Ugandan Paper Outs More Than 50 "Top Homos"

While it is indeed tragic that queer folk face what they do in Uganda, it does not help that so many of the responses to the outrages are so deeply invested in racist readings of Africa and Africans. This leaves those of us who are queer members of our African polities caught between the homophobia and tha racism, which means we're alienated from homophobes in our own societies (and not everyone in Africa who isn't queer is a homophobe) and we can't identify with the racist sentiments about Africa (and ourselves) rife among queers in the west who say they are fighting for our human rights. Just something to consider when 'responding' to outrageous articles like the one here, and assuming that it 'represents' Uganda (or even worse, 'Africa'); would the equivalent be someone mistaking the words of Rush Limbaugh for 'American opinion'?

OMG! NEVER ever, ever spending my gay dollars in Uganda or Jamaica,etc. What would anyone expect from a country that Idi Amin ruled? ANIMALS!!! We all need to forget about visiting these murderous countries & be very aware that we do not spend our hard earned $$ in ANY country that kills gays. Who wants to go somewhere on vacation where they hate you? Don't worry, be anxious or fear for your safety. Go where you are accepted, feel confortable & relax! Visit one of "our places" in the US (or at least visit one of the Euro nations that support gays) PS: Ugandans, just so you know, our justified anger is stronger and more powerful than your hateful anger.

The claim that homosexuality is 'unafrican' is very tiresome, but it is an effective strategy used by traditionalists to promote hate and exclusion. The irony is that the first black African Christian saints were the page boys who refused the advances of the Kabaka of Baganda (the King of the Baganda) in what is now Uganda, in the 19th century. They were executed for this. THE UN Resolution calling for the decriminalising of homosexuality is an important tool which can help oppressed gay people, and it is a disgrace that the South African government did not sign it. I am glad Pres Obama has now signed the USA up for this. Will Jacob Zuma, the new South African president respect the gay rights in our Constitution? There is a lot of political activism necessary to ensure that the GLBT people across the world can be free and safe!

What would be poetic justice is if one of the individuals "outed" turns out to be straight and sues the hell out of that paper!

That is very scary ..... It sounds nazi like... GLBT in Uganda need to be aware and have a strategy...

This sounds very threatening. I would say this may be cause for Amnesty.

AJD - We definitely need a domestic strategy. Want to discuss this separately somehow? Vancouver - except in Cape Town, careful traveling anywhere in Africa openly gay. It's worth seeing however, so group tours are a safer way to start.

I think both methods of advocacy need to be in play. In Canada it was the picketers that made the politicians confer amongst themselves and then sit down with the moderates and strike down the anti gay legislation. It really was almost overnight here. I believe it really helps all society when educated and respected men and women who have no personal interest in the issue take a stand. In three to four years we went from being queers to gays in most people's minds. It would be interesting to see gays and lesbians across the globe take one week off from work. A whole week across the globe and see what would happen to industry. In European and North American societies our people enjoy afreedom and protection never before seen on the globe. There is much more work to be done here but we really need to look out for those of us who are still officially and socially degraded elsewhere. Jeese I feel awful for these men and women, how sad and desperate they must feel.

This is not the top story? Just a quote of the day... If we were more concerned with human rights than gossip, maybe our representatives would already know we will not stand to see our gay brotheres and sisters killed no matter waht country they are in.

This from the same country that gave us Idi Amin