The suffering of the LGBTQ+ community in Uganda is a stark reminder of the problems that still need to be solved in a world that wants to be more open and accepting. The government of Uganda keeps up unfair laws and social norms that keep this group on the outside and put them in danger.
A Ugandan woman named Annette Nakayima, who is 33 years old, is a symbol of this fight. Her story is not only a personal one, but also a look into the daily struggles of people who are brave enough to be themselves in a hostile environment.
Annette says, “We live in fear and hiding. To stay safe, we have to hide the truth about who we are, but it’s hard because you can’t hide something that’s a part of you.” Her path has been harmed by horrible things; “My daughter has been cursed and goes through a lot more when people find out her mother is a lesbian.”
When Annette was very young, she lost both of her parents. This made her life very hard. She was neglected, abused, and sometimes not given food.
Annette first became interested in and fell deeply in love with girls when she was a teenager. She and her friends would kiss and touch each other’s bodies. Annette says she didn’t learn to love other women; it’s just who she is. She asks why she and other women like her are being hurt because of who they are.
Annette was hit and even kicked out of school after being caught with her friend Brenda. Her best friend Brenda was someone she could talk to about anything. She said they would sneak and hide in the bathroom whenever they could.
They weren’t in class during the third term of her s4 and the teacher went to look for them. When she found them, they were kissing and touching each other. Their penalty was to be kicked out of school right away.
On September 23, 2011, her aunt married her to Faruku Seguya. On October 26, 2012, they had a child. She says this marriage was set up for her, and since she was an orphan, she didn’t have many other choices. When Annette was married, her “husband” abused her, and things got worse when he found out she was dating a fellow woman. The house was thrown at her, and she had to sleep on the porch with her child on a cold night.
Annette says that she and her daughter are still being mistreated and discriminated against because of her sexuality. Her daughter is cursed and called a lot of bad names at school because of her mother.
The problems Annette is having are not special; they are typical of the problems LGBTQ+ people in Uganda face when they try to live their lives. They face discrimination in every part of their lives, from getting an education and a job to getting medical care and basic human rights.
In Uganda, relationships between people of the same gender are not only against the law, but they are also looked down upon and punished. The fact that Annette had to deal with trauma from her family, siblings, school and job shows how common discrimination and hostility are for LGBTQ+ people.
There is also a big risk of violence and abuse, with assaults and public humiliation happening all the time. Annette’s story and many more stories show how deeply prejudice and stigma are ingrained in Ugandan culture.
The suffering of the LGBTQ+ community in Uganda is a stark reminder of the problems that still need to be solved in a world that wants to be more open and accepting. The government of Uganda keeps up unfair laws and social norms that keep this group on the outside and put them in danger.
Annette says, “We live in fear and hiding. To stay safe, we have to hide the truth about who we are, but it’s hard because you can’t hide something that’s a part of you.” Her path has been harmed by horrible things; “My daughter has been cursed and goes through a lot more when people find out her mother is a lesbian.”
