IT’S TIME TO REACH OUT!
When any group is faced with a challenging situation, the response of its members can be broadly grouped into two. There are those who will grumble and whine about the situation. They could go on and on, narrating their ordeal and lamenting about their suffering. But they never actually sit down to think about how they can improve the situation and worse still, they never actually do anything to change to make things better. All they do and do very well is COMPLAIN.
There are those who not only complain but also actually PLAN about what to do and take action.
If we are going to change the LGBT situation in Nigeria, we will need people of this second group. Unfortunately, I find that the Nigerian LGBT community is crowded with an excess of persons with PHDs in the art of complaint.
The social media has proven to be a powerful agent for revolution in recent times. Let’s not forget the role of social media in the Arab spring of 2010. I propose that since the homophobic climate has forced the Nigerian LGBT community to remain underground, we should employ social media as an instrument for change. No matter how deep in the closet you go, you will always have access to a smart phone, a laptop and internet. Siddon look neva tire una? Haba!
Below is a very inspirational video every gay man in Nigeria ABSOLUTELY MUST SEE. In fact, I think it’s a video every Nigerian, especially the open-minded ones, should see. It was made by Johnnell Terrell, an instagram celebrity who is one of the few openly gay Black male models.
Please download the video, watch it and send it to as many people as you can. This is message is especially important for young homosexual men and women who are confused and depressed by their sexuality. If you have open-minded friends who are trying to understand homosexuality, send it to them. We need to add their voices to ours until it becomes a gigantic tide that will wipe off homophobia.
It’s about time we realized that most homosexuals in Nigeria (including your partner, sex buddies and “shag potentials”) are also SUFFERING from self-doubt, depression and self-loathing. THEY MAY NOT TELL YOU. We have done enough of the cat fights, bickering and complaining.
It is time to reach out and help a brother or a sister out there.
It is time to educate and not just cuss the Nigerian public.
Let us reach out!
Written by Sensei
About author
You might also like
Happy Married Life, Bisi Alimi
They say that a good beginning makes a good ending and today is a great day to celebrate as the beginning of a new family. Bisi, all of us here
Climbing Yemisi Aribisala’s Snail Tree
I was very curious about Yemisi Aribisala’s book, Long Throat Memoirs, when I first saw it online; those who know me personally already know I am very passionate about food
IN THE MIND OF A GROWING CHILD
Growing up was hard. My father was a Muslim and my mother a Christian, and they fought all the time, sometimes over financial issues and sometimes over which religion their
33 Comments
Henrie
November 12, 06:23Amen!
Amen!!
Amen!!!
This is all the sermon i need this morning.
Mandy
November 12, 06:52This is what the LGBT should be about. We may be different people with different perspectives of life, but in the end, we should stop with all the cattiness and focus on being better people. And the issue of self acceptance… *sigh* That’s a major factor that destroys a person and leads him to seek the destruction of others.
Thank you, sensei.
Max
November 12, 06:57Johnell and Tyrone Wells, my boo’s on IG. They inspire me in ways you can’t imagine.
Its one of those situations where you just take a look at both of them and you know they’re genuinely in love. From their inspirational pics to the captions that follow it, they continue to wow me each day.
Now let me watch the video ??
Pink Panther
November 12, 07:01It helps that they are hot Hot HOT!!! Right? 🙂
Max
November 12, 07:04Oh hell yes !!. Kicks it up a notch or two.
Pink Panther
November 12, 07:08When I see pictures of the two of them on IG, I’m like, Comon, some people just seem to have it all. Looks, love and a peace with themselves, their lives and their environment.
Is that ever going to be obtainable here in Nigeria? To love and be loved, and to fight the good fight without any fear?
Max
November 12, 07:05Omg, just watched the video.
PREACH BROTHER !!!!! PREACH!!!!!!!!!!
Khaleesi
November 12, 07:19This is beautiful!! So inspiring … And please,how is he 34? He looks so damned fucking yummilicious and sexciiii … Anyways, i guess that’s what happens when you stay away from Eba and Amala and Pounded yam and spend an obsessive amount of time taking care of yourself …
@Sensei, i totally agree with you, we dont all need to come out, but trust me, even from deep within the closet there’s a lot we can do to slowly bring about the change we are so good at whining for .. I think the Major problem is that a large majority of Nigerian gays havent lost the small voice at the back of their minds which insistently whispers “being gay is evil and bad, you must only do it for a short time after which you MUST revert back to ‘normalcy'” … That little voice … The evil child of internalized homophobia is the insidious enemy which must be fought to a stand still if any progress is to be seen …
Max
November 12, 08:44Touché @Khaleesi
Rev; Hot
November 12, 08:03Tyrone shouldn’t have worn what he wore joor
I had to replay the video five fucking times to understand .
All in all, I like the message he sent. Its something I try to preach as well.. We didn’t chose this. Anyone that says they chose to be gay dont know shit ’bout nothing *cookies voice*
ronniephoenix
November 12, 08:08Beautiful
Keredim
November 12, 08:57“…..at the end of the day God has my back and He loves me for who I am…..”?
Thats all I need….Its between me and God, not me and the Preacher or the members of the congregation.
Thanks @Sensei….. Like i opined 2 days ago, the road to self acceptance is a long and winding road, but we will get there someday. Hopefully this vid, speeds things up
Duke
November 12, 09:05I follow this guy and his lover on IG. I follow a couple of other gay partners. In that fleeting moment of going through their pictures and hitting the like button, I ask myself “will this ever be me?” “Will I ever have someone I will genuinely love?” I have always been a person that thinks only about myself and I wonder if I will ever add another person in the equation. How will o do it? Will I tell my family or elope? How will my mum take it?
