Cameroonian UK-based model, Irene Major says no to the maltreatment, condemnation and persecution shown towards the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community in Africa.
The popular socialite and mother of four has launched a campaign under her foundation IM LIFE to raise awareness on and fight for the abused LGBT victims in Africa. She even apologizes to this community for not fighting for their right to live and love a long time ago.
“I owe the LGBT community in my country (Cameroon) and Africa an apology for not taking this matter seriously earlier when I set up my charity IM Life, a decade ago to focus on poverty. Persecution and killing of LGBT Africans is sustained and ongoing and now, I must raise awareness on the abuse that his community faces,” Irene tells us in an exclusive interview.
To buttress her point and zeal to help the LBGT community in Africa, Irene has set up the GIA Foundation, an initiative to boost awareness on the suffering of the African LGBT community and to work to foster tolerance , understanding and acceptance within the society.
GIA Foundation is determined to work to make sure the law changes to end homophobia and discrimination against the LGBT community as well as to end extra-judicial persecution and violence, legally-sanctioned penalties and consider specific ideas such as local support groups and safe-houses/safe-spaces to inhabit LGBT.
“I was motivated by the many stories of persecution of the LGBT community in Africa. The persecution ranges from hash discrimination to killings-often legally sanction. This was heightened by my own views from the equality of all humanity and my own experience of what the LGTB community brings to society where they are not not persecuted,” Irene says.
“In our own very LGTB community in Africa, we have potential Elton Johns and Ellen DeGenereses who can be liberated and nurtured to give back rather than staying fearfully in the closets or be persecuted,” she adds.
Irene says she is a Christian and believes God is a loving God who will never allow humans to kill other humans and so therefore people should show love to all in other to see the goodness and potential of all souls.
“There are in did two sides of the bible the old and the new testament. I’m very spiritual, I believe no one is a saint, we are all sinners since Adam ate the apple. I am not saying be gay, but I’m saying let’s stop the killing! They are in did voiceless and is time to give them a chance. They are human beings like all of us with a brain and a heart. Love is love, let love live,” Irene concludes.
The initialism, LGBT, is intended to emphasize a diversity of sexuality and gender identity-based cultures. It may be used to refer to anyone who is non-heterosexual or non-cisgender, instead of exclusively to people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender.
