Freind and Allies of Gays and Lesbians of Uganda

PROPOSAL FOR A GAY UNION 2008
Case study of Kampala Uganda



FRIENDS AND ALLIES OF LESBIANS AND GAY PEOPLE OF UGANDA Email- gayunite@gmail.com
“Love not hate”
Friends and Allies of Lesbian and Gay people of Uganda will be based in Uganda due to the fact that Ugandan Gays haven’t had a Union which brings them together and share different ideas among our selves we are still hiding in closet since we don’t want people to recognize who we are.
The realization of our existence in Uganda was in 2000 when some research was carried out and found out gay Ugandan profiles on internet. Also in the meeting that was held last year when some Gays and Lesbians came out to attend the meeting. Uganda has got a population of 28,000,000 million people, in “estimation”, 15 % of the Uganda’s population we are gay but the actual percentage number is not yet figured out since we gays are still hiding away so figuring out the actual percentage will be achieved when we come out from the closet.
Uganda has also gays though we haven’t got our rights up to now because the country is against the act and there are “strict” laws on the gay act, but we can’t deny the fact that we are gays and we need our rights and freedom. Through this Union we hope to come together and fight for our RIGHTS and FREEDOM and also handling issue concerning HIV/AIDS in Uganda. There is an article stated in monitor new paper (June 24, 2008) “Research has shown a close relation between homosexuality, drug abuse and spread of AIDS”, not all homosexuals use drugs because it’s not being what you are, is connected to drugs. Spread of HIV/AIDS is a common factor which can’t be relied to gays only.
We Gays exist in Uganda and we need to have a Union. We ask our gay sisters and brothers to make the commitment to fight. For themselves, for their freedom, for their country. We will not win our rights by staying quietly in our closets. We are coming out to fight the lies, the myths, and the distortions. We are coming out to tell the truths about gays, for we are tired of the conspiracy of silence, we are going to talk about it and we want you to talk about it. You must come out, Come out to your parents, your relatives and other people.
We cannot prevent anyone from getting angry, mad, or frustrated. We can only hope that they'll turn that anger, frustration and madness into something positive, so that two, three, four, five hundred will step forward, so the gay doctors will come out, the gay lawyers, the gay judges, gay bankers, gay teachers, gay pastors etc. we hope that every professional gay will say 'enough', come forward and tell everybody, wear a sign, let the world know. Maybe that will help; let societies, communities and others learn from our movements what it’s that gay people see that others don’t.
PLANS / GOALS
To encourage all members to "come out of the closet" to everyone they can trust and to friends and family this will be bring closer relationships and better understanding of ones sexual orientation.
We hope to call upon some reading materials, magazine, videos for which we shall use to teach our selves how to live a Healthy Gay Life in Uganda, how to live in a happy gay relationships.
Also volunteering in constructive work which benefits communities and societies at large.
Prove African societies that being a gay is not mental disturbance; any normal person could also be homosexual. Gay people are not individuals, they represent a “cultural minority"
Talk with the Government about issues concerning Gays like (Our RIGHTS and FREEDOM) through building a strong alliance with other gay organization in Africa to talk about our issue.
Encourage cooperation between our selves and Other People with a say “I respect the rights of all people including gays.”
Teach about HIV/AIDS infection in Uganda and also providing members with platform to express their concern.
Engage in to break down of poverty, violence against gays and lesbian, Fight off punishment given to Gay students in schools which include descrimation, suspension from schools.
Teach our selves how to create Work/ Jobs for the day to day living.
Organize get together parties, union meetings where we could exchange ideas and finding out ways of living a happy gay life in Uganda. Also we need to create discussion forum where we can discuss our way forward.
Getting involved in youth gay activities with sounding meaning to others.
Teach ourselves about spirituality and the diverse religious traditions of Uganda, to include the Bible and the Koran. To outreach to Gay and Lesbian and allied pastors, and to encourage Gay, Lesbian peoples to support these ministries while condemning the ministries of hate and intolerance.
Providing counseling services like handling gay relationship problems, misunderstanding amongst us and the communities, living positively to same sex marriages. Also we will be training number of volunteers to provide individual and group counseling on all personal issues related to being lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.
AIMS OF THE UNION
The Union will aim at achieving the available opportunities which will benefit our gay communities.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE UNION
The Union will be useful to all Gays on issues concerning their Life.
The Union will also pave ways for negotiations between the government and our gay Societies on issues concerning RIGHTS and FREEDOM. We hope to make a strong coalition with other African gay organization, human rights organization and talk with governments.
It will also be of importance to Uganda as it will avail knowledge to all people that Gays are also Normal Human Beings every normal person could be a gay.
Also aimed at creating friendship with gays in out side world.
It will also emphasize that gay people should be more visible to help end the discrimination and violence against them.
CHALLENGES AND LIMITATIONS
The Union lacks funds to carry out the Activity in plan.
Also their will be need to communicate with international media to let the world be informed on how Uganda gays are treated.
Need for International Volunteers to be part of the work.
Another limitation includes lack of material reading and study guides on HIV/AIDS awareness to people.
Need for advice from other Gay communities out side Uganda.
Carrying out a lot of research from other communities.
Convincing gay friends to come out of the closet and be free to every one is also a great challenge as many seem they can’t come straight to every one, they fear discrimination.
WHO WILL BE INVOLVED
The Union will involve all gays and Lesbians in a relationship, those who are searching, and those who had break ups, dating, divorced, widowed, etc but of the mature age as the law of Uganda states.
TARGET POPULATION
The Union will focus especially on Gays and Lesbians who are in Uganda and also in the future it will deal with in Africa. It will try with all efforts to deal with the big percentage of the Gay and Lesbian population so as to achieve its goals.
PROPOSAL QUESTIONS
How should HIV/AIDS amongst Gays be prevented?
How should Gay relationship be improved?
What steps should we follow to get RIGHTS and FREEDOM?
Should Gays be circumcised?
How should Gay Healthy be improved?
How should we create constructive work in societies?
How can we make societies understand our sexual orientations?
How can we prevent punishments given to gay students in schools when known about his/her sex orientation?
APPENDIX 1: THE WORK PLAN
WORK PLAN
PERIOD 2008
ACTIVITIES
PROGRAMME
APRIL-MAY
JUNE-JULY
AUG-SEPT
OCT-NOV
DECEMBER
Putting plan on paper





Doing some research





Writing a fair copy





Edited





Re organized the proposal











Submission of the proposal






ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I owe deep gratitude and sincere thanks to my lord God for the gift of life given and to all individuals who have cooperated tirelessly through out this work. These are
PETER LIEN
NAYCK FELIZ
ROSSETE ROYAL
NICHOLAS DEROOSE
TIM Mc CATHY
Thank you a lot let God reward you more.
Reference work:
Life and work of Harvey Milk 1930-1978
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvey_Milk)
Harry Hay (April 7, 1912 – October 24, 2002) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Hay)
PFLAG Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays http://community.pflag.org/Page.aspx?pid=194&srcid=-2
Monitor news paper (www.monitor.co.ug)
Red pepper news (www.redpepper.co.ug)

SIGNATURE FOR GAY FRIENDS AND THEIR COMMENTS
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* THANK YOU *