As gay people around the world celebrate Pride Month, gay people in Kenya and Uganda are also marking the day with a strong message of defiance and resistance.
Their campaign for “dignity, safety and liberation” in a homophobic environment follows the second Pan-African Conference on Family Values held in Nairobi last month. Delegates to the conference expressed concern about moves to normalize so-called LGBTQ practices on the African continent, resolved To resist.
For example, the Equality and Non-Discrimination Initiative, a Kenyan LGBTQ rights group, cites Pride’s founding protest spirit in resisting attempts to “erasure, silence and oppress” gay people.
“In a world that seeks to diminish our existence, choosing joy becomes a radical act. Queer joy is more than just celebration; it is resistance. It is healing. It is a bold declaration. We are here, we are whole, and we are worthy of thriving.” INEND state.
It ensures that gay people honor Pride’s roots and make sure there is room for anger, resistance, softness, and joy as the group’s various activities are packed throughout the month.
“We demand inclusivity, we demand visibility, we dance through fire. This too is a revolution,” says INEND.
At the Pan-African Family Values Conference attended by representatives of governments, anti-LGBTQ lobbies, academic and religious institutions, and international partners, Moses Wetangula, Speaker of the Kenyan Parliament, affirmed the country’s position on marriage between a man and a woman as enshrined in the constitution. Mr Wetan-Ula is advocating for laws that protect “traditional families” and cultural values against what he describes as imports from the West.
“I urge MPs to protect the Constitution’s good provisions regarding the family from ideological redefinition of marriage that seeks to recognize illegal same-sex relationships,” Wetangula said.
He also called on lawmakers to enact legislation that bans comprehensive sex education in schools, does not normalize same-sex sexual activity or relationships, and only allows for science-based curricula that are appropriate to the age, developmental level, and cultural background of schoolchildren.
“In modern times, two forces have emerged in every country: those that fight for the traditional family, and those that pursue ideologies, positions and actions that are contrary to the traditional family,” Wetangula said.
Participants during the conference sparked criticism from gay and lesbian groups in Kenya who resist the imposition of LGBTQ rights and other so-called external values under the guise of development aid, international agreements and partnerships with donor countries that conflict with national laws and cultural integrity. He also worked to establish, strengthen, and coordinate pro-family advocacy platforms and multisectoral collaborations at national, regional, and continental levels to engage policymakers, legislators, and public education stakeholders.
This pledge responds to delegates’ concerns about external manipulation of national legislative processes through covert or overt efforts to influence or circumvent national parliaments in the adoption of judicial decisions that redefine family, life, and gender. They were also concerned about global moves to normalize gender fluidity and “non-biological” sexual identities in law, education, and medicine, contrary to established biological, African cultural, and religious norms.
Delegates called on African governments, parliaments, the African Union and regional economic blocs to urgently undertake a review and reform of their laws to ensure that all national laws are consistent with constitutional protections for family, life and parental rights. However, the Equality and Non-Discrimination Initiative argues that portraying queerness as un-African is a lie, a tool of imperialism used as a weapon to justify violence, exclusion and erasure, and enacted by colonial powers, and should be rejected.
Despite this, Kenya’s queer community is planning a month’s worth of Pride events in Nairobi and across the country and beyond. Some locations are not public for security reasons.
An event calendar hosted by Galck, a group of 16 LGBTQ rights organizations. released Every Friday night includes entertainment and socializing at different locations for queer party lovers. The celebration will also include queer community networking events to empower each other, soft acoustic jam sessions and safe meet-ups for reflection, and a Queer Community Day where groups come together to connect and celebrate queer lives.
The calendar also invites gay men to participate in open conversations with Gark, a trivia and karaoke event with the National Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, a supportive healing circle called “Healing Out Loud” for troubled gay men, and a gay community potluck for groups to enjoy food, fun, and connection.
Other events at Pride include a Queer Love Edition for singles, an art exhibit including rainbow-themed paintings, a healing-focused therapy workshop titled “Chosen Family, Chosen Self,” a literary forum celebrating queer African literature for bookworms, and a movie night for movie buffs.
Cosmopolitan Affirming Community, a Nairobi-based church for homosexuals, organized Gospel Sunday. Outdoor activity organizer Trek Tribe Kenya is also organizing activities such as climbing Mt Kenya, Africa’s second highest mountain, hiking the canyons of Hell’s Gate National Park and enjoying a ‘Pastel in the Park’ wellness treatment.
“It’s a safe and positive environment, so please respect the space you’re in and take care of yourself and each other during Pride’s fun events,” Galke recommends.
“Pride is more than just a parade and a celebration.”
Gay people in Uganda are also having an eventful Pride Month despite deep-rooted challenges.
“Pride is not just a parade or a celebration. It is solidarity for many who cannot celebrate or march. It means refusing to be erased and choosing to be who you are,” said Sexual Minorities Uganda, led by LGBTQ activist Frank Mugisha.
Source: Washington Blade: LGBTQ News, Politics, LGBTQ Rights, Gay News – www.washingtonblade.com
