Dear friends,
I never thought of myself as an LGBT activist. But that all changed this year.
My name is Marylize and I'm from Kenya, one of the 71 countries where you can be thrown into jail for being gay. As a lesbian woman, I've witnessed discrimination and violence that kept me from feeling safe enough to speak out.
Earlier this year, I joined a life-changing All Out training for young LGBT activists from across Africa.
For a whole week, we shared our stories of pain and our inspiring struggles, learned critical tools like digital security, and built a network of support stronger than I had ever experienced. The days we spent together transformed me into a proud and confident LGBT activist, ready to change Kenya and the world!
But we could be the last group to benefit from the skills and community this training provided. Because right now, there's NO funding for this critical work to continue. That's why I'm reaching out on behalf of All Out to ask for your help, Luc.
75 young activists attended these trainings in 2017 – but there are so many more of us in dire need of the lifesaving skills and community it provides:
- Like activists here in Kenya who are fighting to ban "anal tests,"a traumatising form of sexual assault used by authorities to "prove" that someone is gay.
- Or those in Uganda, who are committed to celebrating Pride despite repeated threats and attacks from the country's homophobic Minister of "Ethics and Integrity" and police.
- And those in Tanzania, who are trying to fight back against the country's anti-LGBT crackdown, where activists are being detained for merely speaking out for their rights.
Our opponents are getting more ruthless every year. They're supported by Western hate groups, hacking into activists' social media accounts, and even going so far as to stalk our every move. We MUST learn how to keep up, by running smarter campaigns, raising funds, and protecting ourselves online.
We can have a fighting chance, but only if we have your support.
Thanks for going All Out,
Marylize Biubwa
