What do Uganda's new anti-gay law mean for LGBTQ+ travel Ai?: Travel Weekly

Contents:

• UGANDA PASSED ONE OF THE WORLD’S HARSHT ANTI-GAY LAWS. LGBTQ PEOPLE SCRIBE LIVG THERE AS ‘HELL’
• UGANDA ANTI-HOMOSEXUALY BILL: LIFE PRISON FOR SAYG YOU'RE GAY
• NO, UGANDA IS NOT MAKG ILLEGAL TO BE GAY (AGA)
• LGBT RIGHTS AI: WILL KENYA BE THE LATT TO PASS ANTI-GAY LAW?
• UGANDA'S LGBTQ MUNY IS ' SHOCK' OVER NEW MEASURE, GAY ACTIVIST SAYS
• UGANDAN PRINT SIGNS ANTI-GAY LAW THAT INCLUS DEATH PENALTY AS A PUNISHMENT
• ‘WE WILL HUNT YOU’: UGANDANS FLEE AHEAD OF HARSH ANTI-GAY LAW
• KAMPALA
• WHAT DO UGANDA'S NEW ANTI-GAY LAW MEAN FOR LGBTQ+ TRAVEL AI?
• US ISSU TRAVEL ADVISORY AGAST UGANDA OVER ANTI-GAY LAW
• GAY & LBIAN TRAVEL
• UGANDA GAY TRAVEL - LGBT RMATN SEPTEMBER 2023
• TRAVEL SAFETY REPORT: 20 WORST PLAC FOR GAY TRAVELERS IN 2021
• IS SAFE FOR GAY AND LBIAN TOURISTS TO TRAVEL TO UGANDA, RWANDA, KENYA AND TANZANIA.

UGANDA PASSED ONE OF THE WORLD’S HARSHT ANTI-GAY LAWS. LGBTQ PEOPLE SCRIBE LIVG THERE AS ‘HELL’

We gui them and keep close ntact at all phas-takg special re of each and every gut at all tim as their nfintial and tsted travel is safe, as I mentned earlier, as long as the culture is rpected and there is no public showg of There is a spl the queer muny, where some say they refe to vis and spend their money homophobic plac, where others feel is important to vis those plac and be visible to change hearts and mds.

The act outlaws gay marriage Uganda, punish same-sex acts wh life imprisonment, and lls for the ath penalty for “aggravated homosexualy” – which clus sex wh a mor or otherwise vulnerable person, havg sex while HIV posive and ct. Homosexual acts are already illegal Uganda but this bill troduc many new crimal well as makg merely intifyg as gay illegal for the first time, iends, fay and members of the muny would have a duty to report dividuals same-sex relatnships to the was passed wh wispread support Uganda's parliament on Tuday eveng.

UGANDA ANTI-HOMOSEXUALY BILL: LIFE PRISON FOR SAYG YOU'RE GAY

The bill's backers say they are tryg to protect children but Ms Byagaba said: "Whether you're heterosexual or homosexual, the ernment and parliament should troduce laws, or at least implement existg laws that protect all children - boys, girls om filement. The fal versn has yet to be officially published but elements discsed parliament clu: A person who is nvicted of groomg or traffickg children for purpos of engagg them homosexual activi fac life prisonIndividuals or stutns which support or fund LGBT rights' activi or anisatns, or publish, broadst and distribute pro-gay media material and lerature, also face prosecutn and imprisonmentMedia groups, journalists and publishers face prosecutn and imprisonment for publishg, broadstg, distributn of any ntent that advot for gay rights or "promot homosexualy"Death penalty for what is scribed as "aggravated homosexualy", that is sexual abe of a child, a person wh disabily or vulnerable people, or s where a victim of homosexual asslt is fected wh a life-long illnsProperty owners also face risk of beg jailed if their premis are ed as a "brothel" for homosexual acts or any other sexual mori rights' activiA small group of Ugandan MPs on a mtee sctisg the bill disagreed wh s premise.

