“Whether there is a law or no law, the discrimination of persons with different sexual orientation and gender identity continues unabated in the Ugandan society. The narrative that describes persons of different sexual orientation as evil and child predatory is being preached in churches, mosques and in the community everyday putting the lives of many in danger….” – Ms. Clare Byarugaba, former co-coordinator of the Civil Society Coalition on Human Rights and Constitutional Law.
She forgot to mention the media like radios, TVs and social platforms too.
It has been hot in my comments section after posting this blog. The reactions were expected, bad blood was anticipated and I even got an insightful response. I knew it would create such responses because of my disclaimer in the first paragraph and other personal views that flowed through. Some people even missed the point but it was all welcomed criticism.
I know this topic is a tough one to tackle hence me not writing to offend, choose sides or ‘rally people’, I wrote to express my idea so that we can all live in harmony by either accepting or tolerating each other in the best way possible.
It should be known that the Constitutional Court of Uganda nullified the Anti-homosexuality Act 2014 (AHA) but the ruling did not delve into the substantive challenges contained in the main body of the petition according to Chapter Four’s report on the abuse of the rights of sexual minorities in Uganda’s criminal justice system.
With that neglect, discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation to health services, protection and justice is still a problem faced by these people. There are persecuted against even if it’s not making news anymore. Like this story of a landlord who found out that one of his tenants was from the LGBT lifestyle and throw him out with no warning, and one who went for medical services at a health center and the nurse turned him away.
Finding a Middle Ground is Essential for all of us.
Putting my offended sensibilities aside, we all need to find away to co- exist on this earth. God did not create us to fight each other because we are different – he did’t even create us to fight at all, that was not his original design – but to live happily together.
How can a Christian who preaches love refuse to offer medical services to a patient who needs them? Doesn’t that go against the Hippocratic Oath?
There are many cases in this report that we all need to look at and ask ourselves if this is how we should all be living. Remember we all have some lifestyles that our neighbors can’t live with, but they try.
“Gay and lesbian people are not seeking special privileges or rights, they are simply seeking enforcement of the rights enjoyed by all Ugandans under the 1995 Constitution of Uganda.”
The rights we all have.
We all face discrimination, and face persecution for our choices, preferences and ideas plus views, so why do we have to enforce this some pain on to others? Being different shouldn’t be the reason why people don’t get medical assistance, denied justice, acceptance and tolerance in society.
So I didn’t intend to insult or rally a division as some commented, I might have given one side 60% over the other but at least I found a ground where the 40% is existent.
Tolerance should be a welcomed ground as it ushers us in to acceptance or rather we should choose one of the two than deny people both.
My struggle is still ongoing….
