Three key things have happened in recent history in Kenya pertaining to the Rights of Homosexuals.
Firstly, President Kenyatta, in a press conference held with Barack Obama in 2015
stated that “The issue of gay rights is really a non-issue” in Kenya, and that “There are some things we must admit we do not share. Our culture, our societies, don’t accept.”
Secondly, and more recently in June 2019, Kenya’s High Court upheld a colonial-era
law that criminalizes gay sex, keeping homosexuality punishable by up to 14 years in Prison.
Lastly, Kenyan Citizens, proved President Kenyatta right.
There was no uproar against the decision taken by the High Court, and yet still, there
was no victimization of Gay rights activists reported on the ground or on Social Media.
Kenyans, trough their omission to support the Constitional Rights of Homosexuals to
equality, dignity and privacy, have made the world wonder if they are a Homophobic
country.
Homophobia, which requires there to be an element of fear or hate towards homosexual people is a larger threat to the Rights of Gay people than the existence or removal of Laws which criminalize their sexual preference.
We do not live in a theoretical world.
There are many countries where Homosexuality has been made legal while
Homosexuals suffer prejudice, are assaulted, endure corrective rape, and are even
murdered because of their lifestyle.
Kenyans have revealed themselves, by behavior, to simply have no interest in
entertaining discussions on the sexual preferences of other people.
The reasons for this, I believe differ from one group of people to the next.
But whereas we could analyze the reasons for Gay rights being a non-issue in Kenya, I think it is more important that we simply consider with gratitude the fact that Gay people are not victimized in that country.
Many flawed stances have been considered legally sound by Legislative bodies all over the world.
Slavery being one prime example of this.
The people have omitted to feed the flame of the law by abstaining from ousting
Homosexuals and having them arrested.
They have instead continued to mind their own business.
As if, in fact, they don’t recognize they have essentially left a good chunk of their
population trapped in a closet by refusing to support them in the attainment of equality, dignity and privacy.
Even though such silence can often be detrimental in the struggle for human rights, with silence translating to complicity with the oppressor, I am far more inclined to celebrate that Kenyans are at least not Homophobic.
Though they may be complicit.