Commemorating the International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexism and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT) is a constant reminder of the hurdles that we have to work hard to overcome as LGBTIQ identifying persons. This particular year finds Uganda’s LGBTIQ community in an even more uncertain place with the recent passing of the Sexual Offences bill.
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Taboom Media and GALA Queer Archive are proud to launch the new anthology Hopes and Dreams That Sound Like Yours: Stories of Queer Activism in Sub-Saharan Africa to mark this year’s International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexism, and Transphobia (#IDAHOBIT2021).
Human Rights Awareness and Promotion Forum (HRAPF) has released a comprehensive analysis of the recently passed Sexual Offences Bill with special focus on how it affects the now criminalized minorities.
Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG) as the network organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer organizations in Uganda is particularly concerned about Clause 11(i) which further criminalizes same-sex sexual acts even as the Uganda Penal Code Act already does, hence criminalizing the private lives of adult and consenting same-sex loving persons. The clause criminalizes and bans the penetration of another person’s anus with that other person’s sexual organ or with any object; and (ii) sexual acts between persons of the same gender.
The Parliament of Uganda on 4th May 2021 passed the Sexual Offences Bill 2019, which bans sex work and same sex relation, thereby reintroducing the criminalisation of homosexuality in Uganda.
Adonai International Ministries is an LGBTIQ+ focused Christian entity led by Ram Gava. Their main aim is to create awareness on religion, inspire growth and boost ministry growth. We spoke to Pastor Ram who obeyed Gods calling and started this faith based space during the 2020 lockdown.
Several LGBTI+ and human rights organizations came together this week and released a joint press statement condemning the hate crimes that have been rocked South Africa over the last couple of months
On movement building, participants addressed relationships among different power dynamics based on gender. It was stressed that through recognition of power within through self-awareness or reflection, an individual is able to define oneself and advocate for change for themselves and others without fear or manipulation based on their vulnerabilit(y)ies due to socially constructed gender norms.
In his article shared below, Klaus Mueller raises the very necessary question on how divisionism in different sectors continues to further marginalize LGBT+ persons. In Africa, everything around us makes a firm stand to not only marginalize but uphold the rather homophobic beliefs that LGBT persons are, by virtue of their sexuality or gender, less human and therefore it is perfectly alright for their basic human rights and freedoms to be disrespected and disregarded.
Where is our anger? Where is our concern? Where is our worry? Where is our outrage? What are we doing, as a community and as a movement to correct the wrongs transpiring in Kakuma, the wrongs that are leaving our brothers and sisters in caskets? #FREEBLOCK13