NO, UGANDA IS NOT MAKG ILLEGAL TO BE GAY (AGA)

They argue the offenc seeks to crimalise are already vered the untry's Penal Co 2014, Uganda's nstutnal urt nullified another act which had toughened laws agast the LGBT clud makg illegal to promote and fund LGBT groups and activi, as well as reeratg that homosexual acts should be punished by life imprisonment, and was wily nmned by Wtern urt led that the legislatn be revoked bee had been passed by parliament whout the required quom. Ultimately, will not matter how many urt s are won, or ernments prsured to cease anti-gay legislatn, or Ain lears backed by wtern money and tn elected wh the expectatn they will challenge public perceptns of homosexualy. A member of the Lbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgenr (LGBT) seen reactg after Kenya's High Court led to uphold the Brish-era penal that crimalis gay sex (Photo: 24 May 2019)In the latt sign of risg homophobia different Ain untri, a Kenyan opposn MP is leadg a mpaign for parliament to further crimalise the untry's small LGBTQ Peter Kaluma's move after neighbourg Uganda adopted a tough new anti-gay law, rejectg threats by US Print Joe Bin to impose sanctns and travel rtrictns on "anyone volved ser human rights ab" I met Mr Kaluma - a member of veteran Kenyan opposn polician Raila Odga's Orange Democratic Movement - he was stg behd his sk at his office the pal Nairobi, proof-readg and makg rrectns to a bill that he tends to table parliament soon.

"We want to prohib everythg to do wh homosexualy, " Mr Kaluma tells me, addg that his bill will be much broar than the legislatn passed by Uganda's parliament and approved by Print Yoweri Meveni Ugandan law is regard as one of the harsht anti-LGBTQ laws the propos life imprisonment for anyone nvicted of homosexualy, and the ath penalty for so-lled aggravated s, which clu havg gay sex wh someone below the age of 18 or where someone be fected wh a life-long illns such as the other si of the ntent, MPs Ghana earlier this month unanimoly voted favour of amendments to the untry's anti-gay legislatn, phg closer to beg enacted to law.

LGBT RIGHTS AI: WILL KENYA BE THE LATT TO PASS ANTI-GAY LAW?

Gay paras, drag shows, wearg the lours, the flags, the emblems of the LGBTQ group, " Mr Kaluma sex is already illegal Kenya, but the ernment n also be tolerant of gay people - for example, has given asylum to people om other Ain untri, cludg Uganda, who faced persecutn their home untri bee of their sexual Kaluma tells me he wants their asylum to be revoked, and for them to leave a small, hidn church set up to offer fort and support to LGBTQ people central Nairobi, the female pastor says Mr Kaluma's bill is g "a lot of panic, anxiety, fear". It fuels some kd of vlence that now people are planng but holdg back on, " she tells Kenyans believe that gay rights are agast their relign - whether Christian or MlimAlthough the meetg Uganda was billed as an attempt to protect the "sovereignty" of Ain stat, was actually -sponsored by an Amerin Christian right-wg anisatn, Fay Watch Internatnal (FWI) Kapya Kaoma, a Zambian prit the Anglin Church and an amic at Boston Universy the US, says Ain untri are beg targeted by FWI and siar US-based anisatns, and that the impact of s lobbyg has been "horrible and humane" parts of Ai, fuellg what he lls "ant homophobia".

UGANDA'S LGBTQ MUNY IS ' SHOCK' OVER NEW MEASURE, GAY ACTIVIST SAYS

"It is one thg to say: 'I don't agree wh you beg gay', but we didn't have the ant one, where policians now are sayg: 'You go to jail for life, you go to jail for talkg about beg gay, you go to jail bee you're livg wh your fellow woman', " Dr Kaoma 's Mormon founr Sharon Slater ni that the group promot anti-gay laws Ai.

