An LGBT+ refugee who organized Nigeria’s first Pride march is raising awareness by attempting a world record – by walking 15,000 km backward.
Joel Mordi built a new life in London and wants to fight homophobia by trying for a Guinness World Record in ”retro walking”.
The 26-year-old is aiming to walk 15,000 km backward to challenge homophobic stereotypes and raise awareness of the prejudice faced by the LGBTQI+ community.
He was forced to flee Nigeria as a young man after organizing the country’s first Pride march.
He says on arriving in the UK and claiming asylum he was held in detention where he suffered homophobic abuse.
Later recognized as a refugee, Mordi has since campaigned for better treatment of LGBT+ refugees.
He has now kicked off his World Record attempt with a 12-hour backward walk around Tooting Bec Stadium.
Joel Mordi is attempting to break the Guinness World Record for reverse pedestrianism, also known as retro walking.
The current record was set more than 90 years ago by Plennie Lawrence Wingo, who walked backward for 18 months in 1932-33 during the Great Depression.
He will be undertaking the challenge over the next year in different locations across the UK.
Mordi said: “The ‘Going Backwards’ project addresses serious social injustices which despite the efforts of a huge number of organizations and individuals are still institutional here in the UK and accepted as the norm in far too many countries.
“These include hate crimes against refugees who are members of the LGBTQI+ community, and the modern slavery too many refugees and others endure.
“My ‘Going Backwards’ campaign is driven by the simple statement that these views and practices are backward and unacceptable in a civilized society.
“They passively endorse harmful rhetoric, ignore the law and cause pain and anguish to countless people on a daily basis.
“Surely, we are not happy being labelled backward in this way?
“I am a person of color, a refugee who happens to be gay. I have suffered simply because of who I am.”
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