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Under the Udala Trees


Raw, emotionally intelligent and unflinchingly honest--a triumph.
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How do you react to Ijeoma being told her sexuality is an 'abomination'?

Created: 08/26/16

Replies: 21

Posted Aug. 26, 2016 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
davinamw

Join Date: 10/15/10

Posts: 3442

How do you react to Ijeoma being told her sexuality is an 'abomination'?

How do you react to Ijeoma being told her sexuality is an 'abomination'?


Posted Sep. 06, 2016 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
normar

Join Date: 05/15/11

Posts: 48

RE: How do you react to Ijeoma being told her sexuality is an 'abomination'?

I felt sorry that she was made to feel that way. She spent so many years trying to conform


Posted Sep. 06, 2016 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
dianeh

Join Date: 08/01/16

Posts: 70

RE: How do you react to Ijeoma being told her sexuality is an 'abomination'?

I felt anger and yet even today I hear comments very similar. She was made to feel less than a person


Posted Sep. 06, 2016 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
joyces

Join Date: 06/16/11

Posts: 410

RE: How do you react to Ijeoma being told her sexuality is an 'abomination'?

I was not surprised but also totally repelled. There is so much energy and passion put into suppressing any thoughts and feelings about sexuality that does not conform to the male/ female standard that is so harmful and hurtful. Oh how nice it would be to see this passion and energy channeled into such things as ending racial prejudice, world hunger, or the abuse, neglect and cruelty to children we read about everyday.


Posted Sep. 06, 2016 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
pamelad

Join Date: 06/11/11

Posts: 6

RE: How do you react to Ijeoma being told her sexuality is an 'abomination'?

It made me very sad that Ijeoma was made to feel as if she were an abomination. I thought the part where her mother made her sit down and go through the entire Bible and learn how "wrong" it was to feel the way she did was disturbing and sad. Even sadder is that so many people still feel that way about homosexuals.


Posted Sep. 07, 2016 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
joanew

Join Date: 12/27/13

Posts: 6

RE: How do you react to Ijeoma being told her sexuality is an 'abomination'?

The nature of the country and what it considers to be its morality totally justify the use of the word abomination. It is a sad situation that any female should be made to feel so abhorred because of her sexual choices.in a country where a female is considered lower than a dog.


Posted Sep. 07, 2016 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
jenniferf

Join Date: 06/13/11

Posts: 3

RE: How do you react to Ijeoma being told her sexuality is an 'abomination'?

I react with sadness that this culture and country cannot allow its citizens to fully express their personhood. I also felt ignorant of the severity of the laws in that part of the world. I knew that homosexuality was frowned upon, but didn't realize the extent of the police state.


Posted Sep. 07, 2016 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
reene

Join Date: 02/18/15

Posts: 497

RE: How do you react to Ijeoma being told her sexuality is an 'abomination'?

It is sad to know that so many cultures the world over consider Ijeoma's sexuality an abomination. To be told that she was an abomination by her mother was particularly upsetting. The visual of this child being forced to sit day after day reading the Bible to see how "wrong" and "disgusting" her feelings were is very troubling. The fact is that so much of the world still considers this behavior as abnormal is more troubling. As bad as Ijeoma's punishments were, they are much worse in other parts of the world. In the U.S. we are are so much more accepting, but we still have a long way to go.


Posted Sep. 07, 2016 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
louisee

Join Date: 06/29/15

Posts: 143

RE: How do you react to Ijeoma being told her sexuality is an 'abomination'?

I think the use of the word abomination by her mother was very harsh. I'm not surprised others felt that way. You hope your family would be more understanding and prepare you for the harsh realities in the world.


Posted Sep. 08, 2016 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
dianaps

Join Date: 05/29/15

Posts: 460

RE: How do you react to Ijeoma being told her sexuality is an 'abomination'?

I was horrified!! How dare she, or anyone else, be told that!! My heart just went out to her.


Posted Sep. 09, 2016 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
gwenc

Join Date: 07/14/12

Posts: 94

RE: How do you react to Ijeoma being told her sexuality is an 'abomination'?

As a general reaction I was not surprised; I was expecting it. As a liberal adult, I was outraged. And as a reader I was delighted with Chibundu"s response and his belief that some religions are run like businesses, and doctrines are in place to keep the business running smoothly.