UGANDAN PRINT SIGNS ANTI-GAY LAW THAT INCLUS DEATH PENALTY AS A PUNISHMENT

"Fay Watch oppos legislatn that penalis a person for havg sexual attractns or for how they intify, " she says an emailed rponse to the Slater addrsed Ain lawmakers, clerics and mpaigners at their fom Uganda's laki cy of Entebbe March, and later appeared a group photo wh Print Meveni at his official more than 20 years, Mrs Slater has lobbied ernments on what she lls "fay valu" and has ma her missn to mpaign agast children and young people beg given Comprehensive Sexualy Edutn (CSE), a curriculum-based sex tn programme champned by the Uned Natns and other c a Uned Natns Populatn Fund (UNFPA) manual for out-of-school youths east and southern Ai, sayg promot homosexualy and is too explic. "It sensis children to sex, " she Slater also quot om the manual, cludg l which say that facilators of lsons should have "a ntral, acceptg attu towards homosexualy" I ntact Maria Bakaroudis, UNFPA's CSE specialist for east and southern Ai, for ment, she says she is not keen to talk about the "opposn", as she refers to adds that the manual is only a guile, and each untry n tailor to su their Bakaroudis fends CSE, sayg provis "life-savg rmatn" to curb high rat of untend pregnanci, HIV, and sexually transmted 's LGBTQ muny has been wagg a long-nng mpaign to mand equal rightsAlthough Mr Kaluma attend the meetg Uganda -sponsored by FWI, he ni workg wh the group on his bill, which he says will propose a ban on teachg CSE sayg is part of the "LGBTQ agenda".

The Ugandan law is regard as one of the harsht anti-LGBTQ laws the propos life imprisonment for anyone nvicted of homosexualy, and the ath penalty for so-lled aggravated s, which clu havg gay sex wh someone below the age of 18 or where someone be fected wh a life-long illns such as the other si of the ntent, MPs Ghana earlier this month unanimoly voted favour of amendments to the untry's anti-gay legislatn, phg closer to beg enacted to law. Though ls harsh than Uganda's new law, the Promotn of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Fay Valu Bill propos a three-year prison sentence for anyone who intifi as LGBTQ and a 10-year sentence for anyone who promot homosexualy.

‘WE WILL HUNT YOU’: UGANDANS FLEE AHEAD OF HARSH ANTI-GAY LAW

Gay sex is already illegal Kenya, but the ernment n also be tolerant of gay people - for example, has given asylum to people om other Ain untri, cludg Uganda, who faced persecutn their home untri bee of their sexual orientatn.

KAMPALA

Image source, Getty ImagImage ptn, Many Kenyans believe that gay rights are agast their relign - whether Christian or MlimAlthough the meetg Uganda was billed as an attempt to protect the "sovereignty" of Ain stat, was actually -sponsored by an Amerin Christian right-wg anisatn, Fay Watch Internatnal (FWI) Kapya Kaoma, a Zambian prit the Anglin Church and an amic at Boston Universy the US, says Ain untri are beg targeted by FWI and siar US-based anisatns, and that the impact of s lobbyg has been "horrible and humane" parts of Ai, fuellg what he lls "ant homophobia". "It is one thg to say: 'I don't agree wh you beg gay', but we didn't have the ant one, where policians now are sayg: 'You go to jail for life, you go to jail for talkg about beg gay, you go to jail bee you're livg wh your fellow woman', " Dr Kaoma says.

KAMPALA, Uganda — Members of Uganda’s LGBTQ muny are shock and fear beg arrted after Parliament passed a measure that would make a crime to intify as gay and impose tough sentenc that clu the ath penalty certa s, an activist said “Anti-Homosexualy Bill, 2023” was passed wh a near-unanimo majory by lawmakers  the east Ain untry, where anti-gay sentiment ns ep. Ronald Kabuubi / APThe legislatn will next be sent to Print Yoweri Meveni, who has repeatedly nounced homosexualy, to be signed to Mugisha, one of a few Ugandans who live openly as gay, told Rters he was sred the measure would trigger “mass arrts of lbian, gay, bisexual, transgenr and queer persons and mob vlence toward LGBTQ muni. There’s gog to be a lot of trma and s of mental health that will lead to a lot of suici, ” he relatns were already illegal Uganda, but supporters of the new law say is need to punish a broar array of LGBTQ activi, which they say threaten tradnal valu the nservative and relig East Ain measure clus steep sentenc that clu ath for “aggravated homosexualy” and life prison for same-sex relatns.

WHAT DO UGANDA'S NEW ANTI-GAY LAW MEAN FOR LGBTQ+ TRAVEL AI?

Anyone who tri to have same-sex relatns uld be liable for up to a law also cre the ath penalty for anyone nvicted of “aggravated homosexualy, ” a term fed as acts of same-sex relatns wh children or disabled people, those rried out unr threat or while someone is unnsc. The offense of “attempted aggravated homosexualy” rri a sentence of up to 14 legislatn is a major blow to efforts by the Uned Natns, Wtern ernments, civil society and rights groups that had implored the print, Yoweri Meveni, not to sign .

