By: Samukelisiwe Mkhwebane

Being a homosexual in a country like South Africa this day is still as hard and horrible as it was for coloured people to fit into their classified race and culture years back.

The gay and lesbian community is still seen by many as a dreadful disease and a lot of people still find it hard to swallow.

Surprisingly, it’s not judgemental but mannerly in which a straight person is treated in a homosexual club, as compared to the way a gay person would be treated in dominantly straight club.

Gays are disrespected and called names by straight guys. One gay person who chose not tpo be named recalls an incident where he was referred to as “a sissy with balls”.

This is not the only incident. Dr Laura Schlessinger recently lashed out in an open letter blog saying that “homosexuality is an abomination. She went on to qoute Leviticus 18:22 which says that:

“Do not practice homosexuality, having sex with another man as with a woman. It is a detestable sin and cannot be condoned under any circumstance”.

In as much as people are entitled to their own opinions and judgements, some comments however can really hurt or break a human spirit. Homosexuals are humans to; they have feelings and fear just like everyone.

People usually quote some parts of the Bible just to criticise and judge others.

What should be done is that if you rely on the bible as a way to see and judge people, you should also use the same criteria to judge yourself.

If this is done, surely you will find out that we are all sinners and that no sin outweighs the other. As such, because we have sinned, we should all be put to death.

Exodus 35:2 talks about how we shouldn’t work on a Sabbath, how many of us are guilty of that sin? The Bible also goes on to say that we should not commit adultery before marriage, how many of us are walking around with that sin but are not being crucified or marginalised by others for that? We as people should start knowing when to use God’s law to justify other people’s actions.

A few years ago, South Africans were starting to get into the idea that brutalising, raping and killing homosexuals was the ‘so called’ right thing to do; many may still feel that way to date. It’s very disheartening to believe such things can happen in this democratic South Africa.

When responding to a poll question on Facebook, Mthokozisi Mhlungu said, “In this kind of situation we need not to be aggressive but realistic. I for one don’t support gays and lesbians because of my beliefs. What they are doing is totally wrong and it’s a sin in Gods eyes.”

While he believes that, Samuel Mngoma, commenting on the same question expresses that: “It’s hard for us straight people to get homosexuals, and we don’t know how gays and lesbians feel and why they chose to be that way. Yes God did say something like this is a sin, but also he warned us it would happen and if you do read the bible you will know that he said we are not to judge anyone for the choices they make.”

“Who are we to judge? Only God the creator can judge them they certainly don’t need a jury from us humans. I for one don’t have a problem with homosexuals anymore, I have a gay person amongst my family and hanging around him has helped me a lot in understanding their kind, Mngoma added.

Many homosexuals in this country live in the closet for most of their lives afraid to come out of their shell. They are trapped and made feel worthless by their family, friends and neighbours who treat them like they are carrying some dreadful disease. But as a nation, it’s high time we put all the judgement behind us like we did to Apartheid.

As the Johannesburg gays and lesbian Pride is set to hit the city shores again this year, many of the homosexual people use this as their way to celebrate who they are and be comfortable amongst each other, they celebrate their pride and their right. Being gay or lesbian is not a disease; if it really was then why are we all not affected by it and die?