Toxic Environment: Kuchu in Uganda, Africa.

 

Without a doubt, for a Kuchu (LGBTQ+) individual living in Uganda, and pretty much of Africa, the environment is quite toxic.
We discount it.., a matter of personal safety, physical and personal mental health. We have to grow calluses to our sensitivity. We have to have skin the thickness of crocodile hide to weather the hate and toxicity around. When the state and its politicians, church and mosque, and every influencer of note preach firmly the belief that we kuchus are horrible people, it is simply a wonder if and when we don’t start believing the same.

Of course we are human beings. We, kuchus inhale the poison and toxicity. We are insane in our sanity. We internalise the homophobia. That is a matter of fact.

Stephen Fry, prominent British comedian, had reason to visit Uganda during the hysteria surrounding the Anti-Homosexual Act 2014. He met and talked to Simon Lokodo in 2012, then Uganda’s Minister for ‘Ethics and Integrity’, and prominent, official anti-gay activist..., and Stephen Fry went back to his hotel room and attempted to commit suicide.
An adult LGBTQ+ individual, from a country and environment that accepts people of differing sexualities. Fry just had a whiff of the air in Uganda…, and he was lucky he survived. True, he leaves with bipolar disorder, which most likely made our daily lived reality precipitate, for him. It was reported

 

“he was prompted to attempt suicide after conducting a television interview with Uganda’s minister for Ethics and Integrity, Simon Lokodo, in 2012. “[He] was a foaming, frothing homophobe of the worst kind [and] behind the bill in Uganda that was supposed to make homosexuality a capital offence, in other words a death sentence,” says Fry”

 

And the ‘foaming, frothing homophobe’ is a literal and accurate description of many of Uganda’s anti-gay activists, including the churchmen Martin Ssempa and Stephen Kaziira, and the politicians of course.

Wonder how damaged we kuchus on the ground are, in comparison?
Oh yes. We are damaged individuals. We wouldn’t be human, to live in this toxic environment and come out sparkling. We are simply human.

Wonder what effect that reality has on the children, teens questioning, discovering their sexuality?
Well, we are damaged…, But, that is life. We have to bear with it. Yeah, quite a few die, by suicide and otherwise. And of course we hide, however we can. That is the basic of survival, as and when one can.

Why the introspection?

An article in the Monitor newspaper. A guest writer, Reverend Gideon Byamugisha. He is a churchman. And, as a person living with HIV, he shattered perceptions when he came out positive, saying he had HIV. Put a face to the virus, confronted the prejudice, in and out of the church… And apparently he remembered. And remembers.

The article.
Yes, it has a lot of issues…, Reverend Gideon Byamugisha happens to be a Ugandan, and he believes quite a number of myths and prejudices that are taken as truth in Uganda. But, he also comes from a time and space that is intimately conversant with the might and cruelty of majority prejudice.

A simple breath of less polluted air, in the toxicity of ‘debate’ in Uganda about my sexuality.
It is not enough. We need a cleansing wind to remove the fog and smog. But, we don’t have winds in the foulness of air in Uganda. We only can celebrate this little breeze.

To contrast, the Archbishop of the Church of Uganda is calling for a Crusade, Africans to ‘evangelise’ the world.., presumably with the gospel against homosexuality. Should we be thankful he is not yet calling for a pogrom?
The Moslems think us beneath the notice of a Jihad, thankfully. At least that is what I hope. The President of the Republic believes Uganda should lead Africa to save the world from homosexuality.

How astonishing, and embracing, for a churchman, a Ugandan, living in Uganda, to come out and assert that “Anti-gay anger is neither Christian nor African”.

Breath of fresh air, in a toxic smog indeed.

 

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Un-christ-like Christians, Death Penalty Hypocrisy

Un-Christ-like ‘Christians’ indeed. Well, though I have to assert that I am not a Christian, I grew up with bible lore.., and it is hard to think the Nazarene who taught ‘love your neighbour as you love yourself’ would wink and nod at the Death penalty and life in prison, no parole for my sinful heart. I have a feeling the Nazarene would actually be washing my sinner’s feet. But, that is me.

The Primate of the Anglican church in Uganda, the Most Rev Samuel Kaziimba Mugalu, the Archbishop of the Anglican Church in Uganda to give him his full titles is in a political fight with his Church of All England brother. It has been below the surface, the enmity one of the main drivers of the Anti-Homosexuality Act 2023 motivation. But, it was all sort of below the surface, known, unacknowledged.

Last week, everything spilt out, in all-out war, naked, for us to see the ugly insides of the Schism in the Anglican Communion.

