Ugandan tabloid prints list of 'homosexuals', February 25, 2014 updated 5:08 PM EST, Franca R. Jalloh

Summary:

The article listed below describes how a Ugandan tabloid newspaper known as the ‘Red Pepper’ came out with a list of the country's top 200 homosexuals. Apparently, this was not the first time that a Ugandan newspaper has identified people it claimed were gay. Further, the Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni Museveni  said that he had commissioned a group of Ugandan government scientists to study whether homosexuality is "learned," and they had concluded that it was a matter of choice. He said according to the paper "Genetic distortion -- that was my argument. But now our scientists have knocked this one out”. He has now officially signed into law the bill that made some homosexual acts punishable by life in prison. The article also said that a Ugandan gay rights activist named Pepe Julian Onziema told CNN's reporter Christiane Amanpour, “that some gay people in Uganda would rather kill themselves than live under the new law”.

Analysis:

The gay and lesbian community is in grave danger these days considering all the laws passed worldwide targeting these individuals and their way of life. Now especially in Uganda, a newspaper has recently released an article printing the names, addresses and photographs of about 200 gay people in the country. These people are officially targets and will be subjected to atrocities far beyond our wildest dreams both from local Ugandan people as well as from government authorities. The country and its people need not like, understand or agree with homosexuality but they do need to uphold the rights of all their citizens rather than persecute the minority they seem to hate. It is absolutely terrifying to think about how these 200 people will continue being safe in a country like Uganda now that their identities have been released. More so now than ever, the international community needs to speak up and show support for the homosexual people of Uganda as well as other such countries targeting the gay and lesbian community globally. Countries need to step up and offer asylum to these people as their lives are in danger if they continue to reside in their home countries. If the world shows our eyes and ears are open and that such nonsense cannot be tolerated, just maybe, the Ugandan leaders and their president will pardon their lgbt community members so that they can live in peace, free from all the animosities and troubles of their home country. Something needs to be done now and it has to be done fast in order to save the lives of these people who could possibly face genocide if this hate was to continue down the path it is going today.  

http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/25/world/africa/uganda-anti-gay-law/

Blog 3, Homophobia Not Homosexuality That's Alien To Traditional African Culture, 02/19/2014- 04:00 ET, Franca Jalloh

Summary

This news article seems to have been written in an attempt to explain why African countries are all of a sudden speaking out against homosexuality, considering the current controversial anti-gay publicity laws of Sochi Olympics and homophobia in Russia. Unlike the European country of Russia who has also announced strict laws against homosexuality in Russia prior to the Olympics games, they seem to be tolerating their diversity a little more better than Africa is at this point. The author acknowledges that though homosexual practices and identities are not new to the African continent, but rather now that the rights of the LBGTQ community is being advocated for more than ever, homophobia has also risen in that part of the world wherein it is falsely believed that homosexuality is a colonial tradition from the Western world.  

The author emphasizes that it is the misconception of traditional African’s and supposedly good Christian folks to condemn homosexuality on the basis of it being a sin and un-Godly. African’s believe the idea of homosexuality was brought to Africa to change the traditional beliefs of the continent as well as force Western ideas upon the people during colonial times. The writer of this article blatantly acknowledges that this is a baseless claim as history of sexuality in traditional African societies has always been characterized by their diversity in sexual practices and identities. However, those who oppose gay rights in Africa believe that since there was no official name for homosexuality in the African languages, it simply never existed in the African societies until most recently. Now homosexuality is being dehumanized in Africa as a means to place blame, divide and conquer the minority which they think by doing so is to reject European colonization and ideologies. Suddenly Muslims and Christians have found a common ground and are have unified as Muslims have long since had similar homophobic ideas against homosexuality.  

Analysis

I agree with the concept of the author in this news article. Homosexuality of cause has always been present in Africa, even way before colonization. Though not as common as it is now with people coming forward and openly identifying with their sexuality, we do know from science and history that homosexuality is nothing new to Africa or biblical days. However, now all of a sudden people are becoming more and more afraid of homosexuality and are somehow starting to retaliate against the rights of freedoms that gays and lesbians are now fighting for. They are fearful that this new love somehow contradicts what they want society to do. They are fearful of how far gays and lesbians are willing to go in terms of fighting for their rights and being equal in every aspect just as heterosexuals. For the life of me I don't understand why its not visible to others that homosexuality is not at all a threat to anyone and that every human being deserves to live in peace without fearing for their lives.

Not only is identifying as a homosexual in Africa a problem, most recently Brunei Darussalam in South East Asia, Russia have also joined in criminalizing homosexuality. The new laws that endanger the lives of homosexuals and their affiliates is quite popular among African people who are strongly against this. The majority seems to be in solidarity as ganging up against the minority seems to bring along a sense of social unity for the people with seemingly unsolvable obstacles such as poverty, lack of employment, lack of education etc. There is also the need for them to suddenly live righteously according to their definition of what they believe God wants them to do. They forget however that the bible says "though shall not judge' yet still they are judging a fellow human being on the pretense of religious and moral beliefs. Its ironic to see how they blame homosexuality as a sociological and psychological effects of colonization, yet ignoring the fact that unlike homosexuality, Christianity in particular was brought along by their colonizers who they so despise. Yet still the majority of Africans do not reject the idea of Christianity in order to return to traditional African spiritualist beliefs. The theory of nature is not even considered but rather homosexuality was adapted and nurtured because of the white man taking over Africa. We may not agree with homosexuality, but to criminalize homosexuality is as wrong and as unjust as saying that infidelity is a crime that deserves the death sentence. What needs to be understood here is that homosexuality was not now nor has it ever been "forced" into Africa by Westerners. It has always existed -though not as openly as today- they now just like the rest of man kind are finally coming forward and demanding to take their place in society were they rightfully belong.        

