Kenyan writer Binyavanga Wainaina declares: 'I am homosexual'

Source: The Guardian (UK)

Kenyan writer Binyavanga Wainaina declares: 'I am homosexual'
Wainaina, one of Africa's leading literary figures, outs himself in response to wave of homophobic laws across continent
Daniel Howden in Nairobi
theguardian.com, Tuesday 21 January 2014

Binyavanga Wainaina, one of Africa's leading literary figures, has responded to a wave of recent anti-gay laws on the continent by publicly outing himself in a short story.

The Kenyan author and founder of the influential Nairobi-based literary journal Kwani said he would continue to travel to Nigeria, where gay and lesbian people face arrest and up to 14 years in prison under new legislation; and Uganda, where MPs passed a bill imposing life sentences for homosexual acts...

...The timing of the move was not accidental, Wainaina admitted. Persecution of gay and lesbian people in Africa has been in the headlines since Nigeria passed new laws criminalising homosexuality and launched a wave of arrests; and Uganda's parliament in December passed a draconian ban on homosexuality that called for life sentences, which was vetoed by the president, Yoweri Museveni.

The winner of the Caine prize for African writing in 2002 and the author of the widely read satire How to Write About Africa in 2005, Wainaina returned to live in Kenya last year after a long absence....




Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jan/21/kenyan-writer-binyavanga-wainaina-declares-homosexuality