December 9, 2011

Out of the Closet in Uganda

Mother Jones has an article about the gay community in Uganda, and this one passage at the end was so striking that I couldn't not share it.

When I return to our table, Dennis hollers at me. "Where were you?" He's got a bag full of lube packets in front of him, waiting for the friend who needed it to arrive. "I thought you were kidnapped for corrective rape."

My face turns horrified.

"Just kidding!" he says, grabbing my arm. Ha ha!

"Do you know a lot of women that has happened to?" I ask.

"Nooooo, not a lot. Like five." He laughs again: "It's not like South Africa."

Alright then. Let's party.

The entire piece is incredible for the resilience of the activists it describes. Under their conditions, I think I would just stay in the closet; it's pretty mind-blowing that they can go through so much shit and keep going anyway.

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