FOF #545 - FOF for Africa - 06.04.07

By Fausto Fernós on June 4, 2007 | | Link | Print |

 
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Nigerian gay rights activist Davis Mac-Iyalla talks about creating social change in Nigeria on the Feast of Fools podcast.What is it like to live in Nigeria, where you can be sent to prison, tortured and killed for just being gay?

Believe it or not, it doesn’t stop people from living out their lives and fighting for change.

On todays gay fun show we’re joined by the Mac Daddy of Gay Activism in Nigeria- Davis Mac Iyalla.

Davis is on a tour of the U.S in hopes to raise awareness of the lack of GLBT rights in Nigeria, and why this is a problem that affects everyone.

As Mac-Iyalla says in our interview, there have always been gays and lesbians all over the world, but the recent move to ban gay marriage in his country where gay people are imprisoned for being gay seems a strange law to pass.

He presents homophobia as a negative residue of past British colonial rule, but Mac-Iyalla says the Anglican church’s current move to ban gay marriage comes as a result of financial pressure from conservative Christians in the United States.

Nigerian Bishop Peter Akinola is leading the fight to split the worldwide 77 million Anglican/Episcopalian denomination over the issue of GLBT rights.

Why would any country that already severely penalizes gay people for even existing have any need for a law against gay marriage? Political currency. Demonizing gay marriage carries the power to distract the population from sabotage from within. If your current leadership is sounding the false alarm, chances are because they want you to look the other way.

I guess Nigeria and the U.S. are a lot alike.

Also joining us is Andy Thayer from the Gay Liberation Network. Listen as we talk about growing up gay in Africa, why conservative Americans are funding anti-gay measures in Nigeria and what you can do to help our brothers and sisters overseas.

Check out these fab pics of Davis and his fellow activists meeting for the first time to receive communion as gay men.

How do you say “gay” in Kalabari?
Click here to donate directly to Davis Mac-Iyalla’s travel fund, or send a check to: Gay Liberation Network, c/o Davis Mac-Iyalla Travel Fund, 4404 N. Magnolia, Suite 420, Chicago, IL 60640.

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•Changing Attitude Nigeria

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  • Fausto Fernós says:

    June 4, 2007 at 1:53 am

    Davis Mac-Iylla U.S. tour:

    June 4 - Luncheon, 8th Day Center for Justice, 205 W. Monroe, 12:30pm
    Interview with Jerome MacDonald (”Worldview,” WBEZ-FM), 2 pm
    Interview with Mitchell Szczepanczyk (WHPK-FM), 3:15 pm
    Interview with Cliff Kelley (WVON-AM), 4 pm
    All Saints, Chicago, hymns & panel with Seminary Dean Ruth Myers, 7:30pm
    June 5 - Trinity Church, Highland Park, IL, 7:30pm
    June 6 - +William Persell, Diocesan House, 65 E. Huron St., 2:15pm
    Chicago Coalition of Welcoming Churches, 7pm, location?
    June 7 - Open/Sightseeing
    June 8 - GLBT Community Forum, St. Peter’s, Chicago, 7pm
    June 10 - Raleigh, NC: Church of the Nativity, 9:15am adult ed
    Diocese of North Carolina speech, 2-4pm
    June 11-14 - Executive Council of The Episcopal Church, Parsippany, New Jersey
    June 11 - Executive Council dinner with the Diocese of Newark
    June 12 - private dinner: John Simonelli, Oasis
    June 15 - Stone Ridge, NY: Church of Christ the King, EP, dinner & speech, 6pm
    June 17 - St. Bartholomew’s Church, Park Avenue, New York:
    Rector’s Forum; GLBT Fellowship
    June 18 - Oasis dinner, St. Andrew/Holy Communion Church, S. Orange, NJ
    June 19 - Holy Apostles: mass 6:15pm, +Gene Robinson sermon; Davis speech
    June 20 - St. Luke’s in the Fields: Pride forum, lecture & Q&A, 7pm
    June 22 - Rochester, New York: St. Luke & St. Simon of Cyrene (evening)
    June 24 - San Francisco LGBT Pride Parade with +Marc Andrus, 10:30am
    Eucharist & Commissioning at St. John the Evangelist, 4pm
    Reception, speech and Q&A
    Clean and Sober Pride Dance
    June 25-27 - Diocese of California?
    June 28 - Phoenix: dinner with +Kirk Smith & the Dean; speak at Trinity Cathedral
    June 29 - press luncheon; evening speech in Tucson
    June 30 - Dallas: evening reception, St. Thomas Church
    July 1 - St. Thomas: mass 10am, brief remarks; return to Indiana
    July 4 - Independence Day picnic
    July 5 - DEPART New York
    July 6: London, England

