After months of anticipation and irrepressible excitement, the second edition of Bombastic Magazine was finally released on 31st March 2016. The 72 page publication which contains the real life stories of not only LGBTI identifying Ugandans but also those across the globe was distributed by over 100 volunteers across Uganda.
This edition is a follow up of the first issue of Bombastic which was published and distributed in December 2014 with more copies being given out in July 2015, garnering over two million downloads. The articles carried therein are not fictional- they are the lives of several Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex Ugandans.
The magazine has, as always, focused on issues affecting LGBTI persons from religion, human rights, parenting to sports with a special emphasis on transgender matters. The cover depicts a transman binding his breasts a subject that is further explored in the inner pages. Also included in the magazine are several pictorial spreads from Uganda Pride 2015, a number of events that took place throughout 2015 as well as the distribution of the first edition, published in 2014. It also contains a free copy of the award winning documentary Call Me Kuchu, which featured slain LGBTI activist David Kato.
The distribution has this time round covered a wider scope of the country with more districts receiving several copies and many organizations and government entities expressing their desire for more publications of this type as well as sensitization on LGBTI issues.
The magazine was also well received even by the general society that is hugely homophobic. In Mukono district for example, The District Health Officer Dr Elly K Tumushabe expressed the need for LGBTI community leaders to engage with the security forces as well as hospitals to provide first hand information which the latter is not familiar with.
He further revealed that his district had adopted several measures where they are closely working with both gender and sexual minorities. Mukono district has even gone further to include LGBTI persons in their HIV /AIS policies to help in the eradication of the scourge, the DHO further revealed.
However, despite the still unfriendly environment in which LGBTI Ugandans operate, the resilience has remained strong and many activists believe Bombastic will go a long way in creating attitude change.
In her editorial note for Bombastic, the Editor in Chief, Kasha Jacqueline Nabagesera says, “Having our goals and vision clearly embedded at the back of our minds has been one of the factors that has kept us strong to continue with this work even amidst Uganda’s hostile environment. We will not stop until we have reached each Ugandan and spread the right information regarding LGBTI persons as it is not fair for them to have one sided information that is not even close to the truth.”
She also hopes the second edition will have an even bigger impact on society as more LGBTI Ugandans open up and share their everyday experiences. It is against such notions that the media platform that she founded continues to pay special attention to Africa’s LGBTI community as well as publish Bombastic Magazine, to reach even those who cannot easily access internet.
Bombastic magazine is available free of charge and can also be accessed online at https://www.kuchutimes.com
