'Men loathe me and are scared of me ' Letoya Johnstone on the struggles of being a transgender woman

Piece by: Peninah Njoki
Exclusives

Kenyan transgender Letoya Johnstone has said she is not ashamed of her sexuality as it's something she cannot change but has learned to embraced it.

According to Letoya,  most people judge her without even getting ton know her.

'I am not ashamed of being a transgender woman.

It is the people including the men who are ashamed of me or those girls like myself.

No one reaches close enough to see your beauty, your feelings, your needs, your contribution, your self worth or your love. The men loath me. They are scared of me. They don't even see me.

The mothers and the sisters of the men have taught them better ways to disproportionately discriminate against me and my kind. " They teach their children about the Bible, and they chose which verse and books to preach. "

Adding

'They have taught the men about the African culture and who a man needs to look like. Of course like their father.

The most painful part is this, " You have destroyed your men to an extent that now they are destroying other people's daughters and children.

The marriage, some of them is a hoax. The men and or women sneaks to go to girls like Letoya or some run after same se3 in the dark."

Women like me are entertainment. Any man who could be interested in you only comes at night. When all lights are off. When everyone is a sleep. They also sneak out immediately before anyone could see them.'

Letoya went on to add

'WHY? BECAUSE PEOPLE LIKE ME ARE A SHAME.

If you don't die of rape then you will die of suicide. Of course, some use other methods to complete suicide. However, some of us are being killed through a suicide called, " Neglect, lack of opportunities, discrimination, being shut and thoroughly avoided. "

Our issues are non-issues. We are rendered redundant at our places of work as if our expertise is our se3ual orientation or our gender.

All of you have killed us even before we knew who we really are.

Transgender people have been misgendered, forced to attend schools that demand them to wear clothes that don't affirm their gender, and we have been told to have been possessed with demonic powers.'

In conclusion she said

'Human beings who gave birth to us have told us how we have ashamed them. Fathers who sire us have disowned us.

Today, I belong to no one. I just know my name and who I am.

Transgender people are more of a statistic in Kenya rather than being human beings. We don't even have tights or proper shelter, and no one cares. !

I am LIGHT.'