMPORT AND IS VERY FAMO FOR HIDG BEHD RELIGN, ALBE A VERY PERVERTED SENSE OF . MANY WERE ABED, LGBT PEOPLE TURNED ON THEIR OWN ORR FOR SURVIVAL, AND THE ATH RAT OM HIV WHERE OVERWHELMG. HE PUBLICLY HUMANIZED LGBT PEOPLE AS WORSE THAN PIGS AND DOGS. THIS HAS LED TO PEOPLE JTIFYG THEIR HOMOPHOBIA, REFG TO SERVE , AND EVEN PREACHG AND NVERSN THERAPY ATTEMPTS. IT TLY IS SICKENG THE AMOUNT OF BIGOTRY HIS ACTNS GAVE BIRTH TO. ZIMBABWE IS GRADUALLY MOVG FORWARDS, BUT EVERY NOW AND THEN WE HAVE CINC THAT ALSO TAKE SEVERAL STEPS BACK AND ISOLATED S OF LGBTQ MUNY ABE WHICH, AS YOU N IMAGE, LEAVE MY MUNY WH MANY A MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE. RECENT S CLU A PARTICULAR TABLOID-LIKE GROUP THAT HAS BEEN PHG ANTI-GAY PROPAGANDA AND PUBLISHG FALSE STORI THAT POT OUT NOTHG BUT SEXUAL IMMORALY, WHILE MONIZG . ADVERTISEMENT OTHER ISOLATED EVENTS HAVE CLUD THE ABE AND ASSLT OF TRANS MEMBERS OF THE MUNY. ONE WAS EVEN FORCED TO LEAVE HER MUNY. LGBT PEOPLE HAVE SURVIVED BY FORMG THEIR OWN MUNI AND SUPPORTG ONE ANOTHER, AND LARGELY OM SUPPORT OM THE CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATNS. THEY OFFER SAFE SPAC, PROVI UNSELG, AND THE SRC, FOR EXAMPLE, HAS ON MORE THAN ONE OCSN OFFERED TO EVEN PAY FOR THE HEALTH NEEDS AND EMERGENCI OF VAR MEMBERS OF THE MUNY AND EVEN FANCIAL SUPPORT.HOW ARE TRANSGENR PEOPLE FARG ZIMBABWE?THEY ARE MY OPN THE BRAVT AND SADLY MOST ABED. THEY ARE MOST PRONE TO HIV FECTNS, ABE AT THE HANDS OF THEIR LOVERS, AND RARELY DO THEY GET JTICE. EVEN WH OUR OWN LGBT MUNY THEY ARE LOOKED DOWN UPON AND JUDGED. MANY SEE THEM AS MENTALLY ILL AND THEIR ALGS WH LAW ENFORCEMENT, HEALTH-RE STAFF, AND THE GENERAL POPULATN HAVE BEEN TRMATIZG—OM THE OUTRIGHT REFAL OF THEIR RIGHTS TO SEXUAL ABE AND RRECTIVE RAP. ONE OF MY LLEAGU, A TRANS WOMAN, HAS BEEN MISSG FOR THE LAST THREE MONTHS. THEIR MUNY IS HIGHLY PRONE TO SEX WORK, HAVG VERY LTLE TERMS OF JOB AND SCHOOL PROSPECTS WHICH I ASSUME MT BE AREAS OF TORMENT FOR THEM WH DRS LEGISLATUR PROVG TO BE VERY RTRICTIVE. MANY HAVE BEEN OSTRACIZED OM CHURCH AND EVEN BARS; THEY ARE HEAVILY MONIZED, BUT STILL, THEY ARE RILIENT. ON THE BRIGHT SI, THEY HAVE MANAGED TO TABLISH A FEW ANIZATNS OF THEIR OWN, WHICH STAND ALONE AND SUPPORT THEM, PROVIDG SAFE SPAC AND PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT, AND TERG TO AND FOR SOME FANCIAL NEEDS. A BRIGHT LIGHT IS THE SE OF RICKY NATHANSON, A TRANS WOMAN AND ADVOTE WHO WAS ARRTED FOR MAKG E OF A FEMALE TOILET. SHE SUCCSFULLY SUED THE GOVERNMENT/POLICE AND WAS AWARD DAMAG FOR HER TRMA ON THE BASIS OF THE CONSTUTN NOT SETTG CLEAR PARAMETERS OF E OF THE TOILET. SHE PLAYED A HUGE ROLE THE VELOPMENT OF THE SRC, AND CURRENTLY RIS AND WORKS