人兽性交

But activists oppose the act. It's 鈥渟tate-sponsored homophobia and transphobia [that] negates us to having to fight for our lives every day in a society that was already not set up for us to thrive, which is unacceptable as it sends a dangerous message that [人兽性交+] Ugandans are second-class citizen status, undeserving of the most basic of human protections from government,鈥� says Clare Byarugaba, a renowned Ugandan 人兽性交+ rights activist. 鈥淚t must be repealed by the Constitutional Court immediately.鈥濃��

To Byarugaba, Langa鈥檚鈥� One Million Man March 鈥� for which a date has not been set 鈥� is another in a series of events and petitions seeking to radicalize and inflame anti-人兽性交+ sentiment in Uganda. 鈥淭his march is to further radicalize ordinary citizens to turn against their fellow citizens, and this dangerous campaign further promotes vigilantism, homophobia, transphobia and targeted violence against the [人兽性交+] community in Uganda.鈥濃��

Byarugaba believes U.S. anti-人兽性交+ groups have played a crucial role in AHA laws.

She cited the involvement of Scott Lively, Abiding Truth Ministries president who calls himself an expert in exposing the "gay agenda," Slater of FWI, Langa of Family Life Network (FLN) and the first lady, who recently organized an African Regional Inter-Parliamentary Conference in Uganda, "focusing on global challenges that threaten African families and values.鈥濃��

Slater maintains that the conference was not organized by FWI, but a source involved in the planning of the event, , confirmed FWI was鈥痑 vital part in the conference planning.鈥�人兽性交+ activists who attended online for their safety told CNN that the conference emphasized鈥�鈥淎frican strategy to fight homosexuality.鈥濃�疉n article by Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC), reported that 聽before the conference to present conversion-therapy pseudoscience on the causes of homosexuality and advocate for conversion therapy facilities. Slater blamed abusive fathers, neglect, overprotective mothers, pornography addiction, sexual abuse and bullying as a child as root causes for homosexuality, according to the UBC.

Activists hold placards during their picket against Uganda's anti-homosexuality bill at the Ugandan High Commission in Pretoria, South Africa, Tuesday, April 4, 2023. The bill was signed into law in May 2023. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)

Conversion therapy is an 聽practice hinging on the unsubstantiated belief that 人兽性交+ people do not exist and so their identities are the result of mental illness and can be 鈥渃ured.鈥� Slater asked for provisions to include facilitating conversion-therapy options, the UBC reported. After this meeting, 聽into law until parliament reconsidered adding in 鈥渞ehabilitation鈥� aka conversion therapy, as 聽The provision outlined in section 4 demands those previously involved in 鈥渁cts of homosexuality to present themselves to the relevant health or other authorities for purposes of seeking help.鈥� This option is only available for those who are not charged with 鈥渁ggravated homosexuality.鈥� The definitive version of the law includes 鈥渞ehabilitation for offenders.鈥濃��

Amid backlash of this bill becoming law, Slater has attempted to distance herself and FWI from Uganda. In an FAQ regarding the Uganda bill on the FWI website, the group denies ever lobbying for the 2023 AHA (Anti-Homosexuality Act). Instead, FWI claims Slater鈥檚 presence at the conference was solely to promote FWI鈥檚 anti-comprehensive sex education agenda. Local activists have confirmed Slater was a keynote speaker at the conference.

Contradictory to Slater鈥檚 denials, an 聽exposed her as an鈥痑ctive organizer in a WhatsApp group chat comprised of 鈥渕ore than 150 ultra-conservative campaigners in Uganda.鈥� Topics of the messages ranged from organizing Zoom meetings to advice on wording for external messaging. Hatewatch reached out to Sharon Slater for comment on her involvement in the bill's creation and her push for conversion therapy provisions to be added. She has not responded to our request for comment.

Ugandan First Lady First Lady Janet Museveni tweets about her meeting with Family Watch International's Sharon Slater. (from Twitter/X)

聽and US Intel鈥檚 vice president of global regulatory affairs for the international technology giant, has received backlash over this legislation. The executive was named in a 聽in July on Change.org calling for his dismissal from US Intel. Greg Slater has joined his wife鈥檚 work in pushing anti-人兽性交+ strategy, legislation, and rhetoric around the world. Intel claims to 鈥渃reate world-changing technology that improves the life of every person on the planet.鈥� However, Greg Slater remains employed by Intel and attended the 2023 conference with his wife.

