Every now and then, a stranger walks up to
me and says “You are Eric Gitari, Right?” and of course I respond that I am not
– because in fact I am not Eric Gitari. Now Eric Gitari is a good friend, but
he would be disappointed if I or anyone else went around telling people that we
are him – perhaps he would even accuse us of impersonation.
Early this week, a guy – who I never got his name, walked to me at the Junction Nakumatt and insisted that I
am/was Eric Gitari – which I refuted, but I in the process discovered a way of dealing
with this Eric Gitari thing. I told him, “I am not Eric Gitari, but I get where
you are coming from….”
The “….I get where you are coming from…”
seemed to have created a shared experience, because not only did he relax, but
it also saved both of us a long conversation about whom we were or were not.
Indeed after that he happily said, “I just wanted to say hi…” as he went about
his own shopping.
This article is about creating this “shared
experience.” On the 17th of this month (February), in partnership with
GALCK, we shall be hosting a workshop at a venue in town. The workshop will discuss
recent research on same sex sexuality, i.e., history, science, human rights
conventions etc. Prof. Marc Epprecht of Queens University will be the featured
key note speaker, but Galck will also host a panel discussion on the same
topic.
On our part, we shall be launching this
publication on “Economic rationale for advocating for sexual minorities.” We
believe that advocacy for any socially excluded community should also be about
social and economic benefits that derive from social inclusion. This task should not be left only to the socially excluded but to everyone who
believes in social inclusion – because inclusion benefits all of us and
exclusion hurts us all.
Of particular note is Part Four, of this
publication. It details, easy to implement actions, that you can take – from the
comfort of your own chair (or even internet enabled phone), to increase social
inclusion. Please read this section, and
if you plan on attending the workshop, we shall discuss it some more with you at the
workshop.
Also remember, we have proposed this
“middle of the way” review of the existing sections of the law that criminalize
sexual minorities. Please do forward a copy to a progressive Member of
Parliament who can act as its champion on the floor of the house.
Details of the workshop venue will soon be
posted on Galck’s facebook page here and on my own here.