In the spill occurring, a curious fact emerged. The Primate of All England challenged the Ugandan Primate about the Death Penalty support. Apparently the Anglicans had decided not to support the Death Penalty.., and colour me surprised that Church of Uganda (nominally) doesn’t support the Death Penalty

But, in actual fact, Kaziimba Mugalu and the Church of Uganda support the death penalty. Especially for ‘homosexuals’. Their non-support is just a matter of words; and they are apologists for the death penalty.
The contortions through which they have gone through to justify the Death Penalty in the Anti-Homosexual Act 2023 are fit for a politician…, not a church man, in my biased opinion, of course.

Kaziimba Mugalu says that the death penalty was in the old penal code for sodomy…, I think that is a lie. [See, Kaziimba believes he will not be fact checked.] . But hey, I am a Ugandan homosexual, I am an interested party.., so, check and see.

The Primate of the Church of Uganda says they don’t support the Death Penalty “but”.
There is the “but”.

He is a Death Penalty apologist. He believes that since he thinks it was in the old penal code of colonial descent, it should naturally make its way into the current Anti-Homosexuality Act 2023. More than 60 years post independence. This is the guy who is raging and gnashing and shouting about the All England Primate acting like colonialism has never ended. Clear double standards, the hypocrisy is breath-taking.

Kaziimba Mugalu, through leadership of the Inter-Religious Council of Uganda, personally was involved in the introduction of the Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2023 in Uganda’s parliament. Admittedly the bill didn’t have the Death Penalty provision, but his actions afterwards showed his true colours.

From the time that Uganda’s Parliament passed the Anti-Homosexuality bill, to the time that the President signed it into law, Kaziimba Mugalu was at the forefront of the pressure to have the Death Penalty Bill into law. Oh yes, he definitely knew then that it was a Death Penalty Bill.
Sundays in the pulpit over the Easter season, he begged, cried, shouted and literally did his all, pressuring for the Presidential signature on the bill.

And once it was an Act of the Law, Kaziimba’s fawning thanks to the President have been noted. Fawning thanks.
Which begs the question, what has been so personal about this for him? I think it is leadership of the schismatic Anglican Communion. Not sure, but…! A fight this tough premises selfish political gains, almost always!

So, challenged by the Church of All England Primate, Kaziimba Mugalu, as a literal aside, says the Church of Uganda doesn’t support the Death Penalty…, and as a true apologist, there was the “but”.

Un-Christ-like indeed. If that is love, what is the definition of hate?
Being an unbeliever, I define the person who wants death and prison for life for me and mine as a hater. And, I doubt anyone else would reasonably challenge that definition. Church of Uganda; un-christ-like ‘Christians’ indeed.

 

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Why do religious people and other people of faith’ hate LGBTQ+ people?

Interesting question. Really don’t understand the reason to the hate, my connection to belief is tenuous. ‘People of Faith’ can be really hateful. Apparently unconscious of the hate that flows like the filth of Nakivubo Channel out of their mouths.
For most non-religious Kuchus and LGBTQ+ people around the world, it is a question that kind of comes out of the blue. It is disconcerting to listen to hate spill from supposedly ‘good’ people. Why do they hate someone that they don’t know? It tastes personal, the hate and vitriol from the pulpit, aimed personally, without them claiming to know a single kuchu in their lives.

Many claim that they don’t hate. That they love.
Hmmm, it is the kind of ‘love’ a person doesn’t need enemies for…, because they have lovers like these.
Of course the love is ‘Phariseecal’. It is hatred. I mean, week after week, the Archbishop of the Church of Uganda has prayed and asked and begged the President of Uganda to sign into law a law that punishes Kuchu love with life long imprisonment and death. That is hate…, not love. Naked hate.

A matter of politics? Maybe, for that Archbishop. But, the fervency was a bit too much. He has a personal stake…

Scriptural. The hate.
Ha. My Moslem brothers and sisters are not shy to articulate that. And many Christians, of course. Their minds and intellects are so holy they are scripture guided.
And am like…, truly?

And the other Christians…,
I once had the distinctly unedifying experience of listening to Pastor Martin Ssempa on an anti-gay rant. It was terrible. Frothing at the mouth, spitting. Yes, spitting in public to show his holy rage.. He was clothed in his black robes, a fat, energised crow indeed, jiggling and spilling hate.

Others claim to believe that we are out to ‘recruit’ their young people.
I wonder why they don’t try to ‘recruit us’ too, instead of wanting to kill us off…, I mean, it is just a matter of consensual sex, no?

