A Heartfelt Thank You to the Feel You Community: A Journey of Hope and Transformation
Dear Feel You Community,
As I sit here, pouring my heart out onto this screen, I am overcome with emotions that words alone cannot adequately express. The journey I have traveled in the presence of this remarkable community has been nothing short of transformative. From the depths of despair to a place of hope, from loneliness to a sense of belonging, you have been my guiding light, my pillars of strength, and my unwavering support.
Not too long ago, I found myself in the deepest, darkest corners of my soul. The weight of discovering my true sexual orientation and the subsequent rejection and hostility from my own family had shattered my world. I was lost, drowning in fear, and contemplating an unthinkable end. But then, in my darkest hour, I reached out to this community—a community that would change the trajectory of my life forever.
To each and every one of you who took the time to read my posts, who poured out your hearts in the comments, who shared your own stories of struggle and triumph, I want you to know that you saved me. Your words of encouragement, your empathy, and your unwavering support reached across the digital space and touched the depths of my soul. In that moment, I realized I was not alone. I found solace in your kindness, strength in your understanding, and hope in your shared experiences.
To the visionary minds behind Feel You, I am forever grateful. You have created a platform that goes far beyond the ordinary—a sanctuary where individuals from all walks of life can find solace, understanding, and connection. Through your creation, you have given me a lifeline, a virtual family, and the courage to choose life when all seemed lost. The impact of your vision cannot be understated, for it has saved lives, mended broken spirits, and ignited a spark of change that will forever burn bright.
There is a misconception I would like to address, one that arose from my recent post. Some of you believed that I had left Uganda in search of safety and sanctuary in a foreign land. While relocation was suggested to me by various organizations, including the remarkable Trevor Project, I made the difficult decision to stay. You see, my purpose, my calling, lies within Uganda itself. I want to be a catalyst for lasting change within my own country. I want to stand tall and be a beacon of hope for those who face similar struggles and discrimination. My aim is to make a difference, not only for the LGBTQ+ community, but for anyone who experiences discrimination based on disability, race, politics, religion, gender, or any other factor that sets them apart. It will be an uphill battle, but with the unwavering support of this incredible community, I know we can overcome any obstacles that come our way, step by step.
In the midst of my tumultuous journey, there is one person I must acknowledge—a dear friend who has provided me with a safe haven amidst the storm. Just a few days ago, I mustered the courage to reveal my truth to him. I expected rejection, judgment, and misunderstanding. But instead, something miraculous happened. He listened, truly listened, with an open heart and an open mind. And as he absorbed the comments and stories shared by this community, something shifted within him. He began to understand the depth of my pain, the magnitude of my challenges. This newfound acceptance from someone I thought would never comprehend my experiences has made this one of the most bittersweet moments of my life. I am grateful for his transformation, for his unwavering support, and for reminding me that change is possible, even in the unlikeliest of places.
In my previous post, I neglected to outline how those who are willing to support my cause can help. For those who prefer to contribute through Air Funding, I have included a fundraising link at the bottom of this message. If international transfers like Western Union are more suitable, please kindly email me at hankjayden168@gmail.com for further details. I am also open to any suggestions or advice from the members of my newfound family, for I am a 21-year-old Ugandan who has much to learn. Your guidance and support are invaluable on this journey of ours.
To the organizations I reached out to, including the Trevor Project, Amnesty International, BBC, Al Jazeera, CNN, France 24, International Rescue Committee, and others, I must be honest and say that the support I received did not meet my expectations. While I understand that these organizations have their own boundaries and limitations, it is the Feel You community that has provided me with the comfort, strength, and hope that I needed. You have shown me that true support knows no boundaries and transcends distance.
If I am successful in my ambitions to bring about change through my project, I will not need to hire advisors, for I have found the best advisors within the Feel You community. You have saved my life and helped me discover my purpose. Your wisdom and guidancewill be my compass as I navigate uncharted waters. Together, we can make a difference that resonates far beyond our individual experiences.
Closing my eyes, I can feel the profound impact each of you has had on my life. My biological family may have turned their backs on me, but I have found a new family—the Feel You family. In your invisible presence, your collective love and support radiate through the depths of my being. You have transformed my despair into determination, my hopelessness into a burning desire to create change. With your unwavering support, I will continue to fight for a world that embraces diversity, compassion, and equality.
As I conclude this letter, I want to express my gratitude once again, from the depths of my soul. Thank you for being the light that guided me through my darkest moments. Thank you for reminding me that there is strength in vulnerability, beauty in authenticity, and hope in the face of adversity. Together, we are forging a path towards a brighter future—a future where love triumphs over hate, where acceptance eclipses discrimination, and where every individual can live their truth without fear.
With profound gratitude and an unyielding spirit.
Hello!
The situation is really difficult. Advice like “never mind” or “think positive” won’t work here. Humans are social beings, each of us needs to be the part of society and get support from other people. When others ignore you for whatever reason, it can really hurt. More or less we are all dependent on other people’s approval. The origin of this mechanism goes back to the times of primitive society, when it was impossible to survive outside the tribe, while the possibility of being kicked out literally meant death. These times are gone, but our primitive evolution mechanism remained unchanged. That’s why we are hurt when someone underestimates us.
In order to solve this difficult situation and find the way out I recommend you asking yourself a few questions. “Are people around me really laugh at me? Do they really think negatively about me?” Judging by what you’ve written, it seems like you are absolutely sure they do. But I recommend you analyze everything once again and realize if it’s true or not. Why do I insist on it? As a matter of fact, various negative beliefs and patterns are formed in our childhood based on our personal experience and under the influence of parents and other respectable people. For example, if a boy was constantly told that he was clumsy and weak, he would behave like one and believe in it even when the situation changes. When we grow older we percept our reality through the prism of our beliefs subconsciously. This can be compared to looking at the world through a distorted mirror.
So first of all I suggest doing a test-drive of your inner beliefs about what is real and what is not. Take a sheet of paper and write down all negative beliefs you have about yourself in one column. For example, “I am clumsy. I am weird. I am shy” and so on. Then put a plus or a minus against each statement. Give it a “+” sign if you think that this statement is true and applies to you. And put a “-“ sign if it’s not. If there is a plus sign, write 2-3 facts proving this statement. For example: “I am clumsy because I always drop things down”. Don’t invent these facts deliberately, they should really concern you. After such an analysis you will see that some of the statements are not true and can’t be applied to you because there are no facts confirming their existence.
Then turn this sheet of paper over and write down only those statements which are true. Opposite each of them write a sentence starting with the word “But…”. For example: “I am weird. But I am unique”. Or “I am shy. But I am tactful and polite when talking to other people”. None of us is perfect. Yet not everything we perceive as negative is negative. Each our trait of character has two sides, one of which possesses only positive qualities.
To conclude I would like to say that other people tend to criticize you for something which they continuously ignore in themselves. This is called a transfer in psychology. The fact that other people blame you for certain qualities, means that they don’t see and don’t want to accept the same qualities in themselves. Finding another victim is much easier for them.