How do you navigate life when your very identity is deemed illegal? This episode takes you through the harrowing yet inspiring journey of LGBTQ+ activist Bisi Alimi. Bisi recounts the intense challenges of trying to reconcile his Christian faith with his sexuality growing up in Nigeria where where LGBTQ+ rights are severely restricted.
Episode Topics:
Exorcisms and Mental Health: Discussing the traumatic experiences of undergoing exorcisms as a misguided attempt to 'cure' homosexuality.
Historic Media Moments: Recounting the pivotal moment of being the first person to openly come out as gay on Nigerian television, highlighting the fallout and impact it had on his life.
Survival and Resilience: A frank discussion on multiple suicide attempts spurred by societal rejection and internal conflict, underscoring the mental health struggles within the LGBTQ+ community
Quotable Moments:
[14:32] "Each party, each gathering I dared to attend, was another stride toward accepting myself amidst the fear."
[24:52] "The first exorcism was terrifying. It didn't cure anything; it just deepened my despair."
[32:38] "Coming out on national TV was my cry for acceptance; it turned my life into a battleground."
[43:47] "When I arrived in the UK, suddenly I wasn't just gay; I was black and gay, which came with a whole new set of prejudices."
Bisi Alimi is a British-Nigerian gay rights activist, public speaker, blog writer and HIV/LGBT advocate who gained international attention when he became the first Nigerian to come out on television.