Many cannot actually articulate the reason why.., other than commenting that their Pastor, Reverend etc…
Maybe those are just sheep. But, dangerous sheep, believing sheep that will lead the stoning and then go to the confessional to pray for ‘absolution’.

Ahh,
I am just speculating. On behalf of LGBTQ+ human beings. Kuchus of the world. I cannot claim to understand why the hate. Like most other Kuchus, I know the hate is there. I don’t know how to understand it.
Yeah, I want to know why, because these are the people that I break food with, that I work with. And I don’t dare ask the question, most of the time.

ANNNDDDD;

I am maligning some religious people. Pope Francis, of the Catholic Church, has come out very firmly in favour of dignified treatment of LGBTQ+ Human beings. 

No, as far as I know, the Catholic Bishops of Uganda are still wondering what Jesus would do about the Anti-Homosexuality Act 2023. Pope Francis has no doubt that criminalisation of us Kuchus is very wrong.

 

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Conversion ‘Therapy’ in the Anti-homosexuality bill 2023

When I realised the big role Family Watch International has been playing in the Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2023, I went back to comb the material for ‘conversion therapy’

Family Watch International are ideologues. Their concerns are very specific and their plank of remedies doesn’t change. They advocate for ‘conversion therapy’, insisting that LGBTQ people ‘can be healed’. There should be, and there must be opportunities offered for ‘conversion therapy’. Yes, it is quackery. And they cannot do it back in America. But, they are going to offer it as a platform to promote in poor, ignorant, bewildered, enthralled Africa. After all, it makes them look ‘concerned’ and not just full of hate.

The Inter-Religious Council in Uganda kicked off the anti-homosexuality bill on 15 Feb 2023 with the meeting reported here.

Amongst some very crazy, impractical, fascist recommendations by the dear religious leaders were some which tendered towards ‘conversion therapy. Check out this.

“The Archbishop of Church of Uganda, Samuel Kaziimba Mugalu, who doubles as the chairperson of the IRCU, urged all religions to open centres to provide counselling and support to people who could have been involved in homosexuality.”

Going back to Asumani Basalirwa’s draft bill, I found this clause, under ‘Special Powers of the Court’

Part IV- Miscellaneous

15. Special Powers of Court

(1) The Court shall, in determining whether to impose a sentence of imprisonment for any related offences under this Act, have regard to the need for rehabilitating the person and may, order the Minister to facilitate the rehabilitation of that person in the length of the period of the sentence

(2) In assessing the need for rehabilitation, the court shall have regard to-

(a) evidence of past conduct and behaviour of the offender;

(b) character of the offender; and

(c) criminal record.

That sounds very suspiciously like an offer for ‘conversion therapy’ under duress of a prison sentence.

I am no lawyer. Just a very suspicious Ugandan kuchu. I know that quite a number of people are being offered ‘conversion therapy’ in Uganda.
Fact, Ugandan doctors are as homophobic as the rest of the population. And, not many of them have a clue with regards to what they should know about homosexuality and the purported cures. [I don’t have access to the final bill, so am not sure whether this section made it there]

Nevertheless, a Ugandan Canadian paediatrician in the diaspora had this article published in the Monitor. It was his experience and education, starting off as a basic ‘pathologically homophobic’ Ugandan, to a medic who can put his feelings aside for the sake of his patient. It is an informative, fascinating read, here. But, the paragraph i want is this;

“What we know is that homosexuality is not due to troubled family relationships, or “recruitment.” We also know that homosexuality is not “curable” through conversion or reparative therapy. First, you do not cure a non-disease. Second, conversion therapy is based on an unscientific assumption that people with a non-traditional sexual orientation, such as homosexuals, are psychologically damaged and that changing their sexual orientation will benefit not only the individual but also society. These so-called therapies, which are known to be performed in more than 60 countries, include counselling (some with verbal abuse and humiliation), prayers, psychiatric medications, hormone injections, aversion therapies where nausea-inducing medications are given alongside presentation of homoerotic stimuli, and application of electric shock to the brain, or to the hands and genitals. Other methods include exorcism, ritual cleansing through beating the patient, force-feeding or food deprivation, forced nudity, solitary confinement, hypnosis, and “corrective” rape. Besides lack of medical and scientific validity, so-called conversion therapy has potentially harmful physical and psychological consequences. It is inhuman, cruel, degrading and completely unjustifiable “treatment” that has absolutely no place in the ethical”

Gosh, talk of torture, in the name of curing what is not broken. But, that might be what is coming…

 

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