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Being gay in Uganda

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It’s already against the law to be gay in Uganda. But some legislation being proposed there would drastically increase the existing penalties. One version of the bill even called for the death penalty in certain instances, and it would make it a crime to knowingly rent property to a homosexual. The legislation has drawn international condemnation. But it has a lot of public support in Uganda, a country where evangelical Christian churches wield a lot of influence. Uganda, is seems, is not an easy place for someone to be openly gay. But later today, we’ll hear from Long Jones, an openly gay Ugandan living in the capital Kampala.

• BBC coverage
• BBC: Forum on Uganda’s homosexuality bill

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KATY CLARK: It’s already against the law to be gay in Uganda.  But, some legislation being proposed there would increase the penalties drastically.   One version of the bill even calls for the death penalty in certain instances.  And, it would make it a crime to knowingly rent property to a homosexual.  The legislation has drawn international condemnation.  But it has a lot of public support in Uganda, a country where evangelical Christian churches wield a lot of influence.  It’s not an easy place for someone to be openly gay.   But this man is.  His name is Long Jones.  He’s speaking with us from the capital, Kampala.   Mr. Jones, you consider yourself a gay activist. What does that mean in a country where people are in some cases calling for your death?  How can you possibly live openly there?

LONG JONES: Being an activist has not really been easy because most of the time when come up with ideas that you believe are not against anything for them, they’ll always take it the other way. For example, now in this situation we are coming out on saying, “Hey, we need our rights and freedom.”  So the rights that we are talking about are the rights where you know that you can go and access medication freely without discrimination.  Be able to present yourself to security in case someone comes up and tries to harass you just because of your sexual orientation.  Be able to move freely and enjoy all the facilities like any other Ugandan citizen is enjoying without being discriminated. Those are the rights we are talking about.

CLARK: Mr. Jones, I understand you’re 35 years old.  How long has it been since you came out as being gay?

JONES: I must really confess that I grew up and I had it in me and I knew that I was gay.  But, I tried to fight it because I grew up in the hands of my family, and it was not very easy knowing very well that environment that I was living in.  I was mostly used to each and everyone around me.  And then it was not until I was about 22 that I got to accept myself that I was really gay because I tried to still get involved with people of the opposite sex.  And, I realized that it wasn’t really my way.  I really got happiness when I just accepted myself and I’ve lived to that.  And, I don’t regret even if I died today or tomorrow about my sexuality.

CLARK: I’m wondering how all of this talk about very strict legislation in Uganda against homosexuality how it’s changed your life?

JONES: Currently, I cannot be happy like I used to before because growing up before this whole thing of the bill came up, I would say it was a bit relaxed. It was a bit relaxing.  No, there wasn’t anyone pushing on anybody.  But, ever since the issue of the bill came up, it has drawn a lot, a lot of concern not only internationally but nationally.  Even the person who has been in the village deep inside is beginning to wonder what the whole thing is all about.  It’s now a bit hard for me as a gay person to live freely and express a little bit of myself and work knowing that no one is following me, no one is hunting me.  Because earlier on I couldn’t even think that someone was going to do this to me, or someone is going to have me arrested or someone is going to follow me up.  But right now, each step I take I have to be careful because I don’t know who’s walking into my house, who is coming at my door, who is coming at my place of work, who is trying to give me a call and blackmail me and get rid of me totally.

CLARK: Uganda’s President has suggested that this proposed legislation will be amended perhaps softened a little bit.  What do you think is likely to happen?

JONES: The President’s comments were great.  And, after the intensive pressure that he received from the international community, I think it was right for the President.  Because I know one of the presidential advisors is open minded and he has written very, very good articles that if you read you would really believe why the President would not really think twice about the whole thing.

CLARK: Long Jones is a gay activist in Kampala, Uganda.  Thank you very much for speaking with us.

JONES: Thank you.

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