THE U.S. ADVERTISEMENT TELL ME ABOUT YOUR JOBI WORK AS A KEY POPULATNS DIFFERENTIATED SERVIC DELIVERY ASSISTANT. KEY POPULATNS (KPS) CLU GAY AND BISEXUAL MEN (MEN HAVG SEX WH OTHER MEN; MSM), SEX WORKERS (SWS) AND ADOLCENT GIRLS AND YOUNG WOMEN (AGYWS). MY ROL ARE TO SERVE THE MUNI WORKG TOWARDS ACHIEVG THE 90:90:90 GOALS HIV TREATMENT AND MANAGEMENT. IT CLUS MANAGG THE DISSEMATN OF RMATN, RECG KPS TO ENROLL AND MAKE E OF PROGRAMS, EHER BY ENURAGG PROPHYLACTIC E (NDOMS, BIRTH NTROL AND PREP) OR TREATMENT (MEDIL, AND ANTIRETROVIRAL THERAPY). THIS IS TO MIMIZE THE SPREAD OF HIV. ONE OF MY OTHER ROL IS TO PROVI ADHERENCE UNSELG AND NDNG, AND HELPG VELOP EVENTS TAILOR-MA TO SU THE NEEDS OF THE KPS. “I WOULD LIKE TO REVOLUTNIZE MY UNTRY’S HEALTH-RE SYSTEM; TO MAKE MORE PREHENSIVE AND CLIVE”— THIERRY HART WHAT HAS MA YOU MOST PROUD YOUR WORK?BEG SELECTED TO ADDRS THE LEGISLATORS ON LGBT RIGHTS, WORKG WH SWS TO DISCS HEALTH, AND FACILATG AROUND DIFFERENT SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND RIGHTS TOPICS, AND DG AND SUBSTANCE ABE. ADVERTISEMENT WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO THE FUTURE?I WOULD LIKE TO REVOLUTNIZE MY UNTRY’S HEALTH-RE SYSTEM; TO MAKE MORE PREHENSIVE AND CLIVE. WE LACK TAILED SEX TN, AND PREVENTATIVE MEASUR. SEX AND FEMALE SEXUALY HAS A HEAVY TABOO PLACED ON , LEAVG OUR GIRLS (AND GAYS) EXTREMELY VULNERABLE, EXPOSED AND NFED TO PARTICULAR BOX. I WOULD LIKE TO PROTECT THEM MORE. SEXUAL MORI SHOULD NOT ENUNTER BARRIERS WHEN TO ACCSG MUCH-NEED HEALTH-RE SERVIC. I WOULD LIKE TO PUT WOMEN AND LGBT PEOPLE BETTER PLAC AND ADVANCE OUR MOVEMENTS FOR SEATS AT THE TABLE AND NEGOTIATE FOR BETTER HEALTH RE AND RIGHTS. WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE FOR OTHER YOUNG PEOPLE WANTG TO GET ACTIVE THIS FIELD?FE YOUR OWN PATH, DILIGENTLY AND EMPHATILLY BUT WH PATIENCE. THERE IS MORE THAN ONE RIGHT ANSWER AND EVEN QUIET, FACELS ACTIVISM IS STILL ACTIVISM… JT LIKE WONR WOMAN. ADVERTISEMENT LEO CRANNEY, 26, SAN FRANCIS, U.S.GROWG UPI’M QUEER, AND OF TRANS EXPERIENCE. I GREW UP A FEW SMALL TOWNS SOUTHERN IDAHO. MY PARENTS DIVORCED WHEN I WAS 3, AND MY FATHER GOT CTODY. HE REMARRIED WHEN I WAS AROUND 5. HE AND MY STEPMOM ARE VERY STRICTLY MORMON. MOST OF SOUTHERN IDAHO IS MORMON, WAS ALL I KNEW FOR A REALLY LONG TIME. I WAS A BELIEVER FOR A WHILE UNTIL I GOT OLR AND REALIZED DIDN’T FEEL GOOD. I DIDN’T AGREE WH MOST PEOPLE ON ANYTHG. I REMEMBER HAVG TO TAKE A TT AT HIGH SCHOOL SIGNED TO SEE WHO WAS NSERVATIVE AND WHO WAS LIBERAL. I WAS THE ONLY LIBERAL THE CLASS. I TOLD MY FAY AND THEY WERE LIKE, “OH NO.” I REMEMBER BEG TOLD WHEN I WAS YOUNGER THAT GAY PEOPLE WERE BAD AND GOG TO HELL.TODAY, THE MORMON CHURCH