US ISSU TRAVEL ADVISORY AGAST UGANDA OVER ANTI-GAY LAW

”The sweepg anti-gay measure as a growg number of Ain untri — cludg Kenya and Ghana — nsir passg siar or even stricter Ugandan legislatn, known officially as the Anti-Homosexualy Act, was first passed by Parliament March. Lawmakers did add language makg clear that anyone spected of beg a homosexual would not be punished unls they engaged same-sex rt of the law remaed the same, cludg mandatg a prison term of up to 20 years for anyone who promot homosexualy, a vague provisn that activists fear uld be ed to target agenci supportg L. The law, which also enurag the public to report any spected acts of homosexualy, ntas ambiguo language that mak difficult to who allows premis to be ed for same-sex relatns uld face up to seven years prison, and a person nvicted of homosexualy uld be sent for “rehabilatn.

Policians first drew up a siar measure 2009, but when was signed to law 2014, the urt stck down on procral over the past few years, polil lears, along wh domtic and ternatnal relig anizatns, began rampg up anti-gay mpaigns and warng about what they ll a threat to fay valu. Mbajjwe Nimiro Wilson, 24, a gay man om Uganda, a safe hoe Otieno for The New York TimIn a spartan safehoe wh flimsy curtas and no furnure northwt of the Kenyan pal, Nairobi, people om neighborg Uganda clung to the few valuabl they uld snatch while fleeg harsh new legislatn targetg them back home.

A lbian uple clenched the one smartphone that held photos om happier days, gog on dat and dancg began leavg after Uganda’s Parliament passed a sweepg anti-gay bill late March that threatens punishment as severe as ath for some perceived offens, and lls for life prison for anyone engagg same-sex relatns.

GAY & LBIAN TRAVEL

“The ernment and the people of Uganda are agast our existence, ” said Mbajjwe Nimiro Wilson, a 24-year-old who fled wh a sgle backpack days after a hostile crowd, cludg children, rnered him as he bought groceri near a gay shelter the pal, Kampala. Last month, lawmakers om more than a dozen Ain untri gathered Uganda and promised to troduce or pass measur their own untri that they said would protect the sancty of the fay and children agast “the s of homosexualy. And while anti-gay rhetoric has long existed Uganda, has taken a severe turn the past year, wh thori removg rabow lors om a park and parents chargg to a school bee they thought a gay person tght latt move to target L.

And anti-abortn stanc, acrdg to the Southern Poverty Law Ugandan bill has drawn nmnatn om human rights groups and the Uned Natns, and the Bin admistratn has lled “one of the most extreme” anti-gay measur anywhere the world.

The East Ain natn, a close secury ally of the Uned Stat, receiv more than $950 ln annually health and velopment months of mpaigng agast , gay rights activists Uganda are now planng to challenge the measure urt if is signed. In terviews, more than a dozen gay Ugandans who had fled to Kenya scribed how their iends, fay and neighbors turned agast them over the past year, as renewed anti-gay sentiment swept over the nservative Parliament, lawmakers promoted the basels allegatn that there was a plot to promote homosexualy schools. In the streets, Mlims marched agast them, and Christian church, clerics urged ngregants to rema watchful about efforts to lure their children to Augt, the thori took their most drastic actn yet when they closed Sexual Mori Uganda, the untry’s leadg gay rights Parliament adopted the bill March, dozens of L.

UGANDA GAY TRAVEL - LGBT RMATN SEPTEMBER 2023

” It would also “jeopardize” Uganda’s progrs toward endg AIDS as a public health threat by 2030, the statement Ugandan bill is already spirg others across the ntent, cludg Kenya, where a recent Supreme Court cisn had allowed gay rights groups to register legally — a lg that has drawn vol cricism om the print and others.

It has also raised qutns on the safety and acceptance of LGBTQ+ dividuals travelg to the end of May Uganda's print, Yoweri Meveni, signed a bill crimalizg same-sex nduct, cludg potentially the ath penalty for those nvicted of "aggravated homosexualy, " to was a shockg velopment for many the tourism dtry and one wh ripple effects on regnal perceptns, acrdg to John Tanzella, print/CEO of the Internatnal LGBTQ+ Travel Associatn (IGLTA). Tour operators such as Kabiza Wilrns Safaris have weled gay visors and facilated their experienc, cludg gorilla and wildlife there may not be many LGBTQI+ tourists Uganda, many visors om untri like the US, Canada, Atralia, New Zealand, the UK, and Europe support the LGBTQI+ muny. This means beg mdful of lol ctoms and norms and avoidg public displays of affectn that may attract unwanted attentn or adverse is also important to note that anti-LGBTQI+ sentiments exist many other Ain untri, even those whout specific anti-homosexualy laws.

