As a gay person it is important to realise that despite the struggles we face in accepting ourselves and in society, it is crucial to recognise that we are not alone and that there is a big gay community where one can find all manner of support and acceptance.

A lot of people view sex as the most defining aspect of being a homosexual, this is not only stereotypical but also offensive to some. Not to be mistaken, in the gay community, sex is the easiest thing to obtain but love between two men or women is also common. This includes a physical, emotional and spiritual connection.

Love and attraction between two men is universal and documented throughout history in various cultures. Homosexuality is not an appalling habit or lifestyle that one can pick up when living in the west as many of us have heard being said by our family, friends and community.

Gay friendships are also a vital as in most cases become our second family. The people that some become increasingly reliant on when cut-off from traditional families.

As a young gay man or lesbian somalian, coming out is a daunting experience as it involves reconciling with our religion and culture that is largely against homosexuality. However there are two kinds of coming out; coming out to oneself and coming out to the public. The more important of the two is coming out to one-self, accepting that you are attracted to the same sex and they are innate feelings that cannot be changed and does not mean you have to tell anyone else about you homosexuality. Furthermore, this acceptance does not necessarily mean you have to abandon or neglect other aspects of yourself such as your culture, religion or most importantly yourself in pursuit of what you might think a gay man or lesbian should be.

Be who you are! It is a liberating feeling to embrace every aspect of yourself rather than live in denial and unhappiness.

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