User:Gerald Magala Mukiibi

Is Homosexuality Un-African?

There is no anthropological evidence that homosexuality first occurred in Africa after colonisation began. Same-sex attraction occurs in all societies where human beings find themselves. You can only insist that homosexuality is un-African if you maintain that a few individuals are entitled to define what being African must mean. Let us take an example of the Page system in Buganda where boys left their families for long periods to serve Kings in the Palace. In order to fulfil their sexual desires, older pages would use younger pages to release sexual desires since all the women in the palace culturally belonged to the king and any attempt to engage in a sexual relationship with a courtyard woman was punishable by death. Colonialism did not introduce same-sex relationships to Africa. What it introduced was a binary model of sexuality, and systems of jurisprudence that identified and regulated sexual behaviour to conform to the norms of the coloniser.

Benedict Anderson argues that “nationalisms are built on homo-social bonding and since nationalisms require specific heterosexual gender relations, man to protect and provide and women to mother and care, homosexuality is not representable for the idea of a nation”.

Aarti Divani suggests that the current conception of homosexuality as something to be defined and regulated by a national legal system is a product of colonial government which was imposed upon the African population. Anti-homosexual legislation, which was often a product of colonial legal codes, is now being defended as specifically African and attempts to challenge such legislation are delegitimized by being labelled as Western and neo-colonial.

Homophobia is a pervasive, irrational fear of homosexuality. Homophobia includes the fear heterosexuals have of any homosexual feelings within themselves, any overt mannerisms or actions that would suggest homosexuality, and the resulting desire to suppress or stamp out homosexuality. And it also includes the self-hatred and self-denial of homosexuals who know what they are but have been taught all their lives by a heterosexual society that people like themselves are sick, sinful and criminal In the face of these pervasive homophobic pressures, a gay person experiences a split between his or her natural sexual preference and what is socially acceptable. And all to often homosexuals themselves, conditioned to think of themselves as inferior, have internalized this homophobia to the point where even self-acceptance is difficult. They accept the stigma attached by others to them without realizing they are oppressed and often see society as justified in keeping them down. This is borne out by the great numbers of gays who carefully conceal their identity and by many others who actively seek psychiatric help to be 'cured’ of their homosexuality. In turn psychiatrists largely reinforce this self-oppression by creating each homosexual as a neurotic rather than as a victim of an impossible social structure.

I really, truly understand the Christian commitment about something that goes against their deeply held principles. I have just one question: What are they so afraid of? I believe they are afraid that the principles they believe this Universe stands on will fall, leaving them exposed in a seemingly eroding culture. They want the security of a set of rules to obey, and make others obey, to secure God’s blessing. They are afraid that they be wrong about Homosexuality. Marriage has been redefined several times. Marriage no longer allows for polygamy, though polygamy was allowed throughout the Old Testament and never actually repudiated. (God condemned Solomon’s foreign wives — because they would take him to foreign gods — but He never condemned Solomon’s multiple wives.) Marriage no longer means the purchase of a bride as property, as was the practice throughout the Old Testament. (Even though Jesus treated women with high regard, He never ended bride purchase. Our understanding of family is shattered if we think about who Adam and Eve’s children were to be fruitful and multiply with, when they were the only people on earth. Anti- gay Christians are afraid of a world out of control. They want to hold the line on “sin” in the world. In truth, they fear a God who is judgmental and unpredictable, rather than understanding the God who is surprising in the fullness of His grace. They often subconsciously believe that if they obey the rules, God will protect them and not let anything terrible happen to them. That sense of control comforts them, but it is an illusion. What if instead of looking at the rules, they looked at the compassion of Christ? What if they looked at the surprising things Jesus did — welcoming tax collectors, prostitutes and Samaritans, and giving Caesar what is due Caesar? The World could have peace beyond understanding.

Maybe you haven’t counselled a teenager who wants to kill themselves because they’re finally realizing that they’re gay and always have been. Maybe you haven’t had a friend weep in your presence over the fact that they realize they are gay, but also realize they did not chose to be– and that they’ll never be accepted by their family, colleagues and tribe. Maybe you haven’t had a chance to work with somebody for years on end next to someone who you never realized was in fact, gay the whole time and also unwavering in their love for their job and commitment. These things have happened to me my love, but I get that maybe you’ve never experienced them. So please, just consider that I am not talking about an “issue” here– I am talking about real people, our friends, our family members, our teachers, our Mentors. People with feelings, passions, hopes, and dreams. When we allow this to simply become an “issue”, we end up dehumanizing the very real people we’re so fond of.

By Magala Gerald Mukiibi, Esq.' Gerald Magala Mukiibi is a Commonwealth Anti-discrimination lawyer and Human Rights activist who studied at The School of Law of Makerere University, Uganda. He has worked for Center for Human Rights of Cavendish University and Sexual Minorities Uganda. His interests include Human Rights, with a particular focus on Gender and the Law, Health and the Law, International Humanitarian Law, International and Domestic Human Rights, Children's Rights and LGBTI Rights.'''