MAY HAVE GOTTEN A LTLE BETTER (AROUND LGBTQ ISSU), BUT LIKE ALL LARGE STUTNS THIS HAS HAPPENED BEE PEOPLE MAND CHANGE, THEY WERE FORCED TO CHANGE—RATHER THAN THKG WAS THE RIGHT THG TO DO.TELL ME ABOUT G OUT ADVERTISEMENT I DIDN’T KNOW I WAS QUEER UNTIL I WAS 19. LOOKG BACK I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN. THERE WERE LOTS OF SIGNS AND FEELGS, BUT I WAS TOLD AS A CHILD THAT ONLY BAD PEOPLE WERE QUEER. I THOUGHT, “I’M NOT A BAD PERSON SO I N’T BE QUEER.” I DIDN’T KNOW FOR A LONG TIME.I WAS LLEGE WHEN I ME OUT, AND WAED TO E TO CALIFORNIA BEFORE I TOLD MY PARENTS OVER THE PHONE. I AM NOT TOUCH WH ANY HIGH SCHOOL IENDS. ONCE I ME OUT, MANY OF THEM UNIEND ME ON FACEBOOK. I HAVE NOT SPOKEN TO ANYONE OM HIGH SCHOOL YEARS, AND I AM NOT TERTED ANY OF THEIR BELIEFS EHER.I ME OUT AS TRANS A LTLE OVER A YEAR AGO. MY FAY DIDN’T DISOWN ME. IT HAS BEEN ODD TO ME THAT PEOPLE CELEBRATE THAT FACT— IS WEIRD TO ME THAT THAT IS THE BAR. I N SAY THAT MY FAY KD OF TRI. SOME OF THEM TRY HARR THAN OTHERS. I AM NOT VERY CLOSE TO THEM, SO N ONLY WATCH THEIR REACTNS OM A DISTANCE. I AM G TO PEACE WH THAT, BUT ’S HARD, PECIALLY AFTER GROWG UP A RELIGN WHERE FAY IS VERY IMPORTANT. WE ARE TOLD TO LOVE OUR FAI NO MATTER WHAT. BUT ’S HARD TO SEE PEOPLE SAY, “I LOVE YOU,” BUT THEN NOT TAKE THE TIME TO GET TO KNOW YOU.HOW HAS YOUR QUEER JOURNEY BEEN?I DIDN’T EVEN KNOW TRANS PEOPLE EXISTED UNTIL I WAS AN ADULT. THERE WAS NOBODY WHO WAS OUT WHERE I LIVED. IT WAS VERY HH-HH, NOBODY TALKED ABOUT . WHEN I MOVED TO CALIFORNIA, I HAD TRANS AND GENR-DIVERSE IENDS WHO OPENED MY EY TO WHAT IS POSSIBLE. THE SOCIALLY NSTCTED BARY OF GENR IS WEIRD, AND NOT EVEN NORMAL. ADVERTISEMENT I WISH I WOULD HAVE KNOWN AND BEEN EXPOSED TO A LOT MORE WHEN I WAS YOUNGER. BUT I DIDN’T KNOW WAS EVEN A POSSIBILY, SO TOOK ME A LONG TIME TO GET HERE. I HADN’T REALLY HAD A LONG-TERM RELATNSHIP UNTIL I MET MY PRENT PARTNER. WE HAVE BEEN TOGETHER FOR JT OVER A YEAR. “THERE IS A NSTANT NVERSATN ABOUT QUEER AND TRANS RIGHTS ALWAYS ON THE TABLE—ALTHOUGH PROBABLY NOT THE WAY SHOULD BE OR LED BY THE PEOPLE WHO SHOULD BE LEADG ”— LEO CRANNEY HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE STATE OF LGBTQ RIGHTS AND EQUALY AMERI RIGHT NOW?IT’S GREAT A WAY. THERE IS A NSTANT NVERSATN ABOUT QUEER AND TRANS RIGHT ALWAYS ON THE TABLE—ALTHOUGH PROBABLY NOT THE WAY SHOULD BE OR LED BY THE PEOPLE WHO SHOULD BE LEADG . BUT AT LEAST NVERSATNS ARE BEG HAD. IT IS HEARTBREAKG THAT BLACK TRANS WOMEN ARE BEG MURRED, AND LATER MISGENRED BY THE NEWS. I HAVE MIXED FEELGS. I AM PROUD TO WORK FOR STUTNS THAT ARE FIGHTG FOR OUR RIGHTS, BUT IS ALSO SAD THAT ONCE WAS TRANS PEOPLE BATHROOMS THAT PEOPLE FOCED ON, NOW ’S