Dear friends,
My name is Anthony and I'm an LGBT rights activist writing to you from Nairobi, Kenya.
As an openly gay man living in a country where it's illegal to be gay, I have to constantly think about how to stay safe – online and offline.
The internet is growing fast here. It's becoming easier for police and hate-mongers to track down people like me. Lies about gay people spread on social media. But opportunities to tell our stories and counter these lies are also growing.
In a few days, I'll be joining young LGBT activists from Kenya, Uganda, and Nigeria to help kick off a year-long training program. With support from All Out, we'll share our stories, learn how to protect ourselves online, and practice using new digital tools to strengthen our fights for equality.
It's an amazing opportunity that I'm so proud to take part in. But we need your help to keep this work going strong.
354 All Out members already chipped in – help us get to 500!
Last year, Kenya's internet users increased by almost 30% from 2015 – that's nearly 40 million people and 80% of the country's population.
This rise in internet access makes it easier to rally homophobic and hateful attacks. Being gay is punishable by up to 14 years in prison here in Kenya. LGBT people are violently attacked and dehumanized just because of who they are.
In 2015, angry mobs attacked two men after images of them engaging in "unnatural offenses" circulated on social media. They were arrested and forced to undergo a humiliating and violating medical “procedure” to “prove” that they were gay.
But we’re seeing some progress, too. Personally, I use the internet to help produce a podcast called Kenyan Queer Questions, where my co-host and I answer questions from the public and help clear up misconceptions about LGBT people in Africa.
The internet can help spread messages of hope and strength. It can connect people in solidarity. It can change hearts and minds.
But it also comes with huge risks. With enough support, we can protect ourselves and strengthen our fight for equality, so that one day, no one is persecuted because of who they are or who they love.
In solidarity,
Anthony Oluoch
