Examining characteristics making up relationships between sexual minorities and larger society in 14 urban settings of Uganda 2008-2010



Introduction:

Homophobia in Uganda is in form of deaths, evictions and rejection of gay persons. Even within the gay community, trans persons are facing different fears. This report shows these homophobic tendencies in Uganda.

Methods:
Data was gathered qualitatively and was limited to 132 respondents; 95 LGBT, 12 questioning persons, 5 bisexual women and 20 bisexual men in 14 urban settings. A standard questionnaire was administered once a year for 3 years to generate responses on: Rent payments, seeking health care, re-filling sexual/reproductive health consumables, involvement in community activities, appearances at “gay” functions, job security, anecdotal stories, and references to activities involving same sex sexual relations. At the same period, a standard key-informant guide was administered to 28 shop-owners, 14 local leaders and 24 motor-bike transporters to elicit relation to “homosexuals” in their communities.

Results:
The questionnaire revealed: 52 (22-45 years) were dis-owned by their immediate families because of their sexual-orientation. Of these 52, 30 are Trans persons. Of these 30 Trans persons, 23 faced abuse by the hands of partners. 30 (20-43 years) reported past verbal abuses by community members. 13 (25-32 years) were assaulted. 89 respondents had their own places of residence. But only 10 (22-42 years) had stayed in their places of residence for more than 5 years without any interruptions or interferences in that given community. 8 (20-54 years) said owners of shops where they buy household commodities were courteous, 63 reported verbal abuses and near-lynch threats immediately following media “homosexuality” headlines, 54 had been blackmailed in the past 3 years. All 64 key-informants (35-65 years) knew gay people staying in their community but had them evicted.

Conclusion:
homophobic contexts in Uganda are an impediment for productive life for gay persons in Uganda.


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