TRANS KIDS PLAYG SPORTS.TMP AND PENCE ARE TERRIFYG. THIS ADMISTRATN NEEDS TO GO. I DON’T THK THE DEMOCRATS ARE MUCH BETTER. I READ AN TERVIEW WH ANGELA DAVIS, WHERE SHE TALKED ABOUT THE NEED FOR A THIRD PARTY THAT UNRSTOOD BLACK, TRANS, AND QUEER PEOPLE. THAT PARTY DON’T EXIST YET, BUT THAT’S THE PARTY I WOULD BELIEVE . LEO ADVERTISEMENT TELL ME ABOUT YOUR ACTIVISMI AM STILL A STUNT AT MILLS COLLEGE, OAKLAND. I WILL GRADUATE DECEMBER. PUBLIC POLICY LAW IS THE FOC OF MY STUDY. I AM VERY EXCED TO WORK PART-TIME WH THE LAWYERS’ COMMTEE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS UNR LAW, WHICH FOC ON ENOMIC, RACIAL, AND IMMIGRANT JTICE. I SEE THEM MAKG CHANG WH THIS ADMISTRATN, AND ’S HEARTWARMG.ON MP, I LED A MPAIGN TO GET REGULAR TRASH NS (ALONGSI POSTABLE ON) STALLED THE MEN’S RTROOMS. I WAS STILL EXPERIENCG PERDS, AND WAS A PROBLEM FOR ME—HAVG TO THROW WHAT I E THE POSTABLE TRASH OR RRY OUT TO THE HALL. ALSO, CIS MEN GENERATE TRASH WHICH ISN’T POSTABLE! I ALSO LED A MPAIGN TO MAKE TRANS HEALTH RE MORE ACCSIBLE ON MP, LEADG TO PRODUCE A RD WH A LIST OF TRANS HEALTH-RE PROVIRS THE LOL AREA. MY EXPERIENCE OF THE BAY AREA IS THAT MOST DOCTORS HAVE NO EXPERIENCE OF TRANS HEALTH RE. “I HAD A DOCTOR LERALLY SAY TO MY FACE, ‘I KNOW NOTHG ABOUT TRANS HEALTH RE AND DON’T PLAN ON LEARNG ANYTHG ABOUT ’” I HAD A DOCTOR LERALLY SAY TO MY FACE, “I KNOW NOTHG ABOUT TRANS HEALTH RE AND DON’T PLAN ON LEARNG ANYTHG ABOUT .” EVERY TIME I SEE HER SHE REMDS ME TO GO SEE A DIFFERENT DOCTOR. HER EXCE IS THAT SHE’S OLD AND HAS ALREADY LEARNED A LOT, AND DON’T FEEL LIKE LEARNG ANYTHG ELSE. ADVERTISEMENT INSURANCE FOR AFFIRMG PROCR HAS BEEN A STGGLE FOR ME. EVERYTHG HAS BEEN ON HOLD FOR EIGHT MONTHS NOW, WHICH HAS BEEN EXTREMELY TRATG. TRANSNG HAS BEEN HARD. I HAVE BEEN ON TTOSTERONE FOR A WHILE, BUT HAVEN’T HAD SURGERI. I THK I MAY SEEM NFG TO PEOPLE. BEE OF A BACK JURY I DON’T BD. I ALSO HAVE FACIAL HAIR. BUT I AM WHE, AND THAT GIV ME PRIVILEGE AND A PASS A LOT OF PLAC. I FD MYSELF THKG LOTS OF THGS, LIKE ARE PEOPLE BEG TO ME, EYEG ME UP? ARE THEY TRANSPHOBIC, OR AM I DOG SOMETHG WRONG, OR ARE THEY HAVG A BAD DAY? I’M ALSO 5 FOOT 2, SO I’M NCERNED FOR MY SAFETY WAYS I HAVEN’T BEEN BEFORE.I SEE A LOT OF TRANS MEN ON TWTER SAY THEY FEEL ERASED. I DO NOT. TO ME, ’S LIKE THOSE PEOPLE WHO SAY ALL LIV MATTER RPONSE TO BLACK LIV MATTER. WELL, Y THEY DO, BUT ’S BLACK LIV WE SHOULD BE FOCED ON RIGHT NOW. TRANS MEN DO EXPERIENCE HARM, BUT ’S BLACK TRANS WOMEN WHO ARE BEG MURRED, AND TRANS WOMEN WHO FAMO PEOPLE LIKE TO ATTACK. SO OUR FOC AND SUPPORT SHOULD BE WH THEM. I HAVE NEVER SEEN A FAMO PERSON ATTACK TRANS MEN. “I DON’T KNOW IF I HAVE DONE ENOUGH OF THE WORK TO FEEL PROUD, AND