There is a common saying: “cancer is very common now” or “it is spreading.” But is cancer really spreading, or are we simply diagnosing it more because of better access to resources and hospitals can finally identify cancer? In the past, people died left and right in hospital beds. Families lost loved ones without ever knowing the medical reasons. Today, things are different. People are informed not only of the cause of death but also given advice to take certain tests for prevention. There are tools to identify illnesses and help keep people alive as much as possible.

And then comes the same line: “homosexuality is spreading in Ethiopia.” But is it spreading or is it that queer people are finally telling their own stories, finding resources, and connecting to a wider community? queer people now have access to the internet in ways we didn’t before. We no longer have to risk going to public internet cafés, where even the act of Googling anything queer could put us in danger. But today, you can find a tiktoker from remote areas in Ethiopia. 

Queer Ethiopian liberation remains in the palms of our hands. We speak against hate speech from the comfort of our beds. We resist the violence by existing online unapologetically. There is so much to read, to learn, to reconcile, and to heal. People are finding resources in their own languages, at least in one or two local tongues. We are connecting across the country and continent through the internet. We are building a safe alternative digital world for ourselves. 

We have been here since the beginning of creation. Even though we are continuously demonized and attacked, we continue to exist. With greater visibility and access, we will continue to live free in our own ways. And no, we’re not spreading. We’re simply refusing to hide anymore, just as the straight world never had to.