Pray for the Gay Ugandan Teen

First, I have to warn you. The views expressed in this article are not those of gug. Gug expressly and specifically warns you that, if you are gay, or gay friendly, or gay knowledgeable, you will find much that is in the article is offensive, ignorant, and plain falsehood.

I do understand that it was written by teens. But, most of my dear country men and women sincerely believe the falsehoods shown below.

Read at your own risk. And PRAY FOR A TEEN THAT IS QUESTIONING, AND READ THESE ARTICLES.

GayUganda

PS. These articles appeared in the TEEN MAGAZINE, a pullout in the New Vision Newspaper on Saturday 06 Sept. 2008

Its traditional to end such a warning with the words, Reader, Beware. I will just add. Pray for the Gay Ugandan.

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Who is to blame for Homosexuality?

When one raises the topic of homosexuality, the first fingers are pointed at schools. People then go on to list names of various culprit schools, most of them being single sex schools. But who said homosexuals do not exists in mixed schools?

At the mention of the name Julie Victor Mukasa and other prominent proud homosexuals, the first thing that runs through an ordinary Ugandan's mind is, from which schools did these rare bold species study? But I believe the question should rather be: from which-families do these species come?

Time and again, the blame for homosexuality is being put on schools. But to say schools alone are entirely responsible for this disastrous behavior is failing to understand the underlying causes of this fast spreading moral decadence.

While apportioning the blame, the biggest goes to parents.

I know parents are always the first to point fingers at schools but have you played your part? Parents have failed to. give their children parental guidance; sex education and enough love and care; they haven't taught their children various virtues patience, contentment and selflessness. This exposes children to wrong sex education from uncensored movies that you have not cared to sieve. If you didn't know, teens are emulating what they see in those movies.

The children, especially teenagers who have a lot of demands, go in for homosexuality because they have been promised money and sponsorship to universities abroad.

Parents deny their children a chance to interact with the opposite sex thinking it is bad but all they are creating are bigger problems. Most parents do not interact with their children so they do not get a chance to .listen to their challenges and know their friends. If your child's friends are homosexuals, chances are that your child is the next target. You have thrown all these responsibilities to the teachers at school.

For heavens sake, teachers have their own families and they are dealing with a large number of students. How can they handle each child at a personal level? It is these loopholes that are creating space for this evil to spread in schools. When a homosexual is expelled, parents complain claiming that expulsion is not the solution to the problem.

But when a homosexual student is retained by the school on condition that he/she will be counseled, complaints from parents arise in fear for their children!!! Therefore, what should be done? You know, homosexuality is a very sensitive issue and it has other underlying causes like Western influences, pornography, mass media, material gain, betrayal by the opposite sex, mental illness and permissiveness.

I only meant to open our eyes to avoid the business of painting fingers at schools; there are greater causes. Pointing fingers does not solve the problem; let's look for solutions to eradicate this fast spreading moral disaster that is spreading thrice as fast as the school fires. Together, we shall fight if there is hope for the teenagers, a brighter future and a homosexual free environment.

Homosexuality

[Some personal opinions from students?]

PATRICIA AJUMA, S4, STELLA MARIS COLLEGE NSUBE

Homosexuality is more rampant in boys' schools. Many boys are sexually active so they begin admiring each other and practicing these weird tendencies.

I do not know about the boys but girls involved in lesbianism are too much into each other. They call each other sweetheart and carry for each other water to the bathroom. Personally I believe expulsion is not enough. These people need to be counseled by professionals

JONATHAN WANDERA, S.6, KIIRA COLLEGE BUTIKI

I have read about homosexuality in the press and I have heard of massive expulsions of homosexuals from many schools.

I think it is more common in single sex schools because they do not interact with the opposite sex. It is worse in boys' schools because boys are easily influenced by many things. Boys in higher classes usually take advantage of younger ones in lower classes and force them into homosexuality.

Schools should do more in educating students about the dangers of homosexuality. Parents should be involved more in their children’s lives ,so they guide them. Imprisonment does not change or help matters. Counseling does.

PETER PARKER RANCHEZY OS-COL,19 KAMPALA

WHOEVER believes that homosexuality does not occur in schools is like the proverbial ostrich which buries its head in the sand.

