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A radio 'outing'

Written by James Macharia

Wednesday, 24 January 2007

The obvious public outing of two dudes called Freddy and Tom by Easy FM's Ciku on her "Busted show" yesterday has got Nairobi talking about homosexuality and downlow.

For those who did not catch the show, a dude called Freddy called in saying that he suspected that his partner Tom was cheating on him. Ciku called Tom while still on air feigning that Tom had a won a holiday for two and asked him who he would take along with him. Tom in his excitement said he would take Linda- explaining that she was his girlfriend of 7 months. He had no idea that he was on air or that Freddy and Nairobi were listening in.

Whilst no one questions the moral of the "Busted Show" and the discussion on this issue has been more on the fact that a gay person was cheating on another with a girl. A lot of people are surprised that this happens in Nairobi and say that Freddy sounded "normal" and not gay; whatever that means.

Whilst sexual infidelity seems to be the topic du jour on all breakfast shows in Kenya, as far as I can remember, this is the first gay case of " Busted on Air"

Correction:The phrase" homesexuality on the down-low", as expressed in this article's first edition, was an unintended editorial error that carries negative connotation for gay people. The term"downlow" or DL means a heterosexual man who is married or in a heterosexual relationship but has same sex relationships in secret. The correct rendering is as is in the present edition.

James Macharia
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written by auntie Gay , January 25, 2007

This is what I have always believed, these people are just putting it on, as my High School headmaster used to call it, this is sexual deviance!

If the man was really 'gay', why would he be cheating on his partner with a girl? Ni tabia mbaya tu! Tena dhambi ya moto!

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written by Freddi-Got-Fingered , January 25, 2007

They discuss homosexuality on public radio in Nairobi now? Na hayo ni maendeleo! Is this true?

All the same, who to take on a trip of a lifetime is always a tricky choice, do you take your life partner ( the boring person who loves you for who you are) or do you use the opportunity to bribe someone you want but cannot have?

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written by Gay Nairobi Man , January 25, 2007

@Auntie Gay,

I assume you talk out of ignorance( and your headmaster was too!!!)

You dont wake up today and decide you are gay.Especially not in acountry like Kenya where it is illegal and the society is so homophobic.

Take this from me who has lived my life as a gay man in the closet for 21 years

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written by emmo opoti , January 25, 2007

This article presents an opportunity for rather more serious discourse than we are suffering at present. The casual manner of it belies the fundamental question it poses; whether Kenya is ready to recognise the human rights of a segment of its population that are law-abiding and hard-working members of society.

True, our religious and hypocritical natures militate against this, but so did they against the Women's Liberation movement and against the Rights of Children to Non-violence. I am not in Nairobi , but if it is true that Kenyans are willing to have gay people on talk shows and to start addressing the fact that they are just as complex as heterosexuals, then truly hayo ni maendeleo.

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written by gay nairobi man , January 25, 2007

The gay society has been underground for many years and for long, many of us believed that we were alone.

When I got the guts to reach out and meet others like me, I was in high school and I was pleasantly suprised to find that the community is huge.

I have been in a monogamous gay relationship for a while and "out" on a need to know basis for 4 years.

The attitude of Kenyans has changed to accept us mainly because of the way we portray ourselves. We respect peoples space and that not everyone will agree with us. Most importantly, we dont flaunt our sexuality.

Iam not one of the activists at the WSF but I support what they are doing

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on the gay community in Kenya
written by Nekessa , January 25, 2007

sorry, but if you have to be gay, why do we need to know about it?

what do you mean here? please read the content of the above article, the fellow in question did not go advertising, if you will, about his homosexuality. The issue here has little to do with morality or bringing up children-- it is that we do not understand the gay community. And forums such as this present this opportunity.

I would want to know @ gay Nairobi man, how the gay community in Kenya seeks redress on issues, social and cultural, affecting them? Even political ones? Since you are gaining presence in the Kenya, does this create more problems than it did before.

Rest assured (hmm, dont know how this is solace) gays the worldover face the same discrimination, well, in some places, more than others.

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We dont Want To Know
written by Lyn , January 25, 2007

Really! You should undertand why Kenyans dont want to be treated to a public show of deviant( for want of a better word) sexual behaviour.We dont want children growing up thinking it ok to be like that...if nothing else...the fact that animals have stuck to the order of male female sexual relationships is proof enough for me that this is how God intended it to be...sorry, but if you have to be gay, why do we need to know about it?

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written by Gay Nairobi Man , January 26, 2007

@Lyn,

You have obviously not heard of the Bonobo ape- an african animal that has 30% of both males and females are homosexuals.

By the way Kenyan children will not have to be told that being gay is okay, coz they alreday know it. After all 10% of them are gay( as the rest of population)

I have no issue with you taking a stand against people like me but do it from a stand point that Homesexuality is not a lifestlye choice( Being gay is) but you are born that way and there is nothing you can do about it. It just like being born black.

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written by Gay Nairobi Man , January 26, 2007

@ Nekessa,

Thanks for your question. This visibility may be seen as a boon but my personal opinion is that it is dangerous. The more visibility we get, the more likelihood of hate crimes.

Kenyan society( especially urban) has of late accepted us and taken a 'live and let live' attitude. A situation that has been great as long as the majority heterosexuals dont feel threatened that all has been alright. But now, the homophobes( who mst of the time cannot handle their own sexual dysfunctionality) may use this exposure to take a violent stand against gay people especially the " camp" or 'queeny' of us.

