growing up I was very much aware of the
boxes and even more where the fact that
I didn’t fit into them my mother further
reinforced this which took away the
dolls I played with that H nine out of
fear making sure to inform me that boys
don’t play with dolls at age twelve I
realized that I wasn’t interested in
what the other boys did they spent their
spare time playing outdoors and watching
soccer games well I spent mine sketching
my next even aware collection meanwhile
I was fighting hard to convince myself I
was conventional being unconventional
fell to isolating growing up in Africa a
continent that is overwhelmingly against
gay rights and covertly and overtly
annihilates anyone that is associated to
gay behavior was difficult I lived in a
world where the rules were unspoken but
everyone very carefully followed them I
realized that I couldn’t speak to anyone
about my feelings and began hiding and
once I started hiding it became more and
more difficult to step forward and speak
out when we don’t allow people to openly
discuss topics that are considered taboo
such as homosexuality the accumulated
isolation can result in major
psychological and physical disorders I
am the living proof I stop socializing
and my friends became anorexic and
bulimic constantly thought Moody and had
frequent thoughts of suicide however I
am NOT an anomaly according to an
article by Michael Hobbs on the epidemic
of gay loneliness gay people are 2 to 10
times more likely than straight people
to take their own lives were more likely
to have a major depressive episode and
12 years is the length by which life
expectancy is shortened for gay lesbian
and bisexual people and highly anti-gay
these numbers aren’t even tracked in
Africa the numbers in my opinion are
probably significantly higher society
doesn’t create a space in which people
are allowed to express themselves over
topics that are considered unacceptable
we create these echo chamber societies
limiting our associate with people that
only share the same views as us and
don’t challenge ourselves to understand
and comprehend topics that are
considered out of the ordinary rather
society makes the world for those of us
who do not conform to its norms a living
hell
subjected to violence insults and
rejection we live our lives fearing that
if we speak up about topics considered
unacceptable you’ll most likely lose our
family friends jobs or lives when we
don’t allow people to openly discuss
topics that are considered out of the
ordinary and further go to great lengths
to oppress these people we ultimately
restrict them from truly accepting and
being proud of who they are so how did I
someone who had trouble is setting
himself get to the point of realizing
that I needed to speak out I can
remember reading a book from the library
last year an unidentified person had
written in the book I’m gay and I hate
myself and those words made me upset
ultimately because I understood and
could relate to what they were going
through but mainly because they felt so
isolated and writing that comments in
that book was their only way of relief
from their pain for the first time I saw
someone with the same struggles as me I
connected with someone through their
words I understand that this is not just
a matter of the people in the LGBTQ
community but also the people who do not
conform to societal norms whether you’re
not skinny beautiful or smart enough we
constantly strive to be conventional
because we fear being judged for the
unconventional but if we approach people
with the willingness to not judge
because of a part of them that’s the
sign
considers out-of-the-ordinary we can
limit the probability of people
developing physical and psychological
disorders due to isolation so what does
that look like it’s challenging yourself
to interact with people you don’t
usually interact with it’s questioning
instead of assuming thank you [Applause]
boxes and even more where the fact that
I didn’t fit into them my mother further
reinforced this which took away the
dolls I played with that H nine out of
fear making sure to inform me that boys
don’t play with dolls at age twelve I
realized that I wasn’t interested in
what the other boys did they spent their
spare time playing outdoors and watching
soccer games well I spent mine sketching
my next even aware collection meanwhile
I was fighting hard to convince myself I
was conventional being unconventional
fell to isolating growing up in Africa a
continent that is overwhelmingly against
gay rights and covertly and overtly
annihilates anyone that is associated to
gay behavior was difficult I lived in a
world where the rules were unspoken but
everyone very carefully followed them I
realized that I couldn’t speak to anyone
about my feelings and began hiding and
once I started hiding it became more and
more difficult to step forward and speak
out when we don’t allow people to openly
discuss topics that are considered taboo
such as homosexuality the accumulated
isolation can result in major
psychological and physical disorders I
am the living proof I stop socializing
and my friends became anorexic and
bulimic constantly thought Moody and had
frequent thoughts of suicide however I
am NOT an anomaly according to an
article by Michael Hobbs on the epidemic
of gay loneliness gay people are 2 to 10
times more likely than straight people
to take their own lives were more likely
to have a major depressive episode and
12 years is the length by which life
expectancy is shortened for gay lesbian
and bisexual people and highly anti-gay
these numbers aren’t even tracked in
Africa the numbers in my opinion are
probably significantly higher society
doesn’t create a space in which people
are allowed to express themselves over
topics that are considered unacceptable
we create these echo chamber societies
limiting our associate with people that
only share the same views as us and
don’t challenge ourselves to understand
and comprehend topics that are
considered out of the ordinary rather
society makes the world for those of us
who do not conform to its norms a living
hell
subjected to violence insults and
rejection we live our lives fearing that
if we speak up about topics considered
unacceptable you’ll most likely lose our
family friends jobs or lives when we
don’t allow people to openly discuss
topics that are considered out of the
ordinary and further go to great lengths
to oppress these people we ultimately
restrict them from truly accepting and
being proud of who they are so how did I
someone who had trouble is setting
himself get to the point of realizing
that I needed to speak out I can
remember reading a book from the library
last year an unidentified person had
written in the book I’m gay and I hate
myself and those words made me upset
ultimately because I understood and
could relate to what they were going
through but mainly because they felt so
isolated and writing that comments in
that book was their only way of relief
from their pain for the first time I saw
someone with the same struggles as me I
connected with someone through their
words I understand that this is not just
a matter of the people in the LGBTQ
community but also the people who do not
conform to societal norms whether you’re
not skinny beautiful or smart enough we
constantly strive to be conventional
because we fear being judged for the
unconventional but if we approach people
with the willingness to not judge
because of a part of them that’s the
sign
considers out-of-the-ordinary we can
limit the probability of people
developing physical and psychological
disorders due to isolation so what does
that look like it’s challenging yourself
to interact with people you don’t
usually interact with it’s questioning
instead of assuming thank you [Applause]
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