Do You Live Where It’s Illegal to Be LGBT? We Want To Hear Your Story!
Sadly, while more people are speaking out against the criminalization of LGBT people, we’ve been seeing more instances of it; Indonesia is considering criminalizing homosexuality and Uganda is considering making their punishments worse. But one of the best ways we can fight LGBT criminalization is by telling our stories. And if you’re in a country that criminalizes homosexuality, Hornet wants to help you share your story.
The Hornet Community platform is an excellent way to amplify our community’s voices and help the world understand why the criminalization of LGBT people is so wrong. Personal stories provide a human connection to what can be an abstract issue to those who aren’t dealing with it. And no one can tell your story better than you can.
Our stories have an impact. When people started to come out, it transformed the world. When people step forward and honestly declare their sexuality or gender, it challenges stereotypes and moves our culture forward. We’ve seen this happen recently — for example, people living with HIV and undocumented immigrants. Openly expressing our stories creates change.
The world learned about the arrest, torture and murder of LGBT people in Chechnya because people were willing to tell their stories and journalists worked tirelessly to get those stories out to the general public. When the world was able to hear the first-hand accounts of violence and persecution, people understood the severity of the situation. Those people took action and helped save lives.
The brave work of activists around the world is a key element in the fight to decriminalize LGBT. Shining a light on their struggles and triumphs can inspire those who are organizing in their own communities. For example, a recent article by a community contributor explored why LGBT lives and decriminalization matter — just one of many experiences that help to build a compelling narrative about LGBT rights.
It’s easy to sign up to share your own stories. Go to our community platform and click on “Contribute” and then “Submit A Story”. You can be a part of the dynamic and inspiring stories that will help decriminalize LGBT.
If you are not a writer, it doesn’t matter. There are plenty of ways to tell a story. There are interviews, videos or even cultural arts. We want to hear from you. Your contributions help make our community stronger.
