Homophobia-Make the Change

If you know me, then you know I used to be a homophobe. I knew a couple of queer people in boarding school and being at a stage when we usually ganged up, or walked in groups, it was relatively easy to absorb prejudices against gay people. and against
As I grew as a person though, and matured into thinking for myself, I started evaluating these attitudes I had, to understand why I held them. Why didnt I like to be around gays, even though I had nothing against them? And I found out...nothing.
There was no reason whatsoever.

The prejudice i had against them was just that: a prejudice. Does the bible condemn it? Maybe, maybe not. Did scripture condemn adultery, yea. Did Christ condemn the adulterous woman? No. Do we today condemn adulterous people? Nope. Judge them, maybe. And while I cannot claim to understand them, gay people, are first and foremost, people. Not a subset, like society wants us to believe. There is no such thing as a subset of people. We are all fallen, reaching back to the vision of perfection : gay, straight, trans, all races, all classes, all religions.
If we want to criticise people on moral grounds, be equally moral for all gender expressions and sexual orientations. This is one area where Africa, is unfortunately, still too clingy towards its past. People justify their bias by saying , homosexuality is not in our culture. Well it is now! C'mon son! Neither was cinema, clubbing, facebook, flying in planes, Christianity, Islam, democratic politics and gin and juice but they're all part of it now. So will you be the wife of Lot that will stare back at visions lost? or will you welcome a new African culture, a blend of the past, present and near future?  All Im saying is, times have changed. Arent you all the ones going on about change? If Greece had held on to 'culture and tradition' they would have died as city-states. If America held on to tradition, black people would still be slaves. Our modern age would never have arisen gaddamit! We cannot hold on to a culture that glorifies dehumanisation, or continue to live in denial of the reality of our times. There are parts of our culture that deserve being held on to, our arts, our history, our language, our dress, our sense of worth and value and work ethic, our spirit of tolerance. People are all too quick to sweep these under the carpet, but when it comes to homosexuality, we suddenly become African ambassadors. Never mind the fact that some of these people have done more to keep and promote African culture than we have.

I guess all Im saying is, we need to join the rest of the world in the new age. Lets bring our African flair into it, and let us not, in the new global culture be known as the continent of homophobes. Let people see the hospitality, tolerance and communal bond we are known for. Change is inevitable. Maybe we were a dogmatic society in the past. But new information and new realities demand a new orientation.Instead of finding justification to hate in your religion, find justification to love.  Thats what humans are about. Now its your turn. Make the change. For love's sake.