Anonymous, Cameroon
The first time I had a sexual experience, it was with a girl in secondary school so I knew from a younger age that I was a lesbian. In Cameroon, it’s very common that when you graduate from secondary school, you get married and in some cases your parents will force you into marriage. When I was at this stage in my life, my parents were hearing rumours that I was a lesbian and they forced me into a marrying a man. We were married for twenty years and had three children together.
In Cameroon, they used to kill homosexuals. I worked as a nurse within the police unit and witnessed so many moments when the police would arrest and detain LGBTQ people. They would beat them, torture them and sometimes kill them. Often gay people would just die in jail and there would be no investigation. I had a secret relationship with a colleague of mine. She was also married. One time, we were caught in the parking lot and the police told both our husbands. My husband made the situation very bad. He called my family and told them everything. Later on, we were caught again a second time in a hotel and my partner’s husband beat us both so badly. I remember having to run from the hotel naked and my partner also ran away and she eventually ended up in Central Africa.
My family was quiet and disappointed, but they never saw me because I went into hiding. All I could think about was running away.Two of my three children came to Canada to study and I decided to go to Canada in March 2016 where I could be with my children and where I knew I would be safe. I feel comfortable here because I feel that I can do whatever I want without fear. My husband and I got divorced and he has since married another woman. My third child came here soon after to be with us.
In January 2018, my refugee application in Canada was denied and I feel like my story was misrepresented. I’m told that my case was declined because I was a part of the police system that was beating and torturing people, even though I’m a Lesbian and was helping the LGBTQ community. The judge said I perhaps tortured and beat people and am running away from the things I’ve done. I’m currently awaiting the result from my appeal. I worry because I know that if I go back to Cameroon, they will kill me because of my sexuality.
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Jadon is a photographer, specializing in portraiture and street. When he's not shooting, he's working hard to become a graphic designer. Jadon is currently completing his first year at George Brown College in the Graphic Design program. He picked up his first film camera when he was 15 in his Grade 10 photography class, capturing special moments in his life and his friends’ lives. He loves films, art and sports.