DON’T KNOW IF I EVER WILL FEEL I HAVE DONE ENOUGH OF THE WORK TO FEEL PROUD”— LEO CRANNEY WHAT HAS MA YOU PROUST YOUR WORK?I JT THK THE WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE AND I’M A POSN TO BE PRIVILEGED TO HAVE THE ROURC AND TIME TO DO THE WORK. I FEEL I SHOULD DO , BUT I ALSO ENJOY . I DON’T KNOW IF I HAVE DONE ENOUGH OF THE WORK TO FEEL PROUD, AND DON’T KNOW IF I EVER WILL FEEL I HAVE DONE ENOUGH OF THE WORK TO FEEL PROUD. ADVERTISEMENT WHAT ABOUT THE FUTURE?I PLAN ON GETTG A MASTERS PUBLIC POLICY, THEN TAKG A BREAK OM SCHOOL. I WOULD LIKE TO GET VOLVED THE LEGISLATIVE PROCS—PLANNG, WRG, AND PHG THROUGH POLICY, WHICH WOULD BE EXCG. I'VE BEEN WORKG WH THE EQUALY CALIFORNIA INSTUTE. LAST YEAR I ATTEND THEIR LEARSHIP AMY AS A STUNT FELLOW, AND THIS SUMMER I WAS ACCEPTED TO THEIR COMST FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM. I WOULD LOVE TO WORK WH THEM, OR THE TRANSGENR LAW CENTER, TO WORK ON PHG LEGISLATN THROUGH TO IMPROVE THE LIV OF THE LGBTQ MUNY. THEN LAW SCHOOL AFTER THAT. I WANT TO BE GOOD ENOUGH AT LAW TO DO THGS PRO BONO FOR PEOPLE. BUT NOTHG IS SET STONE. I HAVE LEARNED THAT LIFE LGHS AT YOU IF YOU MAKE PLANS. I HAVE A FUZZY GOAL, AND I’M JT TRYG TO GET THERE.WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR OTHER YOUNG ACTIVISTS?IT’S HARD TO START, PECIALLY IF YOU E OM A PLACE WHERE ACTIVISM IS A BAD THG. IT WAS HARD FOR ME TO GET A FOOT THROUGH THE DOOR. BUT APPLY FOR THGS, REACH OUT TO PEOPLE, AND JT DO ! TIM TEEMAN

As 2022 saw a rise anti-LGBTQ rhetoric, legislatn and hate crim, the year also saw an crease the number of LGBTQ activists speakg out agast hateful speech, discrimatn and laws that ge upon their those advot are LGBTQ teens, who have been most signifintly impacted by legislatn such as Florida's so-lled "Don't Say Gay Bill"/Parental Rights Edutn Law, bans on transgenr girls participatg on sports teams that match their genr inty and rtrictns on genr-affirmg re for transgenr and genr-nonnformg have shown that Generatn Z Amerins – those born om 1997 to 2003 – have the hight rat of intifitn wh the LGBTQ muny at 21%, pared wh 7.

Here are five Gen Z LGBTQ teens who ma their voic heard 2022: LGBTQ TEENS:As 'Don't Say Gay' and siar bills take hold, LGBTQ youths feel they're 'gettg cshed'Dylan Brandt, 17, ArkansasArkansas teen Dylan Brandt has been outspoken this year durg the state's trial over a ban on genr-affirmg re for transgenr and genr non-nformg a platiff the se alongsi three other transgenr teens reprented by the Amerin Civil Liberti Unn of Arkansas, Brandt ttified November on the posive impact hormone therapy has had on his life and the risks behd whholdg the same re for other LGBTQ youths.

