Xav Judd meets Kenyan gay rights activist ‘Larry’ Misedah, who was forced to flee his home country for fear of his life…
Lourence (Larry) Misedah was born in Kenya in the 1980s. During his childhood and adolescence, he lived in various parts of the African state including the Nyanza and Western provinces and the capital city, Nairobi.
At first, Larry’s early life might not seem that remarkable as like many of his fellow countrymen, he was raised by a loving (extended) family and did not want for any of the basics.
However, like millions of other humans around the world, one day he realised he was gay. If this courageous guy had lived in the United Kingdom, then his sexuality and eventual coming out would not have been such a problem.
Nevertheless, in his homeland, homosexuality is a criminal offence (due to Section 162 to 165 of the penal code) that can result in up to fourteen years imprisonment.
Undeterred and at great personal risk to himself, Larry became a gay rights activist (2004) and came out in the most public way possible. As a consequence, he was eventually forced to seek refugee status abroad. This is his story…
How old were you when you first thought you might be gay?
I first realized that I was attracted to people of the same sex when I was six. At this point, I did not even know what I had felt had a name. Homosexuality was not the norm in my society and nobody talked about it. When I reached the seventh grade, I found a boy from a nearby school. I liked him a lot, but never told him I fancied other males or shared any romantic feelings with him. It was only when I reached high school that I heard the word homosexual. Everybody warned me against them, so I knew they were reviled. During this time, I was still confused about my sexuality, and I had no one to confide in. I became friends with guys I was told were gay to find out if they truly were; but no one ever admitted being non-straight or even spoke about it.
When did you finally accept you were gay?
I have had same-sex feelings for more of my life than I can remember. Nonetheless, my acceptance of being gay is not something that happened all at once. But, it was about going through a soul-searching journey and struggle to understand what sexuality was and what it meant to me.
Why did you decide to come?
Over the years, I revealed my sexuality to those I was close to including my cousin, etc. However, from a general perspective, I was outed during a high school parade in front of about 1000 students and 40 teachers. And later, in 2004, when I became an activist to protect LGBTI (Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender and Intersex) rights, many others began to find out about me. Yet, it was not until January 2007 that I came out publically, at the World Social Forum in Nairobi. I had volunteered to work in the Q-Spot tent sponsored by multiple LGBTI groups from Africa. And we wore t-shirts that read ‘We are here, we are queer and we are proud.’ The idea was to give a face to homosexuality to show that we were no different from anyone else in society. And, to point out we were born and raised here – to reject the myth that all gays here have come here from the West. This was the first time in my country when LGBTI people came out publically to demand equality, speak about injustices and demand our human rights.
Were you close to your family when growing up?
Yes, to my entire family. I was under the ‘shelter’ of my grandparents, uncles and aunts who took a major part in my upbringing. I was the first grandchild and the fact that my mum passed away when I was quite young (14) meant all of my close relatives took on the responsibility of raising me.
What was the immediate reaction of your family to you coming out?
They all had different reactions. However, it was a difficult phase and it’s still a contentious issue that has led to strained relations [Indeed, Larry was banished by his family and his academic future at Kenyatta University was put in doubt, because they refused to continue paying for his tuition. Nonetheless, in the end, his relatives came through for him and covered the cost of his fees.
What about the wider community where you live, what was their response?
I had to endure extreme stigma and discrimination; this included being evicted from my house, ostracised and victimized at college, and other verbal abuse and death threats. Actually, I was even attacked once.
Did the police hassle the gay community?
GALCK (Gay and Lesbian Coalition of Kenya) still hears numerous cases of police brutality and harassment on a daily basis, especially in respect of male sex community workers. And, I personally know several people who have been beaten and still continue to be subjected to various kinds of prejudices. Consequently, other activists and I continue to voice against human rights violations and abuses.
Do you know anybody who has been put in prison or received some sort of other severe punishment because of their sexuality?
In Kenya, LGBTI individuals continue to be subjected to inconceivable discrimination and hate. Even though there are few convictions based on the laws prohibiting same-sex relations, their existence has continued to justify denial of fundamental human rights and freedoms and created a climate where violations and abuses can occur with impunity. LGBTI persons are routinely held in remand houses for long periods without being charged. Added to which, we are often presented in court on trumped-up indictments. For example, a transgender friend of mine was arrested in Mombasa and arraigned in court for ‘allegedly’ being a public nuisance.
With homosexuality being banned in Kenya, does that mean there was an underground scene?