Anti-Homosexuality Acts of 2014 and 2023鈥�

The original 鈥渒ill the gays鈥� bill, , placed homosexuality under two categories. One category is aggravated homosexuality, where one of the participants is HIV-positive, a minor, an elderly or disabled person. When the bill was first introduced, the punishment for aggravated homosexuality was death. It was reduced to life in prison. The second category is the offense of promoting homosexuality. This category includes those who "promote" or "recognize" homosexuality, and those who try to engage in it. The punishment is 10 years in prison. The law originally included punitive measures giving first-time offenders 14 years in prison and repeat offenders receiving life in prison. The law also sought to extradite and prosecute Ugandans who broke this law outside of Uganda.鈥疶he 2014 law was repealed on

Under the , anyone convicted of 鈥渢he offence of homosexuality鈥� can receive life in prison. If convicted of 鈥渁ggravated homosexuality鈥澛爄ndividuals can face the death penalty.聽 Anyone caught engaging in same-sex relations could face 10 years in prison. Another disturbing element of the law lays out punitive measures for the offense of promoting homosexuality, defined as knowingly advertising, publicizing and financing acts of homosexuality. This part of the bill limits speech and press freedoms and extends to those who rent property to homosexuals. Punitive measures are also laid out for failure to report acts of homosexuality. The law also prohibits health care providers from rendering aid to gay people. The new law also鈥痗ontains the extradition of 人兽性交+ refugees to be returned to Uganda for prosecution under the law.

聽have been forced to鈥痜lee; however, this law鈥痵ends clear a message that even鈥痠f they flee and seek鈥痑sylum, they would still be targeted and extradited to face prison or death.

Legal Battle and Background on U.S. Anti-人兽性交+ groups' influence

In December, the Constitutional Court of Uganda held its first hearing on challenges to the Anti-Homosexuality Act presented by human rights activists. Those petitioning against the bill have argued it violates the rights of Ugandans established in their constitution. The 聽is clear on the essential human rights to privacy, freedom from discrimination, freedom of thought and beliefs. This act infringes on Uganda鈥檚 commitment to the African charter on Human People鈥檚 rights, the Protocol to African Charter on Human and Peoples鈥� Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa, and the Conventions against Torture along with the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The law clearly violates the rights of 人兽性交+ Ugandans and is made up of anti-人兽性交+ pseudoscience exported by Slater and Scott Lively.

Lively, a longtime member of the anti-人兽性交+ movement in the U.S., has actively pushed anti-人兽性交+ pseudohistory and pseudoscience in several foreign countries, especially in Uganda.

聽the Ugandan attorney general as a defender of the Anti-Homosexuality Act. Ssempa is a longtime anti-人兽性交+ and anti-reproductive rights activist, has deep ties with anti-人兽性交+ U.S. groups, Family Watch International and Lively. Ssempa has鈥痑ccused rival pastors of homosexuality while also鈥�聽in churches and at conferences to whip up hysteria against homosexuality. Ssempa garnered headlines back in 2010 when 聽of an abstinence trainings program for teens where he showed gay pornography and vividly described sexual acts.

In鈥�2014, Paul Kalisa of Mbarara University of Science and Technology published an article calling out Ssempa for these trainings and displays of gay pornography he advocated for. for those sermons and presentation, where Ssempa would equate homosexuality with pedophilia and reduce it to pornography. FWI cut ties with Ssempa鈥痠n 2014, (but still鈥痩isted him as a volunteer until 2015) over his advocacy of the death penalty for 鈥渁ggravated homosexuality.鈥� FWI supported his actions up to that point, including the abstinence training he did as a volunteer FWI. Despite Slater and FWI claiming to cut ties with Ssempa, they both advocated for conversion-therapy provision in the bill prior to its signing in May. 鈥疷NAIDS has聽 been named friend of the court to provide information鈥痮n how the new law undercuts efforts鈥痶o fight HIV/AIDS, by prohibiting health care providers from aiding gay people.