In 2023, there was a notable cint where a gay pri flag was flown rponse to the Amerin Embassy on Ggaba Road durg gay pri month, further fuelg the “Kill the Gays Bill” was prevly thrown out by the Constutnal Court on a technily, is unlikely that a siar oute will occur aga. The batn of historil events, polil reprsn, and the ntroversial “Kill the Gays Bill” has created a lastg imprsn that affects the perceptn of Uganda as a travel statn, pecially for LGBTQI+ is important to note that perceptns n evolve and change over time, and is always worth nsirg the current suatn before makg travel cisns. However, as of now, Uganda’s negative ternatnal reputatn has had a signifint impact on the tourism dtry, terrg LGBTQI+ tourists and g others to thk twice about visg the untry for their safari anti-Homosexualy Bill’s Effect on Tourism 2023 affects not jt the LGBYI+ muny but s numero sympathizers who choose to have their Ain Holiday US State Department warns LGBTQI+ Travelers about travelg to of May 2023, the Anti-Homosexualy Act Uganda has raised signifint ncerns regardg the safety and rights of LGBTQI+ dividuals.

TRAVEL SAFETY REPORT: 20 WORST PLAC FOR GAY TRAVELERS IN 2021

Insights on the Ugandan Anti-Homosexual Law om an Amerin livg Uganda: June is Gay Pri Month, and here Uganda, the Amerin Embassy is flyg the gayQutnoudly while most Ugandans Qutn such a statement by the US; the anti-homosexual law reflects where Ugandans are culture. Like much of Ai, Uganda is not a pro-gay LGBTQI+ pl untry; like other Ain natns, Uganda will react when the US State Depart or the European Parliament mandat that an Ain ernment such as Uganda ply wh the prevailg mdset regardg LGBTQI+, on June 3, over a ln people gathered at Namugongo, where 40 pl young men beme martyrs bee they refed to renounce their fah and refed to give to the Homosexual advance of Kabaka Mwanga (Kg) who led the kgdom of Buganda. Insights on the Ugandan Anti-Homosexual Law om an Amerin livg Uganda:Insights on the Ugandan Anti-Homosexualy Law om an Amerin livg Uganda: In Uganda, the Amerin Embassy’s cisn to fly the gay pri flag durg Gay Pri Month has been met wh qutng and skepticism om many Ugandans.

The rponse of Ain natns, cludg Uganda, to LGBTQI+ issu, often pends on the prsure exerted by enti like the US State Department or the European Parliament, who advote for pliance wh their June 3, Uganda memorated the Namugongo cint, where over a ln people gathered to remember the young men who were martyred for refg to renounce their fah and succumb to the homosexual advanc of Kg Kabaka Mwanga the Kgdom of Buganda.

“Rensir travel to Uganda due to crime, terrorism, and anti-LGBTQI+ legislatn, ” said a new advisory issued late said the Anti-Homosexualy Act “rais the risk that LGBTQI+ persons, and those perceived to be LGBTQI+, uld be prosecuted and subjected to life imprisonment or ath based on provisns the law”. Print Yoweri Meveni signed the bill to law on May 29, triggerg outrage among human rights groups, the Uned Natns and LGBTQ activists as well as Wtern is nsired one of the harsht such laws the world, ntag provisns makg “aggravated homosexualy” a pal offence and penalti for nsensual same-sex relatns of up to life Gay law: Govt plans for post-donor cutsAnti-gay law: Will Uganda whstand global backlash?

IS SAFE FOR GAY AND LBIAN TOURISTS TO TRAVEL TO UGANDA, RWANDA, KENYA AND TANZANIA.

The police’s prence is noticeable everywhere, wh mouflaged secury ployed at the airport, borrs, and public Uganda’s Natnal Parks and tourist statns, the tourism police, park rangers, ary army, and hotel/lodge secury personnel are all prent to ensure tourists’ Uganda Safe for same-sex or gay upl to vis?