    Reply

  • Christopher says:

    June 4, 2007 at 7:12 am

    WOW. What an interview. Fausto, at the start of the show, you said this interview was going to be possibly the most important interview FOF has done. I think you were right. Davis was a wonderful guest and I am so glad that you brought him on the show. June is historically Gay Pride month around the country. This past weekend I spent in Austin, TX for the Gay Pride Parade. Just listening to Davis makes me realize just how lucky we all are in America, even with crazy right-wingnuts, and Fred Phelps, and Pat Roberston, we still can live a peaceful life without fear (for the most part). Thank you so much for sharing with us Davis.

    Reply

  • Marc Felion says:

    June 4, 2007 at 1:39 pm

    Just to reiterate, those crazy wingnuts are now exporting their hate to Nigeria. Bishop Akinola receives a lot of funding from
    US churches.

    Reply

  • Phi Tau 27 says:

    June 4, 2007 at 3:02 pm

    I can’t say enough how much I appreciate FoF’s efforts at raising awarness to loacal, national, and global issues. To know that the cast is not only talented with comedy but also socially aware is one of the many reasons I continue to love this show and spread its gospel, so to speak.

    Davis’s story is both uplifting and tragic. I can’t imagine what life would be like to live in Nigeria, but to know that in the face of such extreme adversity he is standing up to the tyranny is unspeakably moving. I can only be thankful for our situation.

    Reply

  • tralfaz says:

    June 4, 2007 at 5:48 pm

    Good show. I hope you do more interviews in the future about gay rights in different countries.

    Reply

  • RcktMan says:

    June 4, 2007 at 6:44 pm

    I just got done reading about Davis in the Chicago Tribune (his article is in today’s Metro section on the front page), trying to figure out why his name was so familiar– and then I remembered seeing him on today’s show. I haven’t heard it yet– still at work– but I am going to rush out of here right now and get home so I can hear it. Congratulations on such an important guest and topic!

    Reply

  • bradley says:

    June 5, 2007 at 5:58 am

    fantastic interview.

    Reply

  • Mark says:

    June 5, 2007 at 6:40 am

    Great interview! Thanks!

    Reply

  • Maia says:

    June 6, 2007 at 2:40 pm

    Wow, I can’t believe you guys interviewed Davis Mac-Iyalla! What a great show.

    I’m catching up on my FOF, after spending the past week entertaining out-of-town visitors. I missed David’s appearance at All Saints’ Church on Monday night (also because of aforesaid visitors), so it is such a great surprise to find him here on your podcast. Great catch, guys!

    I loved the part where he said he would have liked to be a lesbian. Awwww…

    Reply

  • Alec says:

    June 7, 2007 at 8:40 pm

    Wow - just got to hear it today (having some iPod problems).

    As an Episcopalian, I obviously already have a beef w/ Akinola, who’s leading the charge of the Anglican primates that are trying to split the Anglican communion over Gene Robinson’s ordination. (Gene Robinson is the duly-elected bishop of New Hampshire - the openly gay bishop in the Anglican communion).

    The fact that an archbishop is a leading voice in guiding a country towards an even more oppressive and life-threatening environment for gay people is abhorrent.

    Thanks for having him on the show. He is a very, very brave man.

    Alec

    Alec

    Reply

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    • About The Author: Fausto Fernós

    Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Fausto Fernós created the Feast of Fools in 1998 as wacky artists variety show in Chicago, Illinois. Along with his partner Marc Felion, he hosts the world's most downloaded talk show for gay people on the internet, Feast of Fools. Fausto loves pomegranates, waterfalls and 70s retro funk music.
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