Uganda: LGBTIs demand acceptance

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Ugandans held their first-ever press conference at Speke Hotel on Aug. 16 to launch a media campaign to advocate for their rights. A rainbow banner declaring "God created us like this, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Intersex (LGBTI), Let Us Live In Peace" hung above the row of seven panelists, some of whom wore elaborate masks to hide their identity. The atmosphere was almost festive, as many human rights and feminist groups gathered in support. The English/Luganda statement issued by the Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG), a coalition of four Ugandan LGBTI organizations"discussed issues of HIV/AIDS, police brutality and discrimination. SMUG demanded safe access to health care for LGBTI people, saying, "To successfully stop HIV/Aids, we must treat every person with the dignity and attention they deserve." "Our goal with this media campaign is to reach out to all Ugandans so that people realise we are not something imported from the West," said spokesperson Laurence Misedah, a gay Kenyan who participated in the meeting to show solidarity from across East Africa. "We were accepted in our communities before the colonialists came and we ask you for that same acceptance that was part of our African culture before we were destroyed by laws from the West." Medical doctor Paul Semugoma exposed the lack of education about LGBTI health in medical schools. He said when an HIV positive gay man came to his office, he did not know how to advise him on safe sex. "A patient came to me, entrusted me with his health, and even with all my training I did not know how to help him. That was when I realized that if we were going to stop the HIV/AIDS epidemic, we needed to educate ourselves about sexual health for gays and lesbians, too," Dr. Semugoma said. Citing the Kinsey report and the Stonewall studies, Semugoma stated that 3-10 percent of the population is LGBTI. If three percent of Ugandans are gay, and there are 15 million Ugandans over the age of 18, it would mean that there are at least 450,000 LGBTI Ugandan adults. AIDS activist Beatrice Were criticized the government policy because it does not include outreach to gay people for prevention, testing, or treatment. "We are off target with our policies and efforts," Were said. "because we are denying a population education and treatment. Blame and exclusion will only cost us lives." Police A man wearing a mask, and a name card with the alias "Douglas," condemned the brutality and corruption of police treatment of LGBTI people. "The goal of the police is to protect all people within the borders of Uganda," he said. "It is not legal for the police to beat or bribe people." However, LGBTI people report that police have repeatedly demanded sexual favors or personal bribes in exchange for release from custody. "This is not protecting Ugandans, it is threatening people for profit. That is certainly not within the law,"" exclaimed Douglas. Public opinion Sarah Mukasa, a human rights defender and long time women's rights activist, sympathized with the persecution facing LGBTI people in Uganda. Mukasa compared the current demands from homosexuals with the fight for a woman's right to choose her life partner. "We have big problems in Africa, but two consenting adults choosing to have a relationship is not one of the big issues," she said. Uganda's Minister of Ethics and Integrity, Nsaba Buturo, continues to state that homosexuality is illegal and should not be considered a human right.