Kenya And TikTok To Remove LGBTQIA+ Content From Reaching Kenyan Users By: Jennifer Kate

What's up, guys? I'm back with another blog, and today I'm going to be reacting to a story I found on thepinknews.com because I found this story fascinating but also super sad and frustrating all at the same time, so I'm going to share it with you about the story and give some information, and then I'm going to give my reaction. Let's get right into it.

TikTok is reportedly in talks with the Kenyan Government to block local access to all LGBTQIA+ content. The African state has criminalized homosexuality and consensual same-sex acts, with a maximum penalty of 14 years imprisonment. Want to know the scary part about this? Some Kenyan TikTok users have had accounts deactivated and their content demonetized for sharing content deemed "inappropriate or restricted."

Unfortunately, it is in TikTok's best interest to keep Kenyan officials happy since, according to a 2023 survey, Kenya is the global leader in TikTok usage. As a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, this is a considerable blow. Again, on a small scale, this seems like such a tiny blip on the map. Still, it's a huge deal because it's a step backward in the war to fight for the rights we deserve. I say this in many of my LGBTQIA+ blogs. Still, I will gladly repeat it since it's so true, and it's okay, to tell the truth: "Just because we love who we love doesn't mean we are different than any other person we go to work, pay bills, and have kids the only difference we have is who we love."

Now that I have a small insight into my feelings on this topic let me give a bigger picture of how I feel. This is a considerable step backward, considering it's 2023. We're back in older times when people were scared to come out and be who they were because of the repercussions, and I hate to say it. That's precisely what I said we are going back to, and that's not good. People deserve to be happy exactly being who they are, and if they choose to transition, it's no one else's business except that person, and if it's not your life, it doesn't affect you. I'm sad that we still have to fight for fundamental human rights even though we are exactly like everyone else.

Anyway, that's all I got for you for this blog. Thank you so much for reading. Please let me know your thoughts on this story in the comment sections on social media. And I will be back with another blog soon, and I will see you then.