Wrapping up
That’s all we have time for, here’s a parting message from Eric.
Thank you. I am really grateful for the chance to do this. Knowing that people care makes a big difference to our work. We all, in our own way, have to keep the pressure up to end LGBTIQ persecution and to promote equality.
We are all equal members of the human family, despite our differences, which should be celebrated and not used to exclude us.
Thank again for all the questions and keep an eye on the Guardian Africa site for further coverage of gay rights on the continent. If you have a suggestion for a future Q&A topic please email me on maeve.shearlaw@theguardian.com.
Lots of people in the comments have said they are “overwhelmed” by your story, many more have said you are “brave” or their “hero”. How would you respond to that?
I am not a hero. I am not brave. I just want to be treated equally – there is nothing extraordinary about that.
I am grateful for the love and support, which teaches that each one of us has a contribution to make to bring about change. Injustice must be challenged. We must leave a better system for those who come after us.
Everyday life
A bit more from Eric on everyday life for the community in Kenya:
We are resilient and defiant and make life as good as we can, despite the violence, discrimination and exclusion.
Some gay men complain to the police. We have reports of lesbians being raped. There is a lot of violence against trans people at the hands of the police,also against effeminate gay men and butch lesbians. Gay asylum seekers, mainly from Uganda and the DRC, face eviction from their homes.
But, despite these factors, LGBTIQ people can access the constitution and the government is engaging with us to discuss law reform including policy adjustments to provided dignified access to healthcare and recognition of gender change.
Homophobic hypocrisy
Hypocrisy is global, not specifically limited to Kenya and Uganda. While the criminal laws exist, people will feel shame, and the hypocrisy will continue. Hypocrites often look at gay men purely in terms of a sex act, not human beings who love, who work, who pay taxes.
Safety
I am safe. I am confident about the rule of law in Kenya. We are all protected.
Fear factor
Thank you Eric for your hard work and bravery.
My question is how do you fight the fear, because violence and abuse are very real threats to many lgbt people, but having being outed in Kenya violence and abuse must be a real threat, how do you overcome the fear or does it not bother you?
There is a lot of violence against the LGBGT community in Kenya. For example, in the last two years there have been six or more mob attacks, which the police have not investigated.
The state is also violent, by using forced anal examinations against those who are suspected of being gay – state homophobia leads to violence by non-state actors too.
But I avoid putting myself in dangerous situations. When I feel afraid I face my fears with courage – I know that I am not alone and that others have walked this path before me.
Foreign aid
Should Kenya still receive international aid in light of their barbaric treatment of gay men?
Foreign aid and international development assistance should not be tied to LGBT rights. When they are tied, gay and lesbians are scapegoated, they are blamed. This is not helpful.
Poverty versus LGBT rights
Hi Eric. Well done for everything you are doing. I'm overwhelmed sometimes by your story and by how brave you are.
My question is about LGBT rights across SCA (Sub-Saharan Africa.) Many people argue (I am not included) that before we look at the rights of LGBT people we need to deal with our bigger problems such as poverty. How do you respond to this?
Thanks again. You are a real champion of the people.
Shupiwe
Poverty is a result of exclusion and discrimination. The exclusion of the LGBT community contributes to poverty.
Homophobia leads to people leading a ‘half’ life. Poverty is universal in Africa and at the centre we have human beings, who should not face discrimination or be criminalised.
All human rights are connected. Why is my government spending so much money on police and law enforcement against gay men and lesbians? It costs money, without there being any economic benefit. Decriminalisation has an economic benefit, the World Bank has done a survey on this.
Individual support
Hi there. I was born in Kenya and left for England where I came out as a Gay man. I can only imagine the daily struggle you have to endure. As a Kenyan by birth what can I do individually to support you?
There are many ways to support. Directly, through donations. Indirectly, by talking with your family and friends back in Kenya about your experiences as a gay man living in the UK
Gay life in Kenya
Eric, would you say the situation that exists for gay men is the same for Lesbians? Also, there must be a gay life (ghetto?) there. What is the general mood? Is it one of fear? Of defiance? Do any statistics exists for how many gay people are imprisoned and how so? i.e bars are raided; cruising areas surveyed etc.
Many thanks and you're a real role model.
The mood is one of defiance but gay life is mostly on the down-low. It is sometimes exciting, we have a gay bar in Nairobi, we have the annual gay and lesbian awards. People can meet and socialise, come out – even in the media – without arrest, and form relationships.
Twitter questions
A couple of questions sent to @GuardianAfrica
@GuardianAfrica @EricGitari I'm so inspired by your strength and bravery. Who inspires you? What are you most afraid of?
— Shaunav (@ShaunaVulliamy) November 25, 2015
I am inspired by my grandfather, a Mau Mau warrior. He taught me to stand up against injustice
@guardianworld @GuardianAfrica What will life be like for the next generation of LGBT Kenyans? #topgay #withyou #honored
— Carly (@CarlyJMorris) November 25, 2015
They will not have to live with the weight of criminalisation
Being gay and African
I would like to add that it is important to 'Africanise' gayness among women and men. How can this be done? It has obviously always been there.
As part of this, how would you combat the homophobia of American evangelicals operating in Kenya. What they say is ghastly.
We can reclaim our anthropological history about the sexual and gender fluidity of Africans pre-colonisation and pre-missionary work. African people must stand up to oppressive laws that criminalise them. The issue does not need to be Africanised, LGBTQI people exist everywhere and always have.
Can the media help?
Hi Eric,
can't the Kenyan media do something to help? From what I know and have heard, Kenya is deeply religious (Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, etc, etc) and this is the first bubble that needs to be popped. It undoubtedly has a lot to do with attitudes toward the LGBT community. I know that recently the parliament passed some kind of law which restricted the media from talking about them specifically so the media in Kenya can sometimes be put on a leash, but aren't there people in the media who can advocate for humanity and tolerance above religion and tradition. That would be the first step in changing attitudes especially among the young.
