Uganda’s Parliament recently passed one of the world’s harshest anti-LGBTQ bills, imposing severe penalties including 20 years in prison for “promoting” homosexuality and for certain crimes involving gay sex, even the death penalty. Although same-sex relationships were already illegal in Uganda, supporters of the new law claimed it was necessary to punish a wider range of LGBTQ activities that they believed posed a threat to the country’s traditional values. President Yoweri Museveni must choose to either sign, veto, or send the bill back to Parliament this week, a decision that has sparked international backlash from pressure groups and Western governments who see it as a violation of human rights.
The bill’s impact is already being felt by members of Uganda’s LGBTQ community. DeLovie Kwagala, also known as Papa De, is a queer Ugandan photographer and activist who was living in South Africa when the news of the bill broke. Kwagala had moved to South Africa in 2021 for work and now feels unsafe to go home. They have faced a litany of discrimination in Uganda, including being arrested at a gay bar and jailed for two days, being evicted for living with a girlfriend, and being sexually assaulted by bureaucrats.
Kwagala had hoped to tell stories about queer joy, bravery, and the struggles faced by those who show up as their true selves despite prejudice and ill-treatment. They are now working with friends to raise and distribute funds to LGBTQ Ugandans, some of whom have been evicted, while others are in hiding, and have already received over 50 requests for support.
Members of Uganda’s LGBTQ community have had to lie low, flee their homes, or hide their identities to avoid violence after the bill’s passage. Local media reports have documented an increase in the number of people arrested for engaging in same-sex relationships. The situation has left Kwagala heartbroken and calling for action to ease the suffering of others.
The bill’s passage has caused an outcry among human rights advocates, who say it represents a significant setback in the fight for LGBTQ rights in Uganda. The international community has called on President Museveni to reject the bill, which they argue will undermine the progress made toward protecting the rights and dignity of LGBTQ individuals. The situation remains uncertain, leaving members of Uganda’s LGBTQ community in fear of the future.