(Lagos) A lesbian has reportedly gone into hiding to avoid imprisonment after performing marriage ceremonies for two lesbian couples. Reuters, quoting local media in the city of Kano, reports that Aunty Maiduguri, 45, conducted the ceremonies as 2,000 guests looked on. The weddings were followed by two days of feasting. Kano is one of 12 Islamic states in northern Nigeria. It introduced Sharia law in 2000, making homosexuality a capital crime. "As defenders of Sharia law, we shall not allow this unhealthy development to take place," Rabo Abdulkarim, deputy commander of the state Islamic police, told ThisDay newspaper, Reuters said. (Read the Full Story).

Despite my qualms over our government I would not trade being an American for living anywhere else in the world. Granted, our government treats the LGBT community as if we were second-class citizens; however, we do not have to live in fear of being imprisoned in this day and age for being homosexual.

I have often heard about this country or that’s treatment of homosexuals. The brutality and death that faces our international gay community, often makes me wonder why they do not flee to more accepting environments. I also understand that change will not come from running from the problem. Nothing has ever changed from running from it and nothing ever will.

I watched a show on LOGO about a gay man who traveled to Jamaica to tell his uncle he was gay. While in Jamaica he met with another gay man that told him that if anyone were to find out he was gay he would be murdered and no questions would be asked.

I can’t imagine living in that kind of fear. Afraid that if someone should recognize the way that I look at my wife, that I could be beaten to death. For something as simple and pure as love.

Recently we also saw the movie Fire which depicted two Indian women who became lovers and the trials and tribulations that they suffered for being same. This is not to say that in the U.S. homosexuals are without struggle. Just about every day a new story comes out about another LGBT community member faced with discrimination or worse, assault or even death.

However, the violence is not at the hands of our government (though one could argue that with the government’s treatment of us, implies our inferiority therefore giving others the right to mistreat us).

I applaud my international homosexual/genderqueer brothers and sisters for fighting the battles that put their lives and families at risk to achieve what comes so easily to the heterosexual community: the right to love.