A friend told me he used to practice homosexuality at their school until he developed complications down there. I did not believe him because I did not expect a friend to be homosexual. He told me it was because of money given to him by his ‘sponsor’, a white guy. I think school authorities should be very strict when it comes to homosexuality because it is a movement. Teachers and health officials should examine both boys and girls suspected of this act, and when evidence is got, they should be handed over to the Police. Such strong meassuere will deter many from practicing it.

SANDRA ASIZU S4, ST JOSEPH’S GIRLS NSAMBYA

Friends from other schools tell me of girls who have been expelled from their schools because thy are suspected of lesbianism. I think the best way of handling this is by counseling the girls other than expulsion. Counselling them about the dangers of homosexuality is enough to deter many from it. I do not buy the argument the people are born homosexuals. God was not foolish to create man and woman. School authorities should get very serious with the so called…

HALID AKANKWANSA, SEROMA CHRISTIAN HIGH SCHOOL

I believe teachers know about homosexuality but keep quiet because they want to protect the reputation of their schools.

The onus is on the government. School inspectors should inspect single sex schools. To stop this habit from taking root in schools, I think it should be a school policy for single sex schools to kill the monotony. Socials should be held ever weekend so girls can interact with boys.

FELIX MUKUNZI, MBARARA HIGH SCHOOL.

I will say homosexuality exists in schools number of my friends from other schools have testified to it. They say that the homosexuals behave. walk (in a certain way. gug additions!)

MARY NAJJUMA sS3, ENTEBBE SECONDARY SCHOOL

A Rwandese guy in my former school was a homosexual. Of course it was known in the student’s circles and boys in his dormitory knew that he was gay but none of them reported him to the school authorities. He was girlish in everything he did, for instance he liked hugging boys tenderly.

I think silence has favored homosexuality. I think the more that students chose to keep quiet about it fuels its spread. Open discourses are better than shunning the culprits because they never change. Maybe though talk, they will realize that they are damaging their bodies.

HOMOSEXUALS ARE MADE, NOT BORN

BY BEN OKIROR

ALRIGHT, there has been all this yapping and debating that homosexuality is genetic but counselors say it is as a result of our environment - the buddies we chill and hang with, our childhood, among mob other such things.

Joseph Musaalo, a counseling psychologist at Uganda Christian I University, Mukono, says several researchers have also concluded that homosexuals are not born. He said babes and dudes who become homosexuals suffered sexual abuse while they were still kidos.

"When one has been abused, they tend to engage in same sex relationships out of anger," he said but also pointed out that other causes could be peer pressure and erosion of family values.

Another counselor, Florence Oduman of Alfa Counselling Centre, Ntinda, also agreed that homosexuality is just introduced to a teenie and after that, it becomes a habit.

Some teenies, she says, join schools when they are already homos so they recruit others by either using force or dime.

But if you are a homo, you can be helped via counselling and rehabilitation.

Mob spots can offer this counselling and rehabilitation but you can visit Healing Talk Counselling Services at Nakawa, Relate Counselling at Wampewo Avenue, Care Counselling Centre, Bukoto and religious institutions.

"It's normally a hard habit to break because it becomes an addiction," said Oduman. "However, during counselling, its dangers are exposed and the victim can get helped. It even involves separating such a person from their partner."

Ruth Matoya, a counselling psychologist at Healing Talk Counselling Services and a lecturer at Bugema University, says teenies should be aware that by deciding to join the homo clique, they should be ready to suffer stigma from other people for the rest of their lives.

Stigma is not the only zib that Matoya mentions. There are both physical and psychological dangers. For example, since the human sexual anatomy is designed for male female relationships, bruising can easily occur in the process as well as numerous infections because the bacteria in the anus can be transmitted to other areas.

"The anus is designed to open outwards and if it's forced to open inwards, it can wear out," Matoya said. "The other issue [especially among the boys] is who can accept to be the 'woman' because men are born with an ego and at one time will want to be in a controlling position.

For girls, they will need a masculine touch at one time that none of them can provide in a same sex relationship."

-Because it is a perverted way of looking at things, Mutoya says, homosexual teenies won't be able to be fathers or mothers.

She advises parents to uplift self esteem in their children, especially in adolescence, and give them enough information about sexuality. But, teachers should constantly warn students about the risks of engaging in homosexuality – like easily getting sexually transmitted diseases like HIV/AIDS. She said in every school, homosexuality and lesbianism exists and therefore teachers shouldn't overlook it.