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Gay Uganda's Blog Dealing with issues lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgender and other sexual minorities in Uganda face. The One Sided Debate on Homosexual Issues in Uganda 06/12/2006
We are at it again. Debating some of the nitty gritty issues in Uganda. I must say we love to debate, and talk. Listening to the FM radio debates is instructive! But this time we are talking about homosexuality, at least we are talking a bit about it. As one friend keeps on impressing me, debating gay issues in Uganda is a good thing. The more the debate, the better. Because, even when it is negative, people tend to think about the things which are being talked about. And once you start doing that, you will come to more enlightment. We always are inputting information. And we validate whatever we put in. My problem with the debate on same sex attraction in Uganda is the fact that it is too one sided. As a homosexual, I cannot contribute to it. But the avowed homophobe will surely be published. Right now, the New Vision has published at least 2 letters from readers angry at the fact that South Africa has legalised gay marriage. But they have not published a supportive statement from SMUG, or anything else. Part of the problem is the fact that the government does have considerable control over the media. Once upon a time, of the two mass circulation newspapers, the New Vision would just go out of its way to publish both sides of the debate. On the Vagina Monologues, when that was a hot issue, the paper was so combative that ministers were asking themselves why they were doing it! Nsaba Buturo then was State Minister for Information. He wrote an article (which they published,) questioning why the New Vision as a government paper was not supporting the government. Its editorial content was too independent. Regretably that has changed now. They were forced never again to publish positive info on homosexuality. But always to toe the government line!!! I know it for a fact. In 2004-5, I did submit a number of letters, challenging articles with blatant lies which were being published, and they were published in the New Vision. But that is no longer happening! The 'independent' media also has problems. Remember Radio Simba being fined for airing a program that highlighted the HIV problem amongst gay people? The program was judged to be immoral! So, the South Africans went ahead and legalised gay marriage. I loved reading about the speech from the South African Defence Minister in parliament. To him, the issue was not whether homosexuality was African. The issue was whether they, as the majority were willing to go ahead and deny the rights of a minority simply because they were a minority. And that was not acceptable. Hurrah to South Africa! Those guys have passed through the purifying fire of hate and discrimination, and they have come out shining and cleansed. I salute the ANC because it would have been a disaster if they had back pedaled. And I am impressed by the fact that the leadership stuck to their guns. It is a fact that in South Africa, there is a lot of advocacy on gay issues. But we cannot beat the forces of hate without clear thinking from an important part of the majority. In Uganda, with Pastor Sempa leading a demonstration to condemn South Africa and advocate for an embargo on that country, and the other papers only writing about the negative aspect, I decided that we would write some letters too. To the two most important mass circulation papers. They may not be published, but if they are, it will be okay!!! And I will publish them here. One I signed, the other my lover signed. He is realy into the whole Holy Matrimony thing, and it is for him and all other gay Ugandans that I would love for this debate to be equal. Here are the letters "It was with pleasure I learnt that it is now possible for a gay couple to get married in South Africa. I know some Ugandans may be angry at this, but it is a very good statement of support. Gay Ugandan, like gay South Africans, are human beings. They love and hate, make love and fight just like all other human beings. The act of parliament to legalise our commitment to each other is something that can only be positive. I am a gay man. I have lived with another man for years. I love him, and he does love me. We have looked on with envy as other people have celebrated their love and commitment in marriage. We cannot do that in Uganda. We can literally not show people that we are in love, even though we have been together for long. The simple public celebration of my love and commitment to my partner in marriage would not only cement our love, but also tell the whole world that I love him. That is what the law in South Africa has made possible. Thank you, South Africa, for being a leader in Africa. Thanks for accepting to honour your commitment to your people. Thank you for being true to the ideal not to discriminate people on any grounds." and the second one "It was with pleasure I learnt that South Africa had passed a law legalising same sex marriages. South Africans have passed through the most abominable discrimination in our lifetime. Their constitution has the first constitutional ban on discrimination based on Sexual Orientation, and now they have gone further and allowed marriage. The reaction from some Ugandans was sad, though not unexpected. We seem to be too young to realise that homosexuals Ugandans are just Ugandans who are different from the majority. The Dutch Reformed church in South Africa apologised for its 'biblical' support of apartheid. The Catholic Church may have apologised for the slaughter of millions in the 'Inquisition' and its neglect of Hitler's excesses. Our organised religions may in future understand that homosexuals are God's children, and not persecute us. Meanwhile, South Africa has led the way. They affirm the basic fact that I, as a gay Ugandan am a human being like all other Ugandans. I am capable of loving another and forming a successful family with him. This does not 'dishonour' my neighbour's marriage and family. My lover and I are capable of an enduring and loving relationship. Bravo South Africa !" They may or may not be published. But the issue is as one South African friend told me once, Uganda seems to have the least homo-friendly press, somehow, we tend to have a lot of issues discussed. Pity that it ends up being an airing of some very improbable myths. The relative silence this time has been gratifying to me personally! I expected that we would have had an overload of homophobic comment. Bravo South Africa, even in Uganda, you did make some people to think! Usikelele Africa! God bless Africa! gug 2006-12-06 17:48:50 GMT
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