On Dec. 2, Family Life Network Uganda's leader, Stephen聽聽the planning of a One Million Man March in support of the law. The march was planned for February, running under the theme of 鈥淒efending the Family and the Next Generation.鈥澛� Advocates told Hatewatch that Langa's role is to help defend the legislation.聽

During the 聽where Langa announced the march and the petition, he said signatures would be collected through religious structures, educational institutions, schools, universities, institutions of higher learning, corporations and workplaces, public places such as gas鈥痵tations, markets and supermarkets, and at the village level through local council leaders.鈥�

Langa demanded Ugandans stand for 鈥渢he sovereignty of Uganda and to protect, preserve and defend their children from being molested.鈥� Langa鈥檚 demands to ignore鈥疻estern pressure is ironic. Langa has repeatedly alleged Western pro-人兽性交+ orgs have pushed a 鈥渉omosexual agenda鈥� while鈥痵imultaneously partnering with U.S.-based anti-人兽性交+ leaders and groups for decades while regurgitating long debunked anti-人兽性交+ pseudoscience and pseudohistory.鈥�

Langa invited Scott Lively to speak at鈥�鈥淓xposing the Truth behind Homosexuality and the Homosexual Agenda鈥� two-day鈥痗onference in March 2009. Don Schmierer, board member of Exodus International, a now closed ex-gay group in the U.S., and Caleb Brundidge, a 鈥渟exual reorientation coach鈥� were the other keynote speakers.鈥疞ively is an old-guard U.S. anti-gay activist and founder of both Watchmen on the Walls聽and Abiding Truth Ministries. Lively co-authored The Pink Swastika, a book alleging a homosexual cabal in Hitler鈥檚 inner circle named as鈥痳esponsible for the worst actions of the Nazi regime. The book has been refuted by historians for its Holocaust revisionism and anti-gay conspiracy theory linking 人兽性交+ people鈥檚 rights as a pathway to authoritarianism.鈥疶he book neglected to mention the extreme wave of anti-人兽性交+ hate that led to the 聽in Nazi Germany in front of one of鈥�聽after its ransacking.

In April 2009, Lively 聽members of the Ugandan parliament and cabinet proposing the very argument that inspired the first anti-homosexuality act. The first draft was circulated shortly after. Lively was sued over his involvement in the bill聽in a U.S. federal court by the Center for Constitutional Rights on behalf of Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG). The case was dismissed in 2017 but not before the court affirmed Lively鈥檚 role in 鈥渁iding and abetting efforts to demonize, intimidate, and injure LGBTI (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex) people in Uganda,鈥� which was characterized as "violations of international law.鈥� The dismissal was because of a lack of authority over Lively鈥檚 actions off 鈥淎merican soil.鈥濃��

, also using Lively鈥檚 book, to include the Nazi regime as part of 人兽性交+ civil rights movement. 聽the book Coming Out Straight: Understanding and Healing Homosexuality by Richard Cohen, a prominent self-proclaimed ex-gay psychotherapist who is unlicensed, in the presentations. Langa repeated Cohen鈥檚 argument of the lack of a 鈥済ay gene鈥� or gay genetics to state there is no proof homosexuality has basis in human biology, implying homosexuality is a choice. Cohen鈥檚 book relied heavily on data and statistics on homosexuality provided by Paul Cameron, the grandfather of modern anti-人兽性交+ pseudoscience.鈥�

President Musevani聽聽this rhetoric in June 2023鈥痺hen he used the lack of genetic evidence of homosexuality to call it a 鈥減sychological disorientation.鈥� The term has roots in anti-人兽性交+ rhetoric. 鈥淪exual disorientation,鈥� which is a subsection title of Lively鈥檚 Redeeming the Rainbow, defines 鈥淟GBT鈥� people as disoriented and in need of conversion therapy. Museveni added, "The problem is that, yes, you are disoriented. You have got a problem to yourself. Now, don't try to recruit others. If you try to recruit people into a disorientation, then we go for you. We punish you," he said.鈥�

Langa, Ssempa and Museveni all insist Western groups have pushed homosexuality in Uganda. Ssempa said in an interview with鈥痶he 聽that the rise in anti-人兽性交+ bills across Africa is a rejection of colonialism. But鈥痶he very language and pseudoscience of this law is adopted from U.S.-based anti-人兽性交+ groups and figures. The colonialism Ssempa speaks of instituted the Penal Codes that incorporated sodomy laws in Uganda in 1950, 12 years prior to Ugandan independence.鈥疘f Museveni, Langa and Ssempa are considered the鈥痙riving forces of this legislation, U.S.-based anti-人兽性交+ pseudoscience and ideology have provided the roadmap for its justification. However, more than these distortions are being poured into Africa.鈥疷.S.-based anti-人兽性交+ groups have actively been tampering with African history and culture.

