Dear friends,
My name is Melusi and I'm a 26-year-old gay man from Swaziland. For most of my life, I was afraid to be out. But now, I want to help others come out with pride.
LGBT people like me have very few protections here. It's still illegal for me to be in a relationship with another man. Our country's leaders set a dangerous precedent: The King of Swaziland said same-sex relationships are "satanic." And our Prime Minister said being gay is "an abnormality and a sickness."
But for years, our organisation, Rock of Hope, has been fighting back. Now, we're ready for the next big move: the very first Pride in Swaziland!
This has never been pulled off before and it's going to take a lot of resources. We've got a plan to reach out to community stakeholders like religious organisations, local businesses, and police, get permits for a safe venue, and rally the LGBT community.
But Rock of Hope is a tiny organisation and we don't have the funds for this ambitious project. I'm confident we can change Swazi history – we just need your help to do it!
If All Out members raise enough, we'll be able to cover the booking costs for a safe venue, equipment rental, security staff, catering, and a wide range of outreach and promotion to ensure that this will become the biggest LGBT event in my country's history.
This is a huge deal in Swaziland, where discrimination and violence against LGBT people can keep us hidden in the shadows. In March of 2015, a 26-year-old lesbian woman was murdered by a man who "did not want to be in the presence of lesbians." A few months earlier, a gay man was murdered in the same town.
But when our community stands together, I know we are stronger. We just need the safe space and resources to do it.
Swazi Pride is only the beginning. With enough visibility, we can help change hearts and minds throughout the country.
Thanks for going All Out,
Melusi Simelane
Rock of Hope
Geen opmerkingen:
Een reactie posten