Hello, my name is Nemere and I am a sixteen-year-old black transgender teenager living in Nigeria. Unfortunately, I have experienced unbearable and inhuman treatment from my parents and other family members after being forcefully outed. My parents found out that I wore feminine clothing when away from home and made me confess that I am transgender. I have always enjoyed feminine things, but I never dared to express this at home as my parents strongly disapproved.
One day, on June 18th, 2022, I was outed by my dad's colleague who saw me dressed up with makeup. When I returned home that day, my father, who is a police officer, treated me like a criminal. I was stripped naked, beaten, had dried pepper poured into my eyes, and locked up in my room. My mother made me confess that I was transgender, and I explained to her that I love being a girl and hate being a boy. However, my mother was disgusted and this was the beginning of my misery.
I was forced to drop out of school and taken to local churches where I was bathed with animal blood, taken to rivers for prayers, and made to stay up all night for prayers. I was starved, beaten, and made to endure inhumane treatments. Despite pleading for mercy and promising to no longer express my femininity, the abuse continued.
I was fortunate enough to escape and am currently in hiding with no support for survival. I am scared and desperately seeking support to help me survive and escape. I am hoping to travel to a different state with a friend to continue my education, as I was forced to drop out and have only one year left to graduate high school. I am requesting any support that is within your capacity to donate and to share this message with your community to help me receive assistance. I have no one to turn to, as everyone I know believes that I am possessed.