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/feb/19/homophobia-homosexuality-traditional-african-culture

Blog 2, Kenya: U.S. Pushes Gay Rights in Africa, 02/13/2014, Franca Jalloh

Summary

This article describes how the United States has asked African leaders to repeal anti-gay laws which they say are 'discriminatory' and a violation of human rights. It was particular interesting considering what we just learned in class and discussed on black board in regards to sex, gender and sexuality. Accordingly as reported in the article, the U.S Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Linda Thomas-Greenfield, said that the US laws are developed to protect human rights of the LGBT community and that we also want to encourage such laws in our foreign policies and our approach to governments in Africa. Apparently 38 out of 54 countries in Africa now criminalize homosexuality and the United States wants to make its stance now in an effort to protect the rights of the homosexual community in Africa. The U.S outright objects to the unfair treatments of gays in Africa and want countries like Nigeria and Uganda to reconsider their very barbaric laws towards the LGBTQ community. 

Analysis

Beyond considering how divided the United States is on its own in regards to same sex marriage as well as the rates at which gays and lesbians are still being discriminated against here, it is however good to see they care enough to quickly respond when another country seems to be going down the wrong path. Among many other nations, the U.S has spoken up to support basic human rights of all people, particularly in this case the gay and lesbian community in Africa. That is an important first step in addressing this issue. We may have our own problems here, but it is only humane to lend a hand and not let nations make the same mistakes just as the United States did historically with African Americans which contributed to the Civil War and the American Civil Rights Movement. The article emphasizes first and foremost the fact that discrimination of homosexuals is a global problem, if not addressed and rectified quickly enough it will harm us economically, socially and politically as it may eventually lead to retaliations and wars which would hinder any progress Africa is making so far in terms of development. This issue is a matter of nature not nurture so mankind has no other option but to adapt even if we don't necessarily agree on it, as it is here to stay long after most of us leave this world.

http://allafrica.com/stories/201402130682.html

Blog1 - Archbishops criticize Nigerian and Ugandan anti-gay laws, 30 January 2014- 05:47 ET

Summary
This BBC article is in regards to a letter written by the Archbishops to the presidents of Nigeria and Uganda, as well as to the heads of Anglican churches globally. It addresses the extremely harsh laws passed by Nigeria and Uganda that outright violates and targets the rights of people with same-sex attractions, and those that support them. The Archbishops specifically mentions in this letter as referenced in the article, that “…homosexual people were loved and valued by God and should not be victimized or diminished.”

The world is in an uproar due to these reports wherein Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan, signed into law a bill banning same-sex marriages, gay groups and shows of same-sex public affections. In Uganda, their bill calls for far greater punishments for gay people and those who fail to turn them into police. This is the country where homophobia is widespread and ‘corrective’ rapes have been reported against lesbians. Though the bill was passed by parliament, it has however been blocked for now by the Ugandan President Museveni, due to what seems to be pressure from the West threatening donor aid withdrawals if this should persist.

Human rights groups including the United Nations have heavily criticized these legislatures termed as ‘draconian’. Though the church is in support of homosexuals, traditional Anglicans along with members of the Global Anglican Future Conference (Gafcon), condemned the preaching’s as "false gospel" to claim God's blessing for same-sex unions.

Analysis
The report highlights the power of sexual orientation when it comes to religion, specifically in the Anglican faith to begin with but not quite addressing additional Christian beliefs or alternate religion views. The article is a call for Christian understanding and support of gay people as a huge number of people are being adversely affected by these legislatures. As we can see, it is a huge sociological problem not only in the continent of Africa, but also here in the United States as well as in countries world-wide. The church however as we know it, has always had an enormous influence on how the public thinks. By speaking up now in regards to gay and lesbian rights, it serves as a beginning step in ‘curing’ ancient views which threatens a countries economic and social development. In this century, it is hard to think mankind cannot be tolerant of each other despite our many differences. I am an African Muslim with a variety of opinions myself, but that should not and does not affect my treatment of a person with an alternate opinion or lifestyle than mine. Rather, I believe one should be judged and treated based on an individuals character which makes for a far more tolerable society for us all. Discrimination has never brought along progress but rather a lot of hurt, anger and loss of life so why can’t these African leaders learn from history? A lot of developing countries are dependent on the West for aid which is often used as a weapon of control, yet still we continue to implement laws that set us years back in terms of social development as well as economically.

Gay and lesbian rights is an ongoing problem with a variation of sociological views that impacts global trade limiting resources and wealth to nations which causes widespread poverty as well as steps back in modernization. Not many nations would want to invest or trade with a country that ruthlessly violates the rights of fellow humans just because they don’t like or agree with a particular lifestyle. We see from this that it’s a long term fight, but a step in the right direction when religious leaders are willing to speak up and technology is available to reach nations where in ancient times was unheard of. There is indeed a potential for sociological change in regards to this global issue.

The above mentioned article can be found via this link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-25959942

Topic: Homosexual Rights in Africa

“To each his own”! I am an African myself and I was extremely concerned and outraged when I saw the latest news article wherein Nigeria among many other nations in Africa, continue to terrorize and criminalize gays and lesbians for engaging in same sex activities, even for as little as for holding meetings. I think those laws are too barbarous, they need to be looked into from a sociological perspective as a whole and abolished as it violates human rights standards and causes more harm than good.

The Washington Post article I'm referring to can be found via the below link or by Googling other similar news articles from major newspapers world-wide:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/africa/nigerian-leader-signs-law-banning-marriage/2014/01/13/83263b0c-7c71-11e3-97d3-b9925ce2c57b_story.html