The streets of Twitter witnessed a new trend by members of the LGBTQ in Nigeria as they advocated for their rights. The official hashtag was #EndHomophobiaInNigeria.
This trend came up after disturbing reports on several violent attacks on members of the LGBTQ community in Nigeria.
Here are a few heartbreaking personal stories from people who are gay and/or lesbians and what they have to endure in Nigeria on a daily basis.
1. This guy was almost killed.
i almost got killed/viciously assaulted just last week and this is just a tip of what queer people face in Nigeria everyday. homophobia is stressful and senseless and it has to end!! #EndHomophobiaInNigeria
— I got bored, so i left (@nelsoncj3) March 10, 2020
2.
My final year high school, I got outed by my best friend who I had had a crush on for a couple years. I was outed to the whole school. Everything I'd worked hard for went down the drain and since then I've been scared to build/connect again #EndHomophobiaInNigeria
— Miss elliot (@El_Undone) March 12, 2020
3. Cut off from his family
Ostracized by the entire Father side family. I have to watch how I interact with my Boyfriend in public. I have to hide any suggestive picture of us every time I'm stepping out cos of this stupid law.#EndHomophobiaInNigeria
— END SARS – END SARS (@preacherkot) March 12, 2020
4.
My friend's father gave him till Feb. 29 to impregnate a woman – any woman. Well, deadline has come and gone and my friend doesn't care: he's stopped picking his parents' calls. We will survive heterosexuals and their heteroness. #EndHomophobiaInNigeria
— Kelechi Njoku (@decimal_point) March 11, 2020
5.
on homophobia: my abduction story. a long thread. please read.
early last year, i noticed i was being stalked at nights around 7 and 8 hours. i'd go to choir practice at my church, nd while walking back, i'd see the silhouettes of three men following me. #EndHomophobiainNigeria
— meziem janet (@meziemjanet) March 11, 2020
6. Beat up in secondary school
I remember in secondary school my mates ganged up against me beating the shit out of me not because the caught me making out with a guy or something. The beat me up saying I was too girly. The left me with a black eye and a broken arm#EndHomophobiaInNigeria
— Twitch ???? (@Twitch69316178) March 11, 2020
7. On the brink of suicide
Around November 2018, I almost committed suicide by jumping down from a 3 story building all because of homophobia.#EndHomophobiaInNigeria
— #RepealSSMPA (@Lionelkings1) March 10, 2020
8. Expelled from college
https://twitter.com/African_Bamboo/status/1237423752968798208
9.
I spent most of today around a queer couple, both my friends. One was had just lost his mom and the boyfriend had left work to attend to him. I watched them try, mostly unsuccessfully to withdraw from themselves when they both craved the comfort of their bodies.
— G. (@fomentry) March 11, 2020
10.
#Thread
It all started 2018 when I went to porthacourt for Christmas with my family members. Been there for over a week and i decided to hook up with people in pH. #EndHomophobiaInNigeria— @gaye4love (@gaye4love) March 12, 2020
11. Raped and no one to turn to
https://twitter.com/_WILDJHAE/status/1237501663708995584
12.
https://twitter.com/volqx__/status/1237706577299283969
13.
I was brutally attacked and beaten for 2 straight hours one night by a group of boys on account of my effeminacy and perceived homosexuality.
Homophobia isn't just a phobia.
It is an endemic hatred that seeks to destroy, to main, to kill.#EndHomophobiaInNigeria— Precious '*Somebody's Getting Fired*' Oraz (@Precious_Oraz) March 11, 2020
14.
My mom elder sis locked my mom in her room and invited soldiers to beat out the gay in me
She did this on two different occasions #endhomophobiainNigeria— BEY x NICKI x YEMI x DAVIDO (@Atambalaa) March 10, 2020