The month of February is celebrated internationally as LGBT history month. The LGBT history month was founded in 1994 by Rodney Wilson a high school teacher in Missouri and it is point of reflection on how the movement has gone, show role models, the growth of community and contribution of the LGBTI+ community in civic spaces.
Aside from international LGBTI+ history, the Ugandan movement has a story of its own. The birth and growth of the movement from a social to a political movement advocating for human rights for LGBTI+ persons. The presence of allies, people who from the beginning stood with the community like Dr. Sylvia Tamale and people whose stand point of hate has not changed through the years like Fr. Simon Lukodo (RIP). It is a story of evolution that speaks of organized activism with formation of organizations like FARUG, SMUG and SPECTRUM as the pioneer organizations. It is a sad story of homophobic murder, suicides, homelessness, unlawful arrests and threats. It is also a story of hope from Uganda claiming to not have homosexuals to including key populations in her HIV/AIDS programing that involve men who have sex with men(MSM) and transgender persons. There are wins and losses but the community keeps learning together. We spoke to Kasha Jacqueline Nabagesera and she said the one thing she is happy about is the uprising generation of activists. She is happy to share space with people half her age because she knows even when the people that started the fight are no more; there will be continuity.
Kuchu Times Media Group interviewed some people who were at the beginning of the LGBT+ movement in Uganda who took us down memory lane and as we close the LGBTI history month we share the history of the movement. This being a witness account, not all events were captured but we ensured it gives the picture of the movement in general. There are events that are very key in the history of the transgender, lesbian, bisexual and gay movements respectively and we shall tell them in due time.
We hope you learn something from this publication.
https://www.kuchutimes.com/the-lgbti-movement-in-uganda-through-the-years/
LGBTIQ+ Movement In Uganda Through The Years PDF
