Pride: In our Ethiopian context

Every year when Pride Day comes, I am reminded of how I used to google “What is a lesbian?” when I was younger. I remember finding photographs of people and learning about their life experiences, learning about people who have been murdered and who have fought for their rights until the end of their lives. As a child who grew up in a Christian family, I think of many who fought for the rights of Christian queer people. Although I grew up in Ethiopia and although our culture and language are different, their writings and the work that they have done as queer people tie us together. Had I not read their work and had I not been able to think, “Yes, there are others like me”, I don’t know what type of life I would have been living! They make me proud of them and they make me proud of myself.

.. what is more cause for pride than being able to be who we are on the social media community that we have created for ourselves?!

When we come to our country, there were many who opened secret Facebook accounts and told us day and night that they were our friends and that we were not alone. We may not wave a flag for Pride Day in public and we may not be free to share our wedding photos. But what is more cause for pride than being able to be who we are on the social media community that we have created for ourselves?!

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