Demonised? Are these 'truths' true?

I was not happy about the last post. Course I picked it from the Monitor newspaper. But this article which was in the same sheet infuriated me. Because, as a gay youth, one of the things that will usually happen is that you will seek to understand yourself. And these are the people we go to for help, and this is how they mess us up.

If you are gay, and Ugandan, please, know that you are ok. This bullshit from 'experts' is not the truth. In fact these are far from the reality as it is. In 1973, the American Psychiatrists Association removed Homosexuality from the Diagnostic Statistical Manual. In their view, homosexuality was not a disease. And it has not been a disease. In 1994, the World Health Organisation removed homosexuality from the International Classification of Disease (ICD-10) The Royal College of Psychiatrists viewpoint is the same.
Kimbowa, and typically Ssempa, rubbish these facts by claiming that the people so involved are 'closeted homosexuals' themselves. But, take it or leave it, these are experts. And if the hell you want any unbiased discussion of these things, check out the Wikipedia article on Homosexuality.

Hell, that is a rant, and I am glad I am giving it. These 'experts' gave their opinion in the Monitor on 21 June 2008. It is not expert opinion. I am just a plain homosexual, a Ugandan, who has lived my life as a homosexual, and dared to search for the truth about my sexuality, wading through the mud of this kind of mis-information and untruths. It is that. Mis-information, untruths, failure to understand the difference between me as a homosexual, my sexuality, and the problems that I may have because of this kind of persecution.

I am gay. A homosexual. I am not sick because I am gay. I am just what I was made, a gay man.

And here is the article from the 'experts' that I am ranting about.

Uganda: Sodomy, the Untold Story in Boarding Schools

The Monitor (Kampala)

21 June 2008

Posted to the web 20 June 2008

Rodney Muhumuza

Kampala

A child counsellor has claimed that sodomy in boarding primary schools is "the untold story". Mr Denis Odoi, of World Vision Uganda, said on Thursday that his interactions with several sodomised children have led him to believe that "boarding primary schools are very, very dangerous".

"I would not advise any parent to take his or her child to boarding primary schools that are single sex," Mr Odoi said on Thursday, reacting to reports that sodomy is thriving in secondary schools.

"I don't have the figures, but what I can say is that there are so many cases that if the actual research is done, the results would be staggering."

According to Mr Odoi, "some primary schools have come to me" to counsel the abused children in their care. Although Mr Odoi said older pupils may have been responsible for sexually assaulting the children he counselled, his stunning revelation did not explain whether the alleged acts of sodomy were actually performed by people other than the older pupils. Mr Odoi declined to mention his clients or the specific cases he has dealt with.

Experts say the health risks involved in sodomy, especially where the victims are pre-teenage children, are immense.

"Physical damage is more common in young people because of the size involved," said Dr Vincent Karuhanga, a private medical practitioner in Kampala.

"It is easier that way to catch sexually-transmitted diseases, including HIV/Aids," he said. "The anal sphincter becomes loose. Once the anal sphincter is damaged, it is irreversible."

Still, according to Dr Karuhanga, who says he has dealt with sodomy cases, "guilt and loss of self esteem" are most prominent traits exhibited by victims. Habit formation takes place during puberty, leaving sodomised children highly likely to become homosexuals for life, experts say.

A child develops a "sexual value system" around the age of 13, when most children are joining secondary school, said Mr Paul Nyende, a Makerere community psychologist. Sodomised children, he said, are likely to "revenge" on the next generation so as to pass on the guilt.

Acceptance helps gays, psychiatrists inform Anglicans

I picked this from a list that I peep into. What can I comment? I wish I could send it to Pastor Martin Ssempa, and Archbishop Lwanga, and Archbishop Luke Orombi of Uganda. It is precisely this kind of information that is not 'allowed' in Uganda. Virtually censored out of the knowledge of people. And even doctors.

Yet, how much higher a medical opinion can one seek than this? The Royal College of Psychiatrists. There is a PDF version of the full report.

Church Times - 15 November 2007
Acceptance helps gays, psychiatrists inform Anglicans
by Bill Bowder

The Royal College of Psychiatrists has challenged Anglican bishops to support gay clergy and laity as an example to parents struggling to come to terms with having gay or lesbian children. “The Church has a wonderful opportunity to lead rather than to be dragged along kicking and screaming. Christianity is such an inclusive religion,” said Professor Michael King, an executive
committee member of the College’s special-interest group of 200 to 300 psychiatrists who work with lesbians, gay men, and bisexual and transsexual people.

His committee has submitted a report to the Church’s Listening Exercise on Human Sexuality, to inform a study guide for next year’s Lambeth Conference. The report, endorsed by the full College from the President down, said that there were no scientific or rational grounds for treating lesbian, gay, and bisexual people differently, Professor King said on Monday.

If there were theological reasons for treating lesbian, gay, or bisexual people differently, that was for the Church to decide; but the Church had already changed its mind over slavery and the position of women in society. “It is odd to see why this should be a sticking point.” Professor King said that he no longer attended church because of its “disappointing attitude” to this
issue (and to that of women bishops), which had contributed to social exclusion.

Research showed that lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) people suffered stress because of the rejection and discrimination that they experienced. This resulted in the same kinds of mental-health issues, destructive behaviour, alcoholism, and substance abuse as people subjected to racism also experienced. Both groups also experienced a kind of ‘internal form of stigma’, he said.

“What we know is that greater openness leads to self-acceptance. If the message of acceptance comes from people placed high in the Church that LGB people can lead ordinary lives then this does a huge amount for families who are struggling to come to terms with an LGB son or daughter. The message that LGB people should not be discriminated against could be a message to society that they were all equal before God.”

The report says that LGB people should have the right to protection from therapies purporting to change their sexual orientation. There was no evidence that treatment of this kind worked, but considerable evidence that it did a great deal of harm, Professor King said.

Sexual orientation was a spectrum. “In nature, there are spectrums: they can’t be cut into neat joints”. At one end would be someone who was predominantly heterosexual, and at the other someone who was predominantly LGB. It would be “impossibly difficult” to try to change someone at either end of the spectrum.