Gay relationships in Kenya has had a dark history in the past. People practising lesbianism, gay or bisexual relationships have been forced to live in utmost secrecy for fear of discrimination and public scorning. Sometimes, they even face arrest.
In many parts of Africa being a lesbian, gay or bisexual (LGB) is generally perceived as taboo. People tend to forget that hormonal imbalances on the human body create different sexual orientations.
Some countries like Mauritania, Sudan, northern Nigeria and parts of Somalia, being gay can even lead to the death penalty. So members of these communities are forced to flee their native nations to find asylum where they can exercise homosexuality peacefully.
The practice is rife in Kenya judging from the massive following witnessed at the court in February when a ruling was set to be issued over legalising same-gender marriages.
However, some few Kenyans have risen above the bar and put public their gay and lesbian lifestyle.
The late Binyavanga Wainaina who was an LGBT activist emerged in January 2014 to declare himself a homosexual.
Binyavanga, even posted on his social media plans to wed gay Nigerian fiance early 2019.
He died in May 2019 before tying the knot though.
I knelt down and asked my love for his hand in marriage two weeks ago. He said YES. We will be married in South Africa early next year. I am beside myself with excitement that he has agreed to spend the rest of his life with me.
— Binyavanga Wainaina (@BinyavangaW) May 2, 2018
In 2018, the internet was abuzz with hot debate after photos of Kenyan men tying the knot in South Africa went viral.
The couple decided to seal their relationship in a foreign land where homosexual is legal.
Another set of a couple also held a hih-end wedding at an undisclosed venue the same year and shared the photos on social media.
In the list of known gays living big is a guy better known as Robettah Prince.
Prince shocked Kenyans in 2017 when he confessed that same-gender relationships are “supernatural and amazing”.
He revealed that he even lightened his skin to attract rich men–his main target.
Here are the raunchy photos that flooded the internet.
Following the LGBT court ruling in May 2019, much is anticipated to having a law that guides this community to avoid hiding their behaviours.
Under the ‘anti-gays’ law, one risks being jailed for 14 years for being involved in what is mostly referred to in legal terms as ‘indecent act’.