DISCRIMINATION WITHIN THE LGBTI IS STILL DISCRIMINATION

It always amuses me of how much homophobia and transphobia there is in the LGBTI community. Everyone in the LGBTI wants nothing but to be accepted right, to have the right to express themselves however they want. Being part of the LGBTI does not make you feel you know what the next person in the LGBTI identifies as, you don’t even have the right to question their identity as you would hate yours to be. Why don’t we just love each there or rather accept each other without trying to analyse them. You can share what you know with others but that does not make you the expert of their life. Thinking you know best doesn’t validate that you do.

Everyone is entitled to tell you what they understand to identify as, we need to respect people’s identities and sexual orientation even preferred pronouns. We getting more than enough discrimination and stigmatization from the communities, even the world we live in so we do not need it among ourselves. I have come across lesbians who say they can’t stand gays because they are too much. Why should someone live their life to please you yet you live yours how you please. Amusing enough they are some lesbians who say they don’t like lesbian events or to hang out where other lesbians hang out yet they want to be legalized and accepted. LGBTI is a minority group which means we need as much visibility as we can get and to do that we need to attend LGBTI events so that the community sees that we exist hence reviewing of laws and the constitution to include us. I’m not saying step out of your closets but to be heard you need to speak out comrades. 

We all need to be activists for our rights, it’s high time we stop sitting back as others fight for our rights. They could use as much help as possible. Together we can but if some are lurking behind then we are going to encounter so many obstacles hence prolonging a positive change (acceptance) that we all want. 

Before I forget I have realized that people s preferred pronouns seem to conflict with what others think that person identifies as. Why do you think you know someone’s identity better than them? If I say I am a lesbian and you see my pronoun as Male instead of judging me and criticizing me why don’t you try to understand why I choose that. Sexuality and identity is a lifelong process we discover ourselves as we grow and we have a choice to identify how we feel. Stop analyzing people and live your life without infringing anyone’s rights. What makes you think people are confused have you ever stopped to ask yourself that “what if you are the confused one about that person”? If not then maybe you should.

Let’s stop in-house discrimination if at all we want to be accepted by the people around us. Let’s be activists and advocate for the whole LGBTI and make this world a better place for you and for me and the entire human race.

By Urbenia Unaswi Kgwarae