Samuels was named Banned Book Week's Youth Honorary Chair for their work and was clud  GLAAD's 20 Unr 20: 2022 Outstandg Young LGBTQ Changemakers Larks, 18, FloridaWill Larks a Florida high school senr, has been the face of LGBTQ youth opposn to Florida's so-lled "Don't Say Gay" legislatn that rtricts the discsn of genr and sexualy the state's elementary schools. Johnson was a key figure of the 1960s gay rights movement the US and, as legend has , threw the brick that igned the famo Stonewall rts, which were the talyst for the movement and have spired many Pri march ever 1992, Johnson’s body was found the Hudson River. “Sylvia’s role gay history was that she was one of the first people to highlight that our movement need to be more clive of people who did not f the mastream, ” Carrie Davis, Chief Programs and Policy Officer at New York Cy’s LGBT Communy Center, told NBC News.

GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENT

In a untry where police officer entrap members of the LGBTQ muny through text msag and beat those they perceive to be gay, Nkom bravely fights for rights on behalf of the LGBTQ Nkom intifi as heterosexual, she has dited her work to fightg for Cameroon’s LGBTQ muny and found the Associatn for the Defence of Homosexualy 2003. But 2005, the queer activist was forced to flee his untry, where homosexual activy remas, Parsi liv exile Canada, where he has found the Iranian Railroad for Queer Refuge, which supports and provis guidance to LGBTQ asylum seekers om the Middle East. About a year after he was first drafted, Sam retired om the NFL cg mental health stggle highlighted the discrimatn and homophobia still rampant the sports world, but Sam has gone on to share his story and ntu to champn change.

Jonathan Van Ns, Antoni Porowski, Tan France, Bobby Berk, and Karamo Brown om Queer Courty of NetflixThe all-star st of Netflix’s new Queer Eye seri — a reboot of Bravo’s early 2000s seri Queer Eye for the Straight Guy — may be all fun when to makeovers, but they’re ser about makg a difference the “Fab Five” — Tan France, Jonathan Van Ns, Bobby Berk, Karamo Brown, and Antoni Porowski — speak openly on Queer Eye about their personal stggl and experienc wh homophobia and discrimatn. My cisn was my own, and I chose to be hont about who I am orr to let others know that ’s OK to be proud of your fay is very Christian and there was always homophobic rhetoric that I grew up around, so when I me out there was a lot of phback, and many qutns about why I was choosg to pursue this life regardls of everythg I grew up knowg; why I was choosg to be rebell and so on. While I have been fairly lucky, homophobic bullyg and prejudice always cuts straight to a person’s re and to me is a remr that no matter the progrs ma, hate and misunrstandg is still a large part of people’s experienc unr the surface.

