Aisha one of our correspondents appreciates what it takes for one to be an advocate for LGBTIQ people in Uganda.

She wrote a letter,

Dear Allies,

Being an ally to the LGBTQ is equally as challenging as belonging to the LGBTQ community in Uganda

As I read stories of different Ugandan LGBTQ activists and allies from the 6th edition of Bombastic magazine, I couldn’t help getting emotional through most of the stories that I read. I could feel so much love, so much passion to help and so much willingness to understand what LGBTQ is all about.

Growing up in a religious Muslim family, it has never been easy for me to fully express myself and my sexuality to even my closest family but knowing and finding someone who can be able to understand my differences, respect and accept them and still be willing to help me is something I had always wished for.

I wouldn’t say that I have so many heterosexual friends who know about my sexuality, but I always appreciate the few who I have opened up to and they have not judged or condemned me for identifying as a queer woman.

Reading the 6th edition of Bombastic Magazine made me realize that it is not easy for someone to wake up one morning and say that they are now LGBTQ allies, there is always a spark, an opportunity to engage, breaking news, job or something that catches someone’s attention and opens up their mind to desire to learn more about the LGBTQ community and I strongly believe that if many people got to learn more about LGBTQ persons, engage them in conversations and look at them from the humanitarian perspective rather than from the judgmental side, then maybe we would have a big reduction in cases of homophobia attacks and abuse cause by differences in our sexuality and gender identity.

Thank you all LGBTQI allies.

Aisha