Demystifying ten common myths about Homosexuality in Uganda

Myth #1: “They are no big deal”

First of all let us agree on terminology. Let us loosely use two words:  straight for heterosexuals and gays for homosexuals. Yes! There are those who are heterosexual and homosexual. This is also known as normativity. There are those who have strictly heterosexual normativity and those who have a homosexual one. This is also termed as orientation, identification or attraction. Surprised?? Well do not be. I see you are still asking where is the big deal? Well it is in how they wish to relate with others and how they wish to be treated in order to enjoy a fuller life, which everyone is entitled to.

Myth #2: “Cannot contribute to society yet have a lot of money”

This idea springs from what is being said that homosexuality is a Western decadence. It is also said they do not contribute to civic duties. Well, that is tricky. Civic duties can mean attending; a burial, weddings, naming of a child, community clean-up campaigns and keeping an area clean. To be law abiding one does not have to put a placard on their chest; be they straight or gay. To have a ‘lot of money’ can mean anything: to have means to address needs.


Myth #3: “Should not have homes because may use this to recruit children”

Well this is subject to debate. This also raises another question of acknowledging that gay couples can have a home. Gay people are born in families, may choose to have children or may not choose to have children. This does not mean they should therefore not live in a home once they choose to. Gay people are normal people and deserve dignified living. There is fear that they will market homosexuality to children or young people. This is not true. There are gay mothers and fathers whose children are not gay. This shows that a home may also be a place where homosexuality as a practice is not passed on to others.

Myth #4: “Sodomites, paedophiles, unnatural, abnormal and bum-shafters”

Phew! What a mouthful. That is graphic, demonising and dehumanising. But let us go slow here. These terms derive from a depiction driven by homophobia; they are a foregone conclusion that homosexuals cannot associate in any form and are offenders even before being tried. This has laid ground for an offence of aggravated homosexuality where the person against whom the offence is committed is below the age of 18 years; the offender is a person living with HIV; the offender is a serial offender. Gay and straight alike disavow sexual acts against non-consenting persons, children and deliberate infection with HIV.

Myth #5: “Homosexuals can not be called any other name”

There is a term known as same–sex relations! Do not look the other way. People are scared of understanding issues to do with sexuality and sex for fear of going against years of homophobic transfix and indoctrination. This is stifling initiative, kindness and love.

Myth #6: “Homosexuality is linked to defilement”

No one condones sex with under age persons. Originally the boy child was discriminated against by not recognising the boy as a victim of rape and defilement the penal code has addressed that point. However even then, hate promoters seem to dwell on fears that would get to the minds of any parent or sane person who is against defilement. Straight or gay. This has been promoted by many hate promoters. Sexual offenses such as rape, sexual harassments and defilement involve girls, boys and women in situations of calamity.

Myth #7: “The Bible has evidence that it is a perversion, a curse, a wrong thing and evil”

Let us be careful with using the Bible as a reference! Sexual intercourse is not all that is done by homosexuals. They do engage in productive work, they are law-abiding citizens and many are professionals who are skilled in many areas of expertise. Homosexuality is described as a sin (Leviticus 18:22; Romans 1:26, 27) in the Bible. Sex outside marriage is condemned because what protagonists claim that sex is for procreation (Genesis 1:27, 28; 2:24; Matthew 19:5). Policy-makers use this to influence legislation.

Myth #8: “They spoil our children through erotic information you pass to them”

This is not true. Even homosexuals were once children. And they are not a threat to children or young persons. Gay people are as God-fearing as the next person. Children can pick any information on various subjects via the streets, friends, peers and internet. Many avenues have provided and depicted erotic writings and behaviour causing sexual excitement.

Myth #9: “They are mentally disturbed and cannot respect committed relations’ vows.”

Well this is another of the myths that has been unfounded and lumped together with other assumptions and statements like seduction of younger persons as a pattern most homosexuals follow and that homosexuality is about gratification of lust and because of that they are assumed to be mentally unstable. But, even in heterosexual relations we see this kind of behaviour.

Myth #10: “The Anti-Homosexuality Act will wipe out homosexuality in Uganda”

 

This is a death wish and this talk is similar to the one that alludes to importation of homosexuality to Uganda. It also depicts homosexuality in a shed of sickness. At the elementary level homosexuality can also mean the inherent tendency to relate to people of same sex without necessarily attributing sexual intercourse to it. Surely you do not want to mean that as children grow and still relate to persons of same sex they should be incarcerated. What the Act does, it seeks to toughen laws against homosexuality (where there is carnal knowledge), by calling for death to gays who have previous convictions, are HIV-positive or engage in homosexual sex with minors, and hands down several years’ jail sentence to Ugandans who fail to report homosexual activity. What it will do is; it will disrupt so many social relations and will only spark paranoia. Even in the bible Paul concludes an exhortation and through it does not call for death for a sinner he was using to show example to Corinthians but was telling them that death was not an answer because as opposed to Old Testament days we all are living under Grace and not Law (Romans 1:21-32).