There has been a sort of gay underground or parallel society in existance since the 80's and this has been great. We meet in normal clubs, have our own parties and circle of friends and this visibility will rock the status quo.

The jury is still out on whether this is a good thing or not.

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written by Amir Ibrahim , January 26, 2007

I hear there are those who have taken to playing 'Sodom and Gomorrah' on the radio as a threat of divine retribution for the homosexual population.

In his eagerness, I am afraid Nairobi's Gay Man is taking it a little far, the universally acknowledged segment,i.e estimate is much lower than 10%.

P.S My Dutch gay friend, who has a boyfriend in Nairobi tells me Kenya's gays are still lucky to have just the one gay bar that takes, and that for just the one night in a week. Yes, and you guessed it, the bar is full not of gay men on that day, but of plenty of women, what he calls 'fish'.

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Fake Outing
written by Wangila , January 27, 2007

I listened to the show too.even saw its repeat on Tv and paper curiously all owned by the Nation Media Group.
The Outing sounded so fake..those dudes are really wooden actors.
That particular station is just trying to flag up its ratyes.It is so unpopular especiaally there 'breakfast' show.
Ati gays form political parties in Kenya? Some Kenyans are so gay in their heads! I dont mind if a couple of faggots are hit on the street.
Mugabe said they are worse than dogs - and he was right

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It\'s here !
written by Bosibori , January 27, 2007

I have a couple of gay friends...lovely people i must say ,and everybody whether gay,bi or hetero-sexual needs to be held with a level of dignity.I strongly believe that being gay is not an Innate behaviour it is acquired,whether consciously or subconciously,as opposed to transsexuals who through scientific empirical facts have been found to born that way, there's a reason why gay people differ from the mainstream and its only reasonable for them to have laws that protect them from abuse, assault and the likes but whatever else happens would best remain quietor maybe the closet jus needs to left ajar .in my opinion its an addiction like any other that needs to be fought with everyday(from the testimonies of former homosexuals ),therefore in people's struggle to advocate for gays rights in the same spirit substance abusers,commercial sex workers etc should advocate for their rights as well...and the rest of the population can sit back and watch their kids initiated to a whole new society where liberty has no ends.

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written by Nairobi gay man , January 30, 2007

@Wangila,
You actually hate gay people? Ask yourself why the need to hate. Hate takes a lot of energy and mostly homophobes cannot deal with their own sexuality. But you have the right to hate.

@ Amir,
A recent Nairobi university study showed that 1 in 5 are gay or bisexual in Narobi and a 1 in 10 in other urban area. I guess this is represenation of Kenya

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written by emmo opoti , January 30, 2007

Wow Gay Nairobi Man,
Those are indeed remarkable statistics, and would put Nairobi somewhere near the gayest city in the world.

What this article has shown, as have many others besides is the usual Kenyan prediliction for oppressing the weak and the few. It matters little who these are, whether they have wronged us in any way or not, so long as they cannot defend themselves, we attack.

@Bosibori
All my gay friends are outside Kenya, although a number of them have Kenyan boyfriends. I do not know any lesbians, but I have a few suspects, even a male one!!

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re: We dont Want To Know
written by aeichener , February 05, 2007

You should undertand why Kenyans dont want to be treated to a public show of deviant(for want of a better word) sexual behaviour.

Nobody clamours for a gay fisting show with copmparative lubricant test at 7:30 PM, though it would definitely be a large improvement over the current Kenyan TV programs. I mean, even showing colour comparative tables or watching a tree grow would be an improvement... but I digress.

Actually, Kenyan - gossipers that they are - enjoy shows of deviant behaviour. But that's not the point. The point might be one of mutual (!) respectfulness (so the hetero/a/s would have to begin, for in this respect they have a lot of territory to cover first). Or the point might be the one that Nairobi gay man addressed when he used the word flaunting. This I will quote lateron here, such as to contrast his view.

...sorry, but if you have to be gay, why do we need to know about it?

Au contraire, Why do we need to know that you are heterosexual? The counterquestion shows the invalidity of the statement. I may not be interested in somebody's homosexuality, just like I am not the least bit interested in Gido's marriage break-up. So I shrug my shoulder and turn the page, or switch the channel. No problem.

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written by Mkenya , February 12, 2007

I do not condemn nor condone homosexuality. My stand on the issue is, whether we like it or not...they exist, always have. My two pence oipinion is, if legalised, people will be educated moe on the same and therefore by choosing to go that route, one is gonna take it with the full knowledge of the consequences. Let people make informed decisions by educating them. We should all recall, days when people would not talk about aids...when people became too sick and we started talking about it, people got more informed and the prevalence rate went down low, Why? because people were in the know and hence made informed decisions. The same approach should be applied here i suppose. Like aids, your son/daughter or even parents might one day come out of the closet and tell you things as they are...what a man to do...for things you cannot change, learnt to accept them or at least understand them. I am not gay but i have a gay friend and like him like i do my straight friends

As for the radio show, em not sure but i think its a fake and aimed at raising the stations rating. its a copy from the one below

www.betterloverseminar.com/desi_wife_catches_husband.php

in which an indian man is caught cheating on radio, listen to it and you will for sure know thats its copy...shame on that copycat radio station

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radio
written by colleen , July 04, 2008

The male voice you are hearing is that of a professional comedian and voiceover talent who also wrote the bit. He opens frequently for Russell Peters - Dan Nainan, Indian Comedian. You can find out more about him at www.nainan.com.

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