Ugandan tabloid Red Pepper promotes homophobia

The Ugandan tabloid Red Pepper has recently published a story with the personal details of alleged "city tycoons who bankroll Ugandan homos", Box Turtle Bulletin reports.

You can see a scan of the article at the link above.

Box Turtle Bulletin says: "This is what we have long feared: names, identifying features, places of employment, residences, boyfriends and girlfriends, and other unfounded charges and illicit gossip intended to destroy their reputations and worse. It is a repeat of the 2007 vigilante campaign which was also trumpeted by — you guessed it — the Red Pepper."

The paper, which has a history of homophobic reporting, alleges that Ugandan "coordinators" of homosexuals receive 1.5 million Ugandan Shillings per month (about US$780), and also makes allegations about the blogger GayUganda, which he has debunked.

As Gay Uganda notes, the web version of Red Pepper does not appear to be accessible, so I cannot link directly to the article.

Paul Kagaba, the paper's single source for this vile article, claims to be an "ex-gay".

The byline is Stanley Ndawulu, himself a victim of human rights abuses, although there have been rumours that others have had a role in the article as well.

It is very sad that some media outlets in the world continue to spread homophobia. The personal details given may be used by thugs to attack (alleged or actual) homosexuals.

Thankfully, the New York Times has produced a more accurate report on homosexuality in Uganda.

The article has a good ending:

One European gay man, who asked not to be identified, lifted his chin, pointing to the whole scene.

“See, this is what I mean,” he said. “Look at everybody here, gay and straight. There’s no problem.”

He gave a hug to a tall friend.

“It’s not homosexuality that it is imported,” the European man said. “It’s homophobia.”

There is also a lively debate about the matter in the comments section of Pink News.co.uk.

Uganda's Anti-Homosexuality Bill, recently altered to replace the death penalty for homosexuals who had sex with minors, disabled people or while infected with HIV, with life imprisonment and rehabilitation, will be debated again this month.