I just wish I could have a crystal ball to see the future. It haunts me and I hope one day, I will be able to put up a picture kissing my partner on IG to the shock of all my friends and female crushes (at least that will pass across the message they are failing to get). Thanks Sensei.
Lothario
November 12, 10:23Trust me, you can. It’s not the easiest thing to adjust to and you’ll have to make a couple of sacrifices, but you can have it for sure.
sensei
November 12, 09:25Please download the video and send it to someone.
Abeg!
Chizzie
November 12, 09:39Please my data. No time to be downloading videos upandan and sharing. Which is another thing again, if we want to start an LGBT movement and revolution here in Nigeria and Africa, lets stick to more practical means of starting one. The average Nigerian would elicit the same “my data” reaction when videos are involved, much less sharing one.
Maybe opt for a Facebook campaign instead, or Twitter…
See what I did there, I not only complained ( as usual), I offered an idea. So I can be just as pragmatic as I am vile
Nonny
November 13, 06:58Thumbs up!
Delle
November 12, 09:58Thank u for the message.
Wait o…can’t we for once just sieve out the message someone is trying to pass across from his looks? Such hoes all of you are! Lol
Sloan
November 12, 10:48We might like the package, but the intended audience (homophobes and the ignorant) won’t. Better to package such a message by dressing acceptably to the audience instead of in the stereotypical way (sex centric) that makes them belittle us in the first place. Especially in a conservative clime like ours. Just my opinion tho. First time commenter btw
keredim
November 12, 17:15I thought the message was intended for homosexuals who are being bullied and not yet comfortable with their sexuality??
I don’t think the way he is dressed, takes away from the message.
Welcome to KD comments section BTW
Mandy
November 12, 17:30Did you even watch the video, Sloan? He wasn’t talking to the homophobes and ignorant population. He was talking to the LGBT individual.
And even if he were addressing the homophobe, how does his dressing constitute a problem? He’s not clad in briefs. Anyone who takes offense at the gay man in the youtube video, wearing a wife-beater and trousers never really set out to watch and understand the video, don’t you think?
Lothario
November 12, 10:56The day I saw this video some weeks ago on his Facebook page, I asked myself a lot of questions. The truth is he’s right, some of us go on about how we don’t care and all that, but on a subliminal level, especially with the Nigerian factor where parents have conditioned their children to think that being gay is bad, we always think straight people are better than us. I had a bit of a scandal in 2009 that outed me to my entire family, both nuclear and extended. Of course, everyone came with their theories and advice for my parents, the favourite being how “the devil always rears his ugly head and we must pray the devil away”.
Being really young then, I did the easiest thing which was hide and cower in shame. I avoided family members and basically kept hiding and shying away from everyone, it wasn’t until I grew into my own and I saw that I really shouldn’t waste time not being me….. So my friends, life is for the living, there’s more to that statement than meets the eye. Don’t allow anyone kill you while you’re still alive.
Max
November 12, 13:29It’s funny how inspiring posts like this don’t get enough comments, but when it comes to cat fight and pettiness or some man’s groin or ass, everyone is always quick and eager to join in on the action.
Shame!!! Shame on all of you!!!!!!!!.
The grammar Nazi’s, the Jesus freaks, The Internalized homophobes (I hope you’re all reading this because this post is for you), the low-self esteem ghetto philanthropist, The long spoon weilder, the MGM’s, the fat psychopath, all of you!! Shame on you.
Tiercel de Claron.
November 13, 11:03You really need some brains slapped in you,I swear.
Mandy
November 13, 12:29LMAO. TDC, you angling to do that?
Tiercel de Claron.
November 14, 01:04Guy needs a brain reset,walahi.
And if it falls to me to do it,I’ll so do gladly
Francis
November 13, 11:56Lol. Max you can like to carry the weight of Africa on your shoulders sha. Some people no dey comment here normally na so why now?
Personally i watched the video and wasn’t moved by it (though i get the message) so i decided to shut it and not mess it up for those that find it so inspiring.
GOld
November 12, 15:24Max,Max,Max!!!!
You know some of us,when we see these kinda messages,decide to just keep quiet and soak it all up and allow it to minister to us..we mustn’t necessarily comment…
No hard feelings though.
tarter
November 12, 18:38ok..seen,after watching this,which of y’all shouting inspiring took the great step of coming out and start advocating?most are even scared using their real identity here.its not just writing it,its doing it,actions they say speak louder than words… and the few people that try bringing awareness into LGBT in Nigeria get insulted and shamed by these same gays they are “fighting” for..
keredim
November 12, 19:20Did you watch the video or where you distracted by the speaker?
The message was about self-acceptance, and not about gay evangelism and activism. Its about being comfortable with one’s sexuality and knowing that its not an affliction.
After that the rest will follow, like not tearing each other down for no reason
Marc Francis of Chelsea
November 12, 19:18Great message. i caught myself then when I first watched it, I thought “why is he wearing that?” But then I reflected on how people say the same thing about Beyoncé’s feminism in terms of how can we take her serious in a leotard? I especially agree with the bullying part. When I was in high school, I went through all sorts of trauma for my sexuality. Today, I see some of those people who put me through that and they cannot even stand beside me as equals. Their taunts only pushed me to excel. I hope people watching this video can get this message from it. If you chose this life, good for you. But if you know you had no option in this, then keep pushing until they cannot hold a candle to you, let alone speak harshly to you. #ItGetsBetter.
Stranger
November 12, 19:52I have no idea why I’m unable to see the video. Maybe someone could type the link? I’d really love to see it ( and what he’s wearing). Thanks in advance.
Chuck
November 13, 13:01Religious gay people always illustrate the illogic of religion for me. God got your back, even though Christianity forbids being gay? Issorait. Bring more fufu please.