On IDAHO calling also on Ugandan Government to refrain from enacting The Kill the gays Bill

by Melanie Nathan, May 17, 2013

The International Day against Homophobia takes place on May 17th every year. On this day 23 years ago, the General Assembly of the World Health Organization (WHO) removed homosexuality from their list of mental disorders. This action served to end more than a century of medical homophobia. The decision of the WHO constitutes a historic date for members of the LGBT community. Sexual Minorities Uganda [SMUG] is a Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender and Intersex human rights advocacy network comprised of 17 member organizations.

Today, Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG) and the Ugandan Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender and Intersex [LGBTI] community join millions of people around the world in solidarity, in commemorating the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia. Here is their statement, taking the bold step in a call for dignity and respect to fellow Ugandans and to refrain from the numerous persecutory tabloid outings that have occurred causing much harm to the LGBTI community:

“Today is a time for people worldwide to reflect on the importance of fighting intolerance based on sexual orientation and gender identity. In Uganda, LGBTI persons continue to experience arbitrary outings in print, radio, television and social media.

Despite the High Court judgement against the Rolling Stone newspaper in January 2011, tabloids like Red Pepper routinely flout the fundamental right to privacy of the LGBTI community in Uganda. On February 24 2013, the Red Pepper published an article entitled “Top Uganda Gay Recruiters Busted”, in which it printed names and photographs of people it claimed were gay.

As Hon. Mr. Justice Musoke Kibuuka commented in his judgement against Rolling Stone newspaper, “the exposure of the identities of the persons and homes of the applicants for the purposes of fighting gayism and the activities of gays… threaten the rights of the applicants to privacy of the person and their homes.”

In light of this, it is our fervent belief that the promotion of human dignity shall remain hollow unless we transform not only our social and political attitudes, but also the culture and practices of the media, in order to eliminate hate and ensure tolerance for diversity. The Ugandan LGBTI community therefore denounces the practices of the tabloid media in failing to uphold basic rights of privacy, and actively contributing to an atmosphere of prejudice and intolerance in Ugandan society.

On this 2013 International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia, the LGBTI community Calls on Journalists, Editors and Owners of Media Organizations in Uganda to:

1. 1. Respect the spirit and express terms of the judgement against Rolling Stone newspaper, and refrain from publishing articles, which serve only to undermine the deeply held values of tolerance and respect for diversity upon which Ugandan society is founded.

2. 2. Exercise respect for the fundamental right to privacy, as enshrined in the Constitution of Uganda, of the LGBTI community in Uganda.

Calls on the Government of Uganda to:

Reject the Anti-Homosexuality Bill that is still pending in Parliament, that incites unnecessary prejudice, hatred and violence in the communities where we live and makes us daily targets for hate crimes, making it impossible for us to live freely.

Punish any violence targeted towards LGBTI Ugandans for their sexual orientation and identities, as human rights are inherent regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.

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