“The society expects us to fit into the sex and or gender binary created by it,if it is neither male of female, then its an abomination. ALPHA 24 years old Trans/Androgynous activist based in Kenya.i remember when was 5 I used to like to cattle graze   ,or fetch water rather than going to get firewood or cook which are the roles of a “woman” in our society. I loved playing football with my cousins, I especially love everything that was considered male.

Remember one Christmas my brother bought me a dress, I locked myself in my room and started crying since I had specified that a wanted a pair of jeans and sneakers not dress and heels, I was mad he did not understand me ,my family did not they don’t even to date.

High school  was a another hard time to experience from teachers judging me ,my friends I was in my own world,alone ,for 4 years ,been given 2 weeks to go for prayers, to not talking to anyone ,the rule was if I you talk to me you were to be expelled, principal calling out me out as mother of lesbians ,if I was experiencing the same what about upcoming generation?

Came to the city ,in city they play another type of music, everyone was free, allowed to dress the way you want but for me with baggy jeans and t-shirt I was not  allowed to do so in some streets, they had same mindset ,dress for female jeans for male, there is day am walking in town this guys stops me and asks me are you a girl or a boy ,I keep walking ,ignoring his annoying ass, but the guy keeps following this time he gets violent , because I did not answer him, grabs my arm and shouting ‘we ni SHOGA’(are you a lesbian),I try to pull ,myself away ,my heart raising ,I had a lot of stories about Androgynous womxn been beated even killed,I knew my day was here,I was scared no one was willing to help me. then a saw a cop and shouted help that’s when the guy let go of me and ran, when the cop came and asked what was going ,I told him what he were saying and suddenly his mood changed then he was ,I see you one of them ,ONE OF THEM! ,And walked away,that when I knew that even the system did not care about me,they have even rules ,that I can be jailed for been who I am. Another different world ,how was I going to fit ?would they accept me if I did tight pants and tight t-shirt? But that was not what I wanted,I wanted to be me,laugh,smile ,walk like me.

Started Nadharia Kenya  community in 2019 ,started a fashion brand for myself, to advocate for people like us, to change what the society thinks of us, what they lack is knowledge, but are they willing to learn? Fashion is a weapon they use against us, why not use it to educate them, that this how I love to express myself, this how I walk ,talk ,am human not possessed ,I don’t need 2 weeks of prayers to change whom I am, there is no ONE OF THEM but we all human.

My main aim is not to have upcoming generation to go for what I went through while I was  teenage ,educate them on safety, economic empowerment , sexual orientation ,characteristics ,expression and Gender identity, that there is a community that cares for that understands you.

It is not a easy path but I choose it ,I believe am the light ,and am going to fucking shine brightly.

Executive director Nadharia Kenya”