Uganda targeting LGBTQ community with hatred and violence: HRW
Uganda's LGBTQ community is facing intensified persecution following the enactment of harsh anti-gay laws two years ago, according to an international NGO.
In a report released on Monday, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said Ugandan authorities have 'perpetrated widespread discrimination and violence' and 'spread misinformation and hatred against LGBT people' since the 2023 law was enacted.
The 2023 Anti-Homosexuality Act made consensual same-sex relations punishable by up to life imprisonment and 'aggravated homosexuality' punishable by death.
As the legislation took effect, rights groups and international partners condemned the law and withdrew funding.
The HRW report says the government has followed up the legislation with a campaign of persecution, detailing widespread police abuse, including harassment, extortion, and arbitrary arrests based on perceived or actual sexual orientation or gender identity.
HRW found that the law has ramped up already existing abuse and discrimination against LGBTQ people to unprecedented heights. The report also detailed the rights violations enabled by the law and the devastating effect it has had on the lives of LGBTQ people, activists, allies, and their families in Uganda.
During the months leading up to and following the law being passed, the Ugandan authorities, including high-profile political and government figures, used traditional and social media to spread misinformation and hatred against LGBTQ people, the report notes, leading to an uptick in attacks and harassment against them and LGBTQ rights groups.
'For the last two years, LGBT Ugandans have suffered a range of abuses because of the government's willful decision to legislate hate against them,' said Oryem Nyeko, senior Africa researcher at HRW.
'The Ugandan authorities need to urgently improve this environment, which enables a wide range of human rights violations and puts countless Ugandans at serious risk of abuse.'
The interviewees reported a surge in threatening messages.
'People would keep on calling you [saying]: 'We know where you stay. We know what you do,'' one told HRW.
Another activist described how online threats escalated until three men broke into her home in 2023, attacking her and sexually assaulting her friend.
She told HRW that one assailant said: 'You make me ashamed to be Ankole. If we want, we can kill you and no one will look for you.'' Ankole is one of Uganda's main ethnic groups.
Other Ugandan rights groups have reported similar patterns since the law's passage.
Within 24 hours of its enactment, eight cases of physical and sexual violence, including corrective rape, were identified, according to Kampala-based DefendDefenders.
'The number of requests [for assistance] is overwhelming,' a staff member told HRW.
Prominent LGBTQ organisations were also targeted, according to the report, including through group bans, staff arrests, and harassment of lawyers representing queer clients.
HRW contacted government, legal, and police authorities but received no response.
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Chicago Tribune
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Yahoo
an hour ago
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These families say they're leaving the U.S. because of its anti-transgender climate
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Faye is an Australian citizen on a student visa, and Marina is a U.S. citizen. The couple have to move before Marina turns 31 in August, because they plan to get work holiday visas, which are available only to those 30 and younger and would allow them to stay and work in Australia for up to a year. It costs $600 to apply, and applicants also have to show that they have at least $5,000 in their bank accounts. After that year is up, the couple have to decide whether they want to get married. Marina said they're looking forward to the stress of the move's being over. 'Every time I look at my cat, I'm about to cry,' Marina said of their 10-year-old pet, which they have to leave behind until Marina's sister can, they hope, bring her over after having completed Australia's rigorous process to move animals into the country. 'It's really overwhelming. I feel like once we actually have our feet down on the ground in Australia, it's definitely going to be sad and still a lot of emotion, but part of it's definitely going to feel like life is starting again.' As for Duncan, the Advocates for Trans Equality lawyer, she that said she and her wife, a college professor in Alabama, have talked about leaving the country but that one of the problems they've run into is whether there is a safer place to go. 'What does Canada look like in 10 years? Do they get to where we are now? Or do they learn from our mistakes here?' she said. 'It just becomes a Rubik's Cube of decisions to solve, and that's exhausting.' This article was originally published on
Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
Texas Pushes LGBTQ+ School Club Ban as Pride Month Kicks Off
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Texas lawmakers have advanced legislation that bans public K-12 schools from sponsoring student clubs based on sexual orientation or gender identity, drawing sharp criticism from Democratic legislators and LGBTQ+ advocates. Senate Bill 12, sponsored by Senator Brandon Creighton, passed its final hurdle in the Texas House on Saturday and is now poised for the governor's signature. Newsweek has contacted Senator Brandon Creighton via email for comment. Why It Matters The bill's passage marks a significant escalation in Texas' ongoing campaign against what conservatives describe as ideological indoctrination in education, however critics argue the ban endangers children and strips them of their dignity. The legislation would specifically bar schools from authorizing or sponsoring LGBTQ+ student clubs and is part of a broader legislative push that has also targeted diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in K-12 settings. File photo: a pride flag is seen ahead of pride month. File photo: a pride flag is seen ahead of pride month. Aaron Schwartz/Sipa via AP What To Know Alongside banning LGBTQ+ school clubs, Senate Bill 12, often dubbed the "Parental Bill of Rights," gives parents expanded authority over what clubs their children can join. The bill emphasizes that parents have a fundamental right to direct their child's education and upbringing, including decisions on moral, religious, medical, and psychological matters. It prohibits public schools from "infringing" on those rights unless required to serve a compelling state interest. The bill bans instruction, programming, or activities related to sexual orientation or gender identity in all grades, pre-K through 12. Schools are barred from allowing third-party groups to deliver such content as well. SB 12 also explicitly bans any diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) responsibilities for school employees unless mandated by state or federal law. It defines DEI broadly to include hiring practices, training programs, or any special treatment based on race, gender identity, or sexual orientation. What People Are Saying State Senator Brandon Creighton said in a statement: "Passing the Texas Education Freedom Act sends a message to all of Texas. It tells the next generation of Texas leaders: your path should fit your purpose—your ambition is greater than any system. It tells our educators that innovation and excellence will be encouraged—not limited by ZIP code. And it tells every parent in Texas: you are trusted, you are respected, and you are in charge." "The future of Texas begins in the classroom. Too often, we get lost in the debates about systems and budgets and programs. Not today—today, we are focused on the child at the center of it all. The one who needs a hand up, a better fit, or simply a chance." Democratic State Representative Gene Wu said during the debate, according to The Texas Tribune: "The real monsters are not kids trying to figure out who they are. The monsters are not the teachers who love them and encourage them and support them. They are not the books that provide them with some amount of comfort and information. The real monsters are here." Democratic State Representative Rafael Anchía, said, according to The Texas Tribune: "It wasn't a sex club. They'd get together and they'd watch movies. They'd color. They'd go to musicals. It was about a kid who felt weird who found her people and everything about it was good. I don't know why grown-ups in this body are so triggered with my daughter getting together with her classmates in a school-sponsored activity." Democratic State Representative Jolanda Jones, said, according to The Texas Tribune: "We've passed bill after bill about access to care, about youth suicide, about prevention and treatment. But this bill makes kids sicker, sadder, more alone. This bill doesn't protect children. It endangers them. It doesn't give parents more rights. It strips children of their dignity." What Happens Next Passed by both chambers, the bill awaits the signature of Governor Greg Abbott. If enacted, the rules would take effect from September 1, 2025, and Texas would join a growing number of Republican-led states that have passed similar restrictions on school activities and curriculum related to LGBTQ+ identities.
