CHRISTINA ENGELA. Outing. How do you feel about it? I’m referring to the willful public exposure of individuals against their will, and without regard for their health or well-being. Quite often this is an intentional act of spite – sabotage – intended to ruin the life of the victim. An act of malice, to injure them, sometimes an act of revenge.
CHRISTINA ENGELA. No matter what I am or what I have done, I am also just as human and just as flawed and vulnerable as anyone who thinks they are perfect, or stronger, or better than me. Nevertheless, it seems there are always people who think that because I am not straight like them, and not living the gender I was born in, that I am anti-social, have a persecution complex, a huge chip on my shoulder, and am either less intelligent than they are, or that I am just plain stupid.
CHRISTINA ENGELA. Nothing in this universe could stop the process I went through to become who I am, nor turn it back to what I was, nor make me perfect enough for me to be acceptable to you. And so here we are, two opposites in a world of opposing forces, assigned labels like ‘good’ and ‘evil’ simply for how we come into this world, how we cope with it, and how we go out from it. In a world where we are taught too much that it matters, how can I blame you any further?
CHRISTINA ENGELA. According to the Family Policy Institute run by homophobe and human rights opponent Errol Naidoo, “ETV is no longer welcome in my home” and “E-tv has defiantly dismissed the valid concerns of tens of thousands of SA citizens.” Well, good for ETV. Funny, I don’t see anyone holding a gun to the heads of “tens of thousands” of Christians with “valid concerns” and forcing them to watch it?
CHRISTINA ENGELA. There are loads of activists using the internet as a powerful information tool, including myself, using tools like Facebook, Twitter and others to highlight all sorts of issues – issues that could make governments blush – or develop nervous ticks. There is no doubt in my mind that this crackdown on freedom of information and freedom of speech will soon include us – if it doesn’t already.