"What do you know of Somali and Ethiopian history?" Bethlehem "Beth" Tilahun asked her lover Amal Shire, and the young Somali-Canadian woman paused thoughtfully, then raised her eyebrows and shrugged. The two of them lay in bed together, inside Beth's apartment, located near the University of Toronto campus. I wish I knew more about my people's history, Amal thought with a sigh.
"Alright, Beth, I don't know too much, to be honest, even though my father is Somali, I speak more Italian, which I learned from my mother, than I do Somali, I'm kind of an atheist so not much interest in learning the whole religion thing," Amal admitted with a frown, and Beth grinned and poked her on the nose, something Amal found profoundly annoying.
I wish Beth would stop poking my frigging nose, I may be shorter than her but I am not an elf, dammit, Amal thought, annoyed. Growing up as the mixed-race daughter of a Somali Muslim immigrant father and a devout Catholic mother from the Isle of Sardinia, Italy, Amal watched her parents argue about religion all the damn time. Hence why she became a practicing atheist. To Amal, organized religion and the global mess done in its name should be outlawed...
"Well, I was born in Bandar Beyla, Ethiopia, and speak fluent Amharic, and I definitely remember that most Ethiopians don't care much for the Somali people, most Ethiopians are actually Orthodox Christians, like my parents, while most Somalis are Muslim, I think that has something to do with it," Beth said, licking her lips. Amal looked at her and smiled, feeling a tingle down below as Beth continued to lick those full, sensuous lips of hers. What did I get myself into? Amal thought, feeling her addiction to Beth grow steadily.
"Who cares about what happens over there? Let them fight over religion and ethnicity if they want. We're here, in Canada, and should live our lives our way, to hell with the past and antique traditions, weird religions and all that cultural bullshit," Amal said hotly, her atheist fervor rising. No sooner had those words left Amal's mouth than she regretted them. Beth shot Amal a look of pure shock, and Amal frowned, then thought she'd better explain herself, lest her lover think she's insensitive and shit...
"Amal, I don't know about you but my culture matters to me, I may be hated by my family but I'm still proud of being Ethiopian," Beth countered hotly, and when Amal looked into her eyes, she saw a blazing anger in those lovely orbs. Amal gently laid her hand on Beth's, and sighed. Open mouth and insert foot, the socially awkward way instead of the fun way, Amal thought, as she began formulating what she hoped was a sincere-sounding apology...
"Beth, I didn't mean to disparage you or your culture, when I look at you, I see a beautiful and strong woman, and I know that the Ethiopian blood in your veins makes you who you are, I just don't think that cultural restrictions and taboos should limit how we live our lives," Amal said softly, and Beth sighed. I hope I can make her understand I meant her no harm, Amal thought, a bit alarmed as she awaited Beth's response.
"Amal, I know what you mean, it's just that we're people of color, and that's never going to change, we're not like those white people I see acting extra weird at Pride Parades, I used to think about attending but didn't because of the weirdoes, those men in women's clothing, or those women who act more masculine than Chuck Norris, we are from the Horn of Africa, and I don't think we should copy extravagant others and forget where we come from," Beth said, in a rather passionate tone of voice.
"Babe, I know how you feel, I really do, I'm half black and half white, and a dyke on top of it, I grew up hearing that I was too much of this or not enough of that, lucky for me my parents accepted my sexual orientation," Amal said, smiling faintly. Beth looked at her and nodded, feeling a bit envious of Amal for having parents who loved and accepted her the way she was.
Beth's parents, Hailu and Bizunesh Tilahun had thrown something of a fit when they caught her in the arms of Sheila Bader, the young white woman she'd been secretly dating. For ages, Beth Tilahun and Sheila Bader went out of their way to convince everyone that they were just close friends. It was relatively easy at first. After all, neither of them fit the stereotype of the angry, masculine-looking lesbian who made women and men alike feel uncomfortable at times.
