Uganda
The current state of LGBT rights and acceptance in Uganda reflects the influences on further action, which includes discriminatory government policies and radical religious activists.
A large interference of Ugandan LGBT rights is the Episcopal church, which influences the government’s homophobic policies, as well as religious figures that cast homosexuality in a negative light, and popularize the opinion that being gay or being in a same-sex relationship is wrong.
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Activist Kasha Nabagesera is interviewed on life in Uganda as a LGBT woman. She discusses threats of beatings, rape, and murder for being a supporter of homosexuality or being homosexual. In no situation, should these types of threats and behavior be tolerated or accepted. She also reveals what is called a gay house. Gay men and women will pretend to be friends, or a gay man and lesbian women will pretend to be married to each other.
This lifestyle is an everyday struggle to hide and stay safe. People like Kasha have experienced these struggles in daily life because of religious outlooks in Uganda.
Despite resistance from the LGBT community in Uganda, government policies and officials have interfered and kept LGBT activists from making any changes.
After the Anti Homosexuality Bill was deemed unconstitutional in 2014, LGBT activists and members attempted to plan a pride parade in 2015. The LGBT pride event was to take place in Kampala, the capital of Uganda. However, it was quickly shut down by Simon Lokodo, the state minister of ethics and integrity.
Lokodo justified his decision to shut down the event with a police statement claiming that LGBT activists had planned the event to recruit and promote homosexuality. Although the parade was to represent the LGBT community and its pride, they were accused of recruitment. This idea of the LGBT community recruiting people to be homosexual is an idea that scares many Ugandans. Simon Lokodo uses this idea to justify using police to shut down the Kampala pride event, while also instilling fear into Ugandans about the LGBT community.
