01 Jan 2012 3 Comments
in Risk Tags: Coming Out, Gay, New Year, Risk
For January 2012, the theme for the stories to be shared around the fire is ‘Risk’.
The beginning of the year is a time that is traditionally known for people setting New Year resolutions, plans or goals. For many these well-intended dreams vanish, even before the first month of the year is over. The main reason this happens is in the lack of courage to follow through on taking a risk; or put another way, the fear of taking a risk. More
31 Dec 2011 Leave a comment
in General, Reflections on 2011
The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2011 annual report for OutTales around the Fire.
Here’s an excerpt:
A New York City subway train holds 1,200 people. This blog was viewed about 5,600 times in 2011. If it were a NYC subway train, it would take about 5 trips to carry that many people.
30 Dec 2011 2 Comments
in Reflections on 2011 Tags: Gay, LGBTI, Storytelling
It’s the end of the first year of OutTales around the Fire and what a year it has been. The themes covered since the launch in June 2011 have included – First Time, Family, Pride, Relationships, Holding on & Letting go and Religion & Spirituality.
I have certainly enjoyed writing stories for each of those themes, it has been releasing, healing and allowed me to finally embrace the multi-layed dimensions of myself. I have also enjoyed reading the submissions from the various contributors and have been moved by the honesty, authenticity and openness shown in each sharing.
I have received such lovely and wonderful emails from people across the globe who have talked about the delight they get from the stories shared. Some of the comments received were: More
27 Dec 2011 2 Comments
in Reflections on 2011 Tags: Gay, LGBTI, Nigeria
A couple of months ago, I was in a training session where we were exploring diversity and difference in the context of the ‘oppressor’ and ‘oppressed’.
In one of the exercises, we were asked by the facilitator to join one of the designated groups that we had collectively generated; the idea was for us to explore the potential issues faced by that oppressed group.
The groups included – Women, Jewish, Working class, LGBTI, Black and a couple of others that I forget. We had to join a group that we self-identified with. As people moved around to join their chosen group, a guy from one of the other groups waved at me and said ‘come on, we are over here’. From the corner of my eye, I noticed that he was inviting me to join the Black group. ‘It’s okay, I’ll stay over here’, I said – ‘over here’, being the LGBTI group. The exchange lasted only a couple of seconds and yet it had a profound impact on me. More
22 Dec 2011 2 Comments
in My Sexuality is a Human Right Tags: Gay, LGBTI, Nigeria
Yesterday, I read yet another story from the land of my ancestors about how ‘gays were a Western phenomenon’.
Today, I saw yet another comment on a blog, from a concerned Nigerian saying that ‘gays were an abomination, and should keep their business behind closed doors’.
I have visions of a tomorrow where the stories from the land of my ancestors celebrate the lives of everyone, regardless of them being gay or lesbian.
I have visions of a tomorrow, where parents, uncles, aunties and neighbors stand and speak up against any form of homophobia that is uttered in their presence. More
09 Dec 2011 2 Comments
in Reflections on 2011 Tags: Authenticity, Family, Gay
There are two stories my foster mum recounts from my childhood each time I see her. No matter how many times I hear those stories, it always feels like the first time, with me hanging onto every word she utters.
The first story is from when I was about 4, and I went with the family to see ‘Bedknobs and Broomsticks’. When the song ‘The beautiful briny sea’ came on, I burst into song. Not only did I sing, but sang loudly in the crowded cinema. My foster brother told me to keep quiet, as I was disturbing people, to which I responded firmly, ‘no, I know the words and I am going to sing along’. And so I continued singing. More
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