Comments on: The rich can afford their indiscretions http://www.magneticfire.com/2010/03/03/the-rich-can-afford-their-indiscretions/ Commentary on Being Gay in Mid-Life and Beyond Wed, 18 Jan 2012 15:50:40 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Samuel Wolff http://www.magneticfire.com/2010/03/03/the-rich-can-afford-their-indiscretions/comment-page-1/#comment-939 Samuel Wolff Thu, 04 Mar 2010 16:45:41 +0000 http://www.magneticfire.com/?p=1381#comment-939 I was raised in Africa and have lived in East Africa for nearly 30 years as an adult. I think your take on homosexuality in Africa is quite accurate. The comment "heterosexuality is compulsory" is quite true. While both mainstream Islam and Christianity do condemn homosexuality, it is also very much a cultural taboo. As you know Uganda has introduced a law to make it a capitol offense. Health workers rightly blame the fact that gay men are "forced" to take female partners or spouses for the contribution in the rapid spread of AIDS. But here is something that most likely is not published in the West. We are starting to talk about it, at least here in Kenya. Last December two gay Kenyan men were married in London. This has produced an on going country wide debate on a subject that was complete taboo even to talk about, even one year ago. I am finding an amazing attitude of "live and let live", not a majority but I would say a significant minority. I have set up a debate with our church youth group on "Is it right to discriminate against gays?" It is too early to start debates about agree or disagree with same sex marriage or is homosexuality a sin, but at least it is a start. It is looked forward to with much anticipation. I am using the issue of gay rights to open up the general question of discrimination. As you probably know Kenya has experience much bloodshed, corruption and other sorrows due to tribalism, so my hope is to use this as an opening to further discussions. I am also beginning to start discussions among my fellow clergy and I am finding some tentative support. But back to your posting. Spot on! I was raised in Africa and have lived in East Africa for nearly 30 years as an adult. I think your take on homosexuality in Africa is quite accurate. The comment “heterosexuality is compulsory” is quite true. While both mainstream Islam and Christianity do condemn homosexuality, it is also very much a cultural taboo. As you know Uganda has introduced a law to make it a capitol offense.

Health workers rightly blame the fact that gay men are “forced” to take female partners or spouses for the contribution in the rapid spread of AIDS.

But here is something that most likely is not published in the West. We are starting to talk about it, at least here in Kenya. Last December two gay Kenyan men were married in London. This has produced an on going country wide debate on a subject that was complete taboo even to talk about, even one year ago. I am finding an amazing attitude of “live and let live”, not a majority but I would say a significant minority.

I have set up a debate with our church youth group on “Is it right to discriminate against gays?” It is too early to start debates about agree or disagree with same sex marriage or is homosexuality a sin, but at least it is a start. It is looked forward to with much anticipation.

I am using the issue of gay rights to open up the general question of discrimination. As you probably know Kenya has experience much bloodshed, corruption and other sorrows due to tribalism, so my hope is to use this as an opening to further discussions.

I am also beginning to start discussions among my fellow clergy and I am finding some tentative support.

But back to your posting. Spot on!

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