#HowIResist Campaign 21

Imagine you are a married, heterosexual person, and imagine your life up to this point altered in only one way, that instead of being partnered with someone of the opposite sex, you had partnered with someone of the same sex. All of your shared experiences are the same. All of your loving moments are the same. All of your times of joy, hope, even suffering, alike in every way save for one. How, then, would it be sinful if the only variable is that you are sharing these experiences with someone who shares your gender? How would you be violating what Jesus calls the greatest commandment: that we are to love God and neighbor?

#HowIResist

I resist with love… By loving because we’re all one and the same – HUMAN!!! I love because that’s more natural than any other emotion.

I resist with my voice! I speak up against homophobia, because we shouldn’t be judged by our sexuality. We’re created as we are – whole and enough. – Golden.

#HowIResist

I resist by existing, by being me. I mean, the vibranium thick-skinned me!

I resist by running into burning buildings of homophobia to save those who want to be saved.

I resist by staying true to what I believe in, regardless of whether or not they are respected.

I keep resisting for myself and for those around me, one selfless act of love at a time. Call me Captain Gay-merica. – Henry

#HowIResist

I resist being treated or categorized as subhuman just because I’m gay. I resist being defined as merely a sexual object because of the stereotype that blacks have big dicks. I resist succumbing into living a false life by imbibing education and independency as a gateway to freedom. I walk with my shoulders high because I see you as you. It is your problem if you see me as just a gay man and not as Me. – Simba

#HowIResist

As a teenager, I allowed barbed words veiled in scrutiny dictate how I reacted to my sexuality and the experience that shaped my reality. And because I saw myself through blurred lines, I hid underneath layers of conformity and slowly lost myself to silence and the consciousness of what is demanded of being male in Africa.

Learning to resist did not come easy. It came because I sought for answers, first, from within of what I knew to be my truth. Truth that I am here, real, human, flawed, queer, male and Nigerian. That only I can create narratives worthy of the truth within, through which the world can see my existence.

And so, I resist, creating and owning each of my narratives. – Elias Andrevn

#HowIResist

Growing up in a very religious family, I quickly became aware of how homophobic my environment was, filled as it was with people who draw strength for their hatred from the pastor on Sundays in church when he screams, “All homos will rot in Hell!”

But I resist with love, knowing that I have to love in order to be loved for who I am. I endeavour to show this love everyday and constantly remind myself that all I need is love to overcome all the heartaches of homophobia. – James Chuks