7 EARLY PNEERS OF THE GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENTBEFORE THE STONEWALL RTS, THE ACTIVISTS HELPED SET THE STAGE FOR ADVANC THE LGBTQ CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT.BY: JOSEPH BENNGTON-CASTROUPDATED: JUNE 8, 2023 | ORIGAL: JUNE 1, 2023PY PAGE LKPRT PAGEBILL MRER/NY DAILY NEWS ARCHIVE VIA GETTY IMAGTHE 1960S SAW SOME MAJOR STRIS LGBTQ ACTIVISM, CLUDG THE GAY “SIP-IN” PROTT AGAST DISCRIMATN OM NEW YORK CY BARS AND THE 1969 STONEWALL RTS. BUT SOME ACTIVISTS TOOK A STAND FOR LGBTQ RIGHTS BEFORE THAT FAMED , OPERATG UNR THE FEAR OF LOSG THEIR JOBS SHOULD THEY BE OUTED OR BEG ARRTED FOR SIMPLY EXISTG HETERONORMATIVE SPAC. THE URAGE OF THE EARLY U.S. QUEER ACTIVISTS SET THE STAGE FOR POLIL VICTORI LGBTQ RIGHTS THE S TO E.WILLIAM DORSEY SWANN (1860–?)JT THREE YEARS BEFORE THE EMANCIPATN PROCLAMATN, WILLIAM DORSEY SWANN WAS BORN THE PROPERTY OF A WHE PLANTATN WOMAN, ACRDG TO REARCH BY CHANNG GERARD JOSEPH. HE GREW UP TO BEE THE FIRST PERSON THE UNED STAT TO FIGHT FOR THE LGBTQ MUNY’S RIGHT TO GATHER THROUGH LEGAL AND POLIL CHANNELS. HE WAS ALSO THE FIRST SELF-PROFSED QUEEN OF DRAG.SWANN HELD DRAG BALLS, OR DANCE PARTI WHICH ATTEN (BLACK MEN, MANY FORMER SLAV) WOULD DRS WOMEN’S SILKS AND SATS. ONE OF THE WASHGTON, D.C. PARTI WAS RAID BY POLICE 1888 AND ABOUT A DOZEN OF THE DRAGGED-UP ATTEN WERE ARRTED, SWANN CLUD.HE WAS TAED SEVERAL MORE TIM AND NVICTED 1896 FOR THE FALSE CHARGE OF “KEEPG A DISORRLY HOE,” OR A BROTHEL. DURG HIS 10-MONTH SENTENCE, SWANN PETNED PRINT GROVER CLEVELAND FOR A PARDON, WHICH WAS NIED. AFTER HIS RELEASE, SWANN NTUED TO THROW BALLS AS THE QUEEN OF DRAG. THE YEAR OF HIS ATH IS UNCERTA, ALTHOUGH SOME LIST AS 1925, WHEN HE WOULD HAVE BEEN 66-67 YEARS OLD.HENRY GERBER (1892–1972)IN 1924, HENRY GERBER FOUND THE FIRST GAY RIGHTS ANIZATN AMERI: THE SOCIETY FOR HUMAN RIGHTS. THE CHIGO-BASED ANIZATN PRODUCED FRIENDSHIP AND FREEDOM, THE FIRST AMERIN PUBLITN FOR HOMOSEXUALS.IN 1925, GERBER AND OTHER ANIZATN MEMBERS WERE ARRTED FOR “OBSCENY” AFTER THE POLICE RECEIVED A TIP OM A -FOUNR’S WIFE. THOUGH THE CHARG WERE EVENTUALLY DROPPED, FIGHTG THEM ST GERBER HIS LIFE’S SAVGS AND HIS JOB WH THE U.S. POSTAL SERVICE, AS WELL AS THE DISSOLUTN OF HIS ANIZATN.GERBER WENT ON TO LIVE AN UNASSUMG LIFE, WRG ARTICL ABOUT HOMOSEXUAL OPPRSN UNR A PSDONYM, WORKG AND BUILDG MUNY.HARRY HAY (1912–2002)HARRY HAY WAS A MUNIST ACTIVIST WHO -FOUND THE MATTACHE SOCIETY, THE FIRST ENDURG GAY RIGHTS ANIZATN, 1950. HAY WAS SUBSEQUENTLY DIVORCED BY HIS WIFE, FELLOW MUNIST ANA PLATKY, AND EXPELLED OM THE MUNIST PARTY, WHICH NSIRED HIM A SECURY RISK, A FEW YEARS LATER. THE BURGEONG MATTACHE SOCIETY FORCED HAY AND OTHER MUNIST FOUNRS TO STEP DOWN 1953.HAY NTUED HIS QUEER ACTIVISM FOLLOWG HIS EXPULSN. HE WAS ELECTED THE FIRST CHAIR OF THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA GAY LIBERATN FRONT—A ANT QUEER RIGHTS GROUP—AFTER THE STONEWALL RTS AND -FOUND THE RADIL FAIRI A LATER. HE SPENT HIS LATER YEARS BEG VOLVED NATIVE AMERIN TWO-SPIR ACTIVISM.DEL MART (1921–2008) AND PHYLLIS LYON (1924–2020)NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARYPHYLIS LYON AND DEL MART, CIR 1970.IN 1955, DEL MART AND PHYLLIS LYON -FOUND THE FIRST MAJOR ANIZATN FOR LBIANS THE UNED STAT—THE DGHTERS OF BILIS. THE UPLE SOON LNCHED AND BEME EDORS OF LADR, THE ANIZATN’S NATNAL PUBLITN AND PLATFORM FOR LBIANS TO ANONYMOLY OR OPENLY WRE ABOUT ISSU PERTENT TO THE MUNY. MART AND LYON WERE ALSO THE FIRST LBIAN UPLE TO JO THE NATNAL ORGANIZATN FOR WOMEN.DGHTERS OF BILIS EVENTUALLY SHUTTERED AS THE QUEER RIGHTS MOVEMENT BEME MORE ANT, BUT MART AND LYON NTUED THEIR ACTIVISM. AFTER MORE THAN FIVE S TOGETHER, THE PAIR WERE THE FIRST OF 90 GAY UPL TO BE ILLEGALLY MARRIED BY SAN FRANCIS’S THEN-MAYOR GAV NEWSOM. THEY