Although it is not well documented, there are examples of underground LGBTI social groups from the seventies and eighties. Indeed, the evidence of this scene comes from reports and testimonies of non-straight men who were part of a gay-themed play (Cleopatra), which was staged at the Kenya National Theatre in 1997. It was aimed at raising awareness about homosexuality in my country and later led to the formation of Kenya’s oldest LGBTI organization, Ishtar MSM (men who have sex with men), the same year. Through it and other similar bodies like Liverpool VCT Care and Treatment programs were started in order to carry-out research into the gay community and then offer assistance.
“Living away from one’s country forcefully due to fear of persecution or death is not liberation.”
Are there cruising grounds in Kenya?
Yes, some of them date back to the 1970s… Indeed, during my involvement at Ishtar MSM as the Health Manager, one of my key responsibilities was to identify the different sub groups of men who have sex with other men and ensure that they were targeted with HIV/AIDS intervention programs. It’s because of this that I started the Sex Workers Outreach Program to better meet the needs of this particular section of our community.
What about chat rooms or internet cafes, is this a safe way for gay people to meet each other in Kenya?
In several ways, the internet has opened up the [LGBTI] world to a new group of people, especially with new devices like iPads or even basic phones being able to access it. Before the GALCK Center and many other similar spaces in various cities, the gay community did not have any organized places to meet. Indeed, they had to socialize in discreet gatherings, etc. And, I remember when some gay bars attempted to open, they had to close down quickly due to physical intimidation and violence. For instance, in Mtwapa, religious fundamentalists attacked one and demanded its cessation.
What are your thoughts about the Kenyan government and state church’s views and responses to HIV transmission?
My take on the government’s inadequate response towards HIV transmission would be considered rather controversial having seen the form this discussion has taken in recent years. For instance, I think that legal barriers should not be an excuse for the denial of access to healthcare and there is still a lot to be done. However, despite this lack of action, there have been unwavering efforts from several LGBTI organizations to scale up service provision including prevention, care and treatment for the LGBTI community – this includes a prison program. Together, these groups and various individuals continue to lobby and advocate for access to healthcare for non-straight men.
How big a problem is HIV transmission in Kenya?
Despite the recognition by various governmental entities working on HIV/AIDS that men who have sex with men account for 15.2 % of new infections annually and have a greater prevalence of catching the syndrome than those in the general population, services have been wholly inadequate to non-existent in most parts of the country. Notably, health providers often violate the privacy of LGBTI patients by exposing their sexuality to other staff or the police; trying to redeem them by preaching, or denying them access to medical care altogether. In essence, services to tackle the virus are very restricted.
Do you believe South Africa should be doing more to influence the attitudes of the other African nations?
Although many people view South Africa as one of the most progressive states not only in her continent but in the world with regards to laws regarding sexuality [her post-apartheid constitution was the first on the planet to outlaw discrimination based on sexual orientation, and on 1 December 2006 she was the fifth ever country, and the first in Africa, to legalise same-sex marriage], the actual reality can be quite different. The fact that she has these edicts is remarkable. Nonetheless, it is important to note that they do not always directly translate to the elimination of homophobia and transphobia on the ground.
What are your views on British Prime Minister David Cameron’s recent remarks that all recipients of aid from the United Kingdom should respect gay rights?
Foreign support in ensuring that countries observe the regional and international human rights treaties they are signatories to, is welcomed. It is, however, of great importance to guarantee that such initiatives are led by the LGBTI community and their partners on the ground [in the nations in question], and that their full participation and consultation is involved before any relevant decisions are made. Indeed, while the intention may be to protect the rights of LGBTI people overseas, the call to cut aid disregards the role LGBTI groups and the broader social justice movement play [in relation to these rights] and creates the real risk of a serious backlash against our community. And, as has been evidenced in Malawi, the climate of intolerance in which political leadership scapegoat LGBTI persons in respect of lost donor sanctions and in an attempt to reinforce state sovereignty can increase. Cuts also support the commonly held notion that homosexuality is ‘unAfrican’ and a western-sponsored ‘idea’ and that nations like the UK will only act when ‘their interests’ have been threatened. Furthermore, aid cuts also affect LGBTI individuals, who are already some of the most vulnerable in society.
What was it like for you when you first went to the United States, and lived in a country where homosexuality was legal?
Prior to my travel to the United States [Larry was granted asylum by the US government in December 2010 and currently resides in Houston, Texas], I had visited many other nations such as South Africa and some in Europe where same-sex relations are legal. Living away from one’s country forcefully due to fear of persecution or death is not liberation. Even more so, because there have been a lot of painful personal challenges that I have had to go through over the years.
