Author Binyavanga Wainaina, made those secret revelation in his latest article entitle “ I am a homosexual, mum’’.
Analysts say this disclosure has made him one of the most high-profile Africans to admit to an act which is illegal in many African Nations.
Homosexuality is largely considered to be taboo and disgusting to the cultural values and morality of the Kenyan people and the state punishes same-sex sexual acts as crimes.
Mr. Wainaina’s article was published first on the Africa is a Country and the Chimurenga Chronic websites. Some excerpts from the article shows the use of literature satire to describe his secret sex life which is considered abominable in many nations in Africa.
“Never, mum. I did not trust you, mum. And. I. Pulled air hard and balled it down into my navel, and let it out slow and firm, clean and without bumps out of my mouth, loud and clear over a shoulder, into her ear. ‘I am a homosexual, mum’’, he wrote in the article.
He later told the Global Post news website that his close friends knew of his sex life but he has been deliberating on making it public for months.
“Of course my friends knew, but I had been toying with how useful it would be to make a public statement for close to eight months”, he said.
His public announcement of his sexuality has drawn a quick reaction among Kenyans on social media with many criticizing him.
Gay and lesbian people risk a jail term of up to 10 years if they are convicted of homosexual acts in Kenya.
Binyavanga Wainaina also works as a journalist and in July 2002 he won the Caine Prize for his short story “Discovering Home”.
He has written for The EastAfrican Post, National Geographic, The Sunday Times (South Africa), Granta, the New York Times, Chimurenga magazine and The Guardian (UK).
In January 2007, Wainaina was nominated by the World Economic Forum as the Young Global Leader which is an award given to people for their potential to contribute to shaping the future of the world.
Issaka Adams / NationalTurk Africa News
[adrotate group=”15″]
