Uncovering the African Perspective on LGBT Rights- You'll Be Shocked!

[@joemcfatter1170]

As a preface to my comment, I am a 77-year-old white man who is a Texan. I married an African American queen in 1971, and we were together 25 years until she was taken by cancer. I went on to become godfather to six black children and helped raise them to become successful adults today. Two of them are gay, and I love and cherish them just as they are. It saddens me that here in this country and in so many parts of the world, especially in some countries in the African diaspora and on the continent, there is such a turn toward suppression of LGBTQ+. My observation is this is DIRECTLY attributable to narrow, conservative religious views, particularly "christianity." Having studied world religions and having experienced a few directly, I am totally convinced that all religions are cults. All were created by men (meaning, men not women) for the sole purpose of control of societies, control of minds, and control of wealth. The basis tenents of christianity have been thoroughly debunked by scholars, and the only attractiveness of the religion is the false crutch if offers to those who feel things around them are out of control. Today we here in America are in a major struggle with right-wing christians bent on taking this nation back to the 1950s when white people ruled, black people died, and where "gayness" was totally in the closet, with gays forced to live in mental anguish their entire lives. Many of these right-wing orgs here are very much responsible for the recent harsh laws passed in Uganda and elsewhere. These orgs spend millions and millions Africa with the intent of keeping the minds of the majority entrapped in the colonial mindset bequeathed by the European colonizer priest and churches. LGBTQ+ has existed in all areas of the globe as long as Homo sapiens walked. It exists throughout nature. Sexuality is a spectrum, not a this or that. Nature is not this or that, it is every conceivable combination if one takes the time to observe. "Gayness" in Africa has also existed "always." Scholars focusing on the issue have documented this unequivocally. However, Europeans and their religion and brutal measures of control destroyed much of the tribal cultural ways, which continues today it seems. "Gayness," "LGBTQ+" was integrated and embedded in the natural tribal societies in ways where it was never distinguished. In song, dance, secret societies, initiations, etc, although with some exceptions such as some manhood initiations where even today young men who do not feel heterosexual have to endure the rituals. The basic issue is that European colonizers brought the attitudes that sought to divide, suppress, and eradicate natural "gayness" to the end of controlling the society and maximizing profits for the whites. Now this is embedded in the mind and attitudes of so many African lawmakers who are steeped in Eurocentric "christianity" and no doubt have monetary alliances with the church leaders. I have seen videos from inside of some of the African evangelical churches which revealed the appalling brainwashing of false miracles, and it is mind-blowing to see the trickery of such "pastors" and their minions. Sorry for the rant, but anyway, I enjoy your channel and wish you the best. FYI my son-in-law's father is Igbo, and my grandbabies all have Igbo names. Peace. Maybe my comments will get you some views lol.

[@SEVICSAFRICA]

Thanks for this beautiful comment. I enjoyed reading it and I quite agree with you. In Africa, we have soaked in too much influence from our colonisers and have lost a sense of what it means to be truly African. I hope that with conversations as these we can begin to retrace our steps. I appreciate you very much. Be proud of all you have accomplished. Blessings!

[@joemcfatter1170]

@@SEVICSAFRICA I appreciate you!