The media can help by providing factually accurate information on LGBT people and LGBT rights. They can be the voice of reason and critical analysis.
There are some that are helpful already, for example the Nation, a leading newspaper who ran an editorial piece against Kenya introducing an anti-homosexuality bill.
Would you ever leave Kenya?
A few questions on the same topic so Eric will answer them together:
By email Sandra Brightman said:
Do you ever think about emigrating to countries more accepting of LGBT individuals than Kenya? If so, what stops you from doing so?
In the comments James Mackay added:
You must be tempted all the time to leave Kenya. What makes you stay? What is it you love about your country, given how violently its government and most of its society has rejected you?
Eric replies:
I would not leave Kenya. Kenya is my home and where my family is. I won’t run away from home. My mission is to make the building fire proof, not run away from a burning building. You seek change at home. You engage with your government and your society to find local solutions.
The ‘gay cure’
Leighton Jones said:
I represent All Out, a world-leading LGBT+ rights organisation. We recently launched a tool to report gay ‘cures’ and treatments of this ilk across the globe – with Kenya being a priority.
My question: were you ever offered a ‘cure’ for your sexuality? Have you heard of others being offered such treatments?’
Eric replies:
I have never been offered a ‘cure’, but on plenty of occasions I have been offered deliverance prayers to ‘cast out the gay demon’
Diaspora support
By email Nish Matenjwasaid:
Hi Eric, first my message to you. Stay strong, my brother and more power to you.
And now my question: how can Kenyans in the diaspora support the LGBT cause in Kenya?
Eric replies:
Thanks Nish for your love and support.
The Kenyan diaspora can support local organisations with technical support and funding.
Updated
Is homophobia divide and rule?
Mr Gitari, I support your work with the LGBT communities. A brother and ally. My question is since men who have sex with men and women who have sex with women have been happening since forever around the world why now is this such a big issue? Is it economic 'divide and rule' tactics using fundamentalist Christianity to brainwash people in to action which is against their group interest, while the richer countries continue to steal African resources. The fight should be with these aggressors not with our own people. My family are Nigerian and we have the same issue with LGBT people there. As a separate but related issue so called heterosexual men are having closeted sex with men while they carry out these attacks. Secrets lies and violence.
It is not a conspiracy. It is an alliance of convenience between some African politicians and the American conservative evangelicals, who are exporting cultural wars to African countries with a view to perpetuate their religious dogmas and turn it into legislation.
Some African politicians are using this opportunity provided by the evangelicals for political gain to distract public attention from pressing socio-economic issues within their electorate.
I agree that there are a lot of closeted people who are carrying out homophobic violence due to internalised homophobia and self-loathing. Most often this violence is justified or excused by the existence of sodomy laws like we have in Kenya. These laws need to be repealed.
I agree that men who have sex with men also have sex with women – The Kenyan Ministry of health estimate that 60% are also in a hetrosexual relationship and have children.
Evangelical influence
Hi Eric,
First as a world citizen I take this opportunity to thank you for your work on LGBT rights.
Is it true that this new wave of homophobic laws is linked to Scott Livelly's evangelic church ties with Kenya politicians. Or is this another patronising and cynical way to establish a sort of current colonial influence in Kenya's current affairs and undermine government responsibility over it's own laws......
I am from Moz where homosexuality is on the surface accepted, but still a stigma. Therefore I have never experience homophobic bashing any more than here in Britain.
What in your view should we in the West do to help end sexual discrimination in Kenya?
The new homophobic law in Kenya is not linked to Scott Lively, but it is linked to American evangelicals, in particular the American Centre for Law in Justice and lobby groups who are using conservative republican proxies.
To end homophobia in Kenya, the west can stand in solidarity.
Hi all,
Just to let you know the Eric is with us now. Thanks for all the great questions... let’s begin.
I was outed as a 'top gay' by a Kenyan tabloid – any questions for me?
In May a leading Kenyan tabloid, Citizen, ran a picture of Eric Gitari and nine of his compatriots on their front page. The news splash? They were were being outed as “top gays”.
Life in Kenya is not easy for the LGBT community, who have to contend with daily stigma, the threat of mob violence and lengthy prison sentences.
Gitari, who is a lawyer and human rights activist, is undeterred by this and recently secured a major legal victory for the community.
After a long fight, Kenya’s high court ruled that his organisation, the National Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, could be formally registered in Kenya. This paved the way for similar organisations also supporting the community to follow suit.
Shortly afterwards, Citizen ran their front page.
The next battle on Gitari’s hands is a lawsuit he has filed against the state over forced HIV testing and anal examinations, which the government says can determine men’s sexuality.
Two gay men sue State for forced HIV testing and anal examination to prove sexual orientation https://t.co/Wnqu7VNBhf via @TheStarKenya
— Eric Gitari (@EricGitari) November 5, 2015
Gitari and his team argue that the procedure is degrading and a violation of constitutional rights.
Any questions?
Gitari will join us live today, 25 November, between 12pm-1pm London/3pm-4pm Nairobi to answer your questions about life as a leading LGBT activist.
Join us live, or leave your questions in advance in the comments below. You can also tweet them @GuardianAfrica or email maeve.shearlaw@theguardian.com.
Morning Eric,
From an Irish perspective, we have seen what might be called "Roy Cohn" syndrome, with bigoted rhetoric and hate speech emanating from characters who later turn out to have been engaging in the same behaviour in private that they condemn in public. Have there been any analogous cases in Kenya or Uganda?