Features » January 20, 2010

Legislated to Death (cont’d)

Kuchu (queer)

Closeted life is similar the world over. Gug finds a comfort zone and a way to “pass” that has kept him safe so far. He can relax within a tight-knit group of other “kuchus” in bars, after the early evening crowd leaves. He tweets:

like a change of guard. football fans out. us partiers in. and the night is young… its pleasant to be in a place of safety. where i and other kuchus can interact in relative safety. a heavy cloak lifts.

The Anti-Homosexuality Bill is transforming his circle of friends, forcing them to make difficult choices. He describes how he and his partner are drawn into the battle, sometimes reluctantly:

“he is on the phone. counseling. someone being blackmailed. yeah, a kuchu. life, as normal”

“some weighty decisions on my mind. personal. I tend to mull them over.. and i have”

“would i ever leave kampala??? or uganda? not by choice. this is home”

Gug is politically active in the Kampala LGBT community, but has chosen thus far to lead from the shadows. Until he was outed in the press last month, he was facing a deep personal crisis of how best to stand up to the oppression, while eluding those who could do him harm. He tweets:

“i have a horror of being outed. true. but my camouflage has worn thin over the years. too many know who i am”

“back to thought. the battle is a desperate one. so, our weapons have to be horned. a brain that is versatile and quick.”

On December 10, in a seeming about-face, Warren recorded a video “encyclical,” in which he explains to Ugandan pastors that he opposes the bill. Gug and other Ugandan LGBT activists suspect it was largely an effort to mollify Western media and rights watchdog groups.

Gug writes on his blog:

“We are poor. Only 4% of the country has internet connection, so very few will hear about the fact that he has done what he did. Of course, the Christian stations are very many. So, he can use his clout to air it? Please?…!”

Warren’s office did not return phone calls requesting information on how the video will be distributed.

If the bill passes, Uganda stands to lose a great deal of international credibility, as well as funding. Sweden, which gives $50 million in aid to Uganda each year, has indicated it will reassess its commitment. Catherine Hankins, the chief scientific adviser for UNAIDS, speaking of the African AIDS Vaccine Program, warned that, “If the bill passes, [we] would have to decide…whether this is an appropriate place [for the funding].” Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wisc.) recently warned, “[The bill’s] passage would hurt the close working relationship between our two countries, especially in the fight against HIV/AIDS.” The U.S. annual commitment is estimated to be approximately $250 million.

Commenting on the pressure being exercised by the international community, Bahati is defiant: “We are not going to yield to any international pressure–we cannot allow people to play with the future of our children and put aid into the game. We are not in the trade of values. We need mutual respect.”

For his part, Ssempa is preparing for battle. He responded to Warren’s encyclical with a heated video of his own claiming that Ugandans are so angry (“sheer rage”) with one-time ally Warren’s message that they are planning to burn copies of his bestselling book The Purpose Driven Life in the streets. He goes on to say that there will be nationwide demonstrations “opposing Barack Obama” saying that Ugandans “will not bend over for homosexuality.”

Part of the need for the law, Ssempa explains, is that Africa has a big problem with “sorcerers” spreading the belief that people with HIV/AIDS can “get healed” if they “rape a virgin.” He does not mention that current law already provides the death penalty for “aggravated defilement” (essentially statutory rape), with the same circumstances specified in the proposed Anti-Homosexuality Bill.

“Our fathers have handed down a rich heritage…how can we turn around and betray 5,000 years worth of history?” Ssempa says. “Even when they threaten to cut off aid…if homosexuality is the price for receiving Malaria drugs and [antiretrovirals] to treat our people who have HIV/AIDS, then we would rather die.”