I haven’t written a lot about my life experiences lately. No wonder my website remains unbothered at the moment. What I am writing right now despite being a painful memory is not a reflection of who I am or where I am today. Bombastic Magazine gave me an outlet because when I shared my story I got some sort of healing.

Many international journalists come to this country, Uganda, make us re-live our trauma by telling them our stories that they never publish. This is why I am grateful that I was featured in the 4th edition of the Bombastic Magazine under theme “Breaking The Silence on Mental Health and IPV”. My story was about how a group of my Kikuyu tribe mates from Kenya, descended upon me and my partner and beat us up partially blinding me in the right eye. This is the first time that I am admitting that I cannot properly see out of my right eye. Since then I haven’t been the same. I continue to heal.

Anyway about two years after the publication, my mother came into the country to visit me. I had spoken to her about my sexuality but I think she didn’t have a grasp of it. Like she didn’t really understand what I meant. I remember her pouring holy water on me whenever I left or walked into the house. To her, this was meant to cleanse me and stop me from being a lesbian. The worst parts were the 3:00am castings, you know, apparently according to some Evanjelical teachings “the evil portal is open at 3:00am and when you pray for someone at that time, it works more”. Now, I think I’m going off trail again. I have all the copies of Bombastic Magazine in my library and I made sure she read them all in an attempt to make her understand who her child is. She remains indifferent to my being a queer person.

When time came for her to go back home, I sent my dad the 4th edition of the Bombastic Magazine. He has never said anything about it. Basically my parents are indifferent towards me being a lesbian but I am glad that Bombastic Magazine helped me come out to my parents.-Phyllis Wanjiru.