American anti-人兽性交+ and evangelistic groups have spent more than $50 million since 2007 in Africa, indicated in the 2020聽. ,聽a Ugandan associate of the Fellowship Foundation, wrote the original 鈥渒ill the gays鈥� bill in Uganda. The Fellowship Foundation has spent $20 million alone in Uganda, over the past 10 years. 锟硷考锟�

The Fellowship Foundation, run by Tim Kreutter in Uganda, is also a major player in the National Prayer Breakfast Foundation. The Fellowship Foundation started 聽25 years ago, and they also run the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C.

U.S. 聽R-Michigan, attended the Oct. 9, 2023, prayer breakfast celebrating Ugandan independence to praise the anti-人兽性交+ law. Walberg cited Bible passages and decried international orgs for condemning the law. Walberg advised Ugandans to stand firm against 鈥渙ther major countries that are trying to get into you and ultimately change you.鈥� His comments are believed to be in response to economic sanctions from the 聽along with other sanctions from United Nations groups, and because the World Bank is 聽to Uganda.

The impact on 人兽性交+ Ugandans

Meanwhile, 人兽性交+ Ugandans suffered a rise extreme human rights violation before and after the passage of the bill. 鈥疉 Ugandan organization known as Strategic Response Team is self-described as 鈥渁 consortium of five entities operating in Uganda that actively documents and coordinates community response and referral mechanisms to providers of safe shelter, legal, safety and protection services to LGBTIQ+ persons across Uganda.鈥�

The group released a report in September on the human rights violations toward 人兽性交+ Ugandans since the law passed. Titled , the report found 180 cases of evictions, displacement and banishment of LGBTIQ+ people from January to August 2023. It also detailed 176 cases of torture, cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment or punishment, along with 18 verified accounts of forced anal exams by police. The report documents 306 cases of human rights violations around privacy, association, discrimination, dignity and housing, and uncovered that mob-aided arrests have become commonplace as moral panic and violence continue to rise in the wake of AHA enactment.鈥疭ix鈥痯eople have been charged under the law, including the once ex-gay supporter of this law,聽.鈥�舛寞

On Jan. 3, Steven Kabuye, an 人兽性交+ Ugandan activist and executive director of Coloured Voices for Truth, was assaulted. Kabuye had recently returned to Uganda after going into exile in March 2023 amid death threats. While recovering after being stabbed in the hand and stomach, Kabuye told NBC News that AHA was to blame for the 鈥渃limate of intolerance鈥� that has been made much worse by 鈥減oliticians who are using the 人兽性交+ community as a scapegoat to move people away from what is really happening in the country.鈥� 鈥疜abuye is not the only voice who is calling attention to deeper issues in Uganda.鈥� Arthur Kayima, a queer Ugandan human rights activist who condemned the law, spoke to the scapegoating of 人兽性交+ Ugandans. In a quote published by Pink News, Kayima said, "Rather than focusing on the real issues Uganda is facing 鈥� poverty, poor infrastructure, the economy, domestic violence 鈥� Museveni would rather cause distraction by attacking our fundamental right to exist.鈥� Kayima added, 鈥淚 am afraid for my community. How many of us will be jailed, or beaten, or further chased into the shadows of society as a result of this legislation? How many will die?鈥�

Andrea Gillespie of the Human Rights Campaign contributed to this report.

Editor's note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly described Stephen Langa's role in the legislation. This version of the story also clarifies the penalties under the 2023 law.聽

Photo illustration by 人兽性交 (L-R Scott Lively, Stephen Langa of Uganda鈥檚 Family Life Network, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni and First Lady Janet Museveni, Sharon Slater of Family Watch International, Pastor Martin Ssempa)