WERE MARRIED AGA FOUR YEARS LATER, 2008, AFTER CALIFORNIA LEGALIZED SAME-SEX MARRIAGE. DALE JENNGS (1917–2000)A FOUNDG MEMBER OF THE MATTACHE SOCIETY, DALE JENNGS BEME A QUEER RIGHTS HERO WHEN HE PROTTED URT A 1951 CHARGE OF SEXUAL SOLICATN LOS ANGEL. AT THE TIME, ENTRAPMENT BY TECTIV POSG AS GAY MEN BARS, PUBLIC PARKS, AND RTROOMS WAS MON. THOSE CHARGED WH SOLICG POLICE OFFICERS FOR SEX TYPILLY PLEAD GUILTY RATHER THAN FACE BEG OUTED AS GAY. JENNGS, AT HAY’S SUGGTN, FOUGHT THE CHARGE TO BRG ATTENTN TO THE DISCRIMATORY POLICY. IN 1952, THE JURY ADLOCKED FOR ACQUTAL AND THE JUDGE DISMISSED THE CHARGE.THAT YEAR, JENNGS -FOUND ONE INC., WHICH PRODUCED THE NATNAL GAY JOURNAL ONE MAGAZE. IN 1954, A LOS ANGEL POSTMASTER NFISTED THE MAGAZE FOR BEG ''OBSCENE, LEWD, LASCIV AND FILTHY,” WHICH ONE FOUGHT URT. A LOWER URT LED FAVOR OF THE POSTMASTER BUT THE U.S. SUPREME COURT, 1958, UNANIMOLY REVERSED THE CISN, UPHOLDG A NSTUTNAL PROTECTN FOR PRO-GAY WRGS.CHRISTE JENSEN (1926–1989)

As I spend a lot of my workg life on the road (I have driven over 65, 000kms over the past four years—a distance one and a half tim around the circumference of the Earth) workg wh regnal and remote Atralia, I am always reful of my safety small muni, as bullyg and prejudice is the foundatn stone to further acts of homophobia—and often vlence. But for me, the cint remd me that even the spac dited to improvg the liv of women are still spac affected by homophobia, racism, and erasure of the inty of people who do not f the ny someone’s inty is disrpectful, and n have eply-felt impacts on dividuals and muni. I work to embed genr equaly and an tersectnal awarens of social issu to the way that untri negotiate and make cisns globally on emergg reporter is a longtime Neighbours fan, and the long-nng soap opera has gay characters, and now a trans character.

I am not yet fancially stable and unfortunately I have an abive father, who will most certaly blame my poor mother for raisg me queer—somethg she would have advertently done seeg as she is absolutely agast homosexualy a large part thanks to culture and relign. “We are already at risk as gay men and women, and then that risk is heightened by our abily to accs health servic and fear of persecutn”— Thierry HartI have a health gree, and many of my lleagu due to poverty and unrlyg undiagnosed mental health issu are often forced to leave school and nnot work towards tertiary tn. ” I remember beg told when I was younger that gay people were bad and gog to, the Mormon Church may have gotten a ltle better (around LGBTQ issu), but like all large stutns this has happened bee people mand change, they were forced to change—rather than thkg was the right thg to me about g outI didn’t know I was queer until I was 19.

People une every June, Pri Month, to celebrate ton like the Stonewall uprisg and the activists who have ma signifint ntributns to the advancement of gay overlooked, however, are the unsung hero of lor who have broken ground and ntue to make stris.

AFTER YEARS OF PROGRS ON GAY RIGHTS, HOW DID THE US BEE SO ANTI-LGBTQ+?

E., for lbians, gays [homosexual mal], bisexuals, transgenr persons, and queer persons); seeks to elimate sodomy laws; and lls for an end to discrimatn agast LGBTQ persons employment, cred, hog, public acmodatns, and other areas of life.