I’ve been thinking a lot about this lesbian couple I know who recently got married. At first, I have to admit, I thought their whole relationship was moving really fast – from the time they met to the time they got married. But the more I’ve thought about it, the more I understand where they’re coming from.

Finding love when you’re part of the LGBTQ+ community, especially in a homophobic place like Ethiopia, can be very hard. I can’t blame them at all for wanting to hold onto that connection when they found it.

It makes me really happy to see how they’ve been able to build a home and a life together, despite the challenges of being queer in such a violent place. Dating and loving as an LGBTQ+ person is just so difficult. So watching them create this beautiful relationship gives me so much hope. It makes me hopeful for the future, for all of us.