Posted Sep. 10, 2016 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
bobbie7

Join Date: 09/19/13

Posts: 65

RE: How do you react to Ijeoma being told her sexuality is an 'abomination'?

I was not surprised that her mother felt that. She was a. Devotee of the literal bible. I was surprised that the culture felt so strongly about homosexuality. I felt tho that the whole thrust of the book was a treatise on making a case for lesbianism


Posted Sep. 10, 2016 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
dianaps

Join Date: 05/29/15

Posts: 460

RE: How do you react to Ijeoma being told her sexuality is an 'abomination'?

bobbie? post is interesting in that I didn't get the feeling that it was a treatise on lesbianism in particular.


Posted Sep. 10, 2016 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
rosienick

Join Date: 03/20/16

Posts: 27

RE: How do you react to Ijeoma being told her sexuality is an 'abomination'?

Although it is very sad that Ijeoma was told this, I think that there are people even now who feel this way. In Ijeoma's country there is not, however, the liberal views we have here in the US.


Posted Sep. 14, 2016 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
pennyp

Join Date: 03/22/12

Posts: 353

RE: How do you react to Ijeoma being told her sexuality is an 'abomination'?

I am always sad when any person considered "outside the norm" is made to feel less than others. I am 70, and feel acceptance has gotten somewhat better. It seems like many of the younger people are more open to diversity than in the past. We in our country still have a long way to go. In other countries I think acceptance of the LGBTs is very rare.


Posted Sep. 14, 2016 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
JAKL1

Join Date: 12/06/12

Posts: 55

RE: How do you react to Ijeoma being told her sexuality is an 'abomination'?

I felt that sad that she was given a very harsh label. Today's society I feel is changing in its views.


Posted Sep. 15, 2016 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
Peggy H

Join Date: 06/13/11

Posts: 272

RE: How do you react to Ijeoma being told her sexuality is an 'abomination'?

Is that not a typical reaction from some and typical of the time and even today? I was surprised at her mother's strong reaction. Of course she was following the norms and did not seem to have support herself.


Posted Sep. 17, 2016 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
ColoradoGirl

Join Date: 05/16/16

Posts: 149

RE: How do you react to Ijeoma being told her sexuality is an 'abomination'?

I wanted there to be at least one character that told her there was nothing wrong with her. I think this terrible treatment deepened her depression and doubts. Her mother didn't completely abandon her, but shouldn't parents have unconditional love for their children? This feeling that is very taboo seems to be deeply ingrained in the culture so maybe I'm expecting too much.


Posted Sep. 17, 2016 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
Maggie

Join Date: 01/01/16

Posts: 434

RE: How do you react to Ijeoma being told her sexuality is an 'abomination'?

No one should be told that. I think it was horrible. But guess I must remember where she lived and that it was in the 70's. But very hard to believe a mother could be so cold. But then again her mother most likely knew the danger she was in from society.


Posted Sep. 17, 2016 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
ritah

Join Date: 05/26/11

Posts: 80

RE: How do you react to Ijeoma being told her sexuality is an 'abomination'?

I found this opinion sad but not surprising. I think it is very, very difficult for heterosexuals to understand homosexuality, even if they do not condemn it and say that they accept it. I think it is also a huge disappointment to a heterosexual mother or any parent to be given such information. it is quite natural to want your children to be a part of the mainstream. Not many parents would brag in a Christmas letter that there child was homosexual. It generally takes a long time to accept such an extreme difference and to wrap one's head around accepting that. This is even more true if one is a very conservative Bible reader.


Posted Sep. 19, 2016 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
darylb

Join Date: 06/23/13

Posts: 142

RE: How do you react to Ijeoma being told her sexuality is an 'abomination'?

So sad. Sad that she was made to feel shame about who she was AND sad that religions are teaching that.


Posted Sep. 20, 2016 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
jodig

Join Date: 06/07/15

Posts: 30

RE: How do you react to Ijeoma being told her sexuality is an 'abomination'?

Personally this made me feel very sad, but unfortunately we know that this happens every day - and not just in places like Nigeria. In the US in 2016 families are still split apart because of parents like Ijeoma's mother. It may be getting better in some ways, but for many people this is still a nightmare they live every day.


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