Ugandan Mothers Defy Anti-Gay Laws To Protect Their Children
A quiet revolution of love is unfolding in Uganda as mothers stand by their LGBTQIA+ children despite severe risks, reports DW. Two years after the country implemented its Anti-Homosexuality Act, which punishes homosexuality with life imprisonment and “aggravated homosexuality” with death, these women chose family over fear.
Breaking the “Un-African” Myth
Mama Joseph from central Uganda speaks with certainty about her son who came out as gay during dangerous times.
“People say queerness is un-African, but I know that’s not true. I didn’t raise my child on foreign TV, where some claim he could’ve ‘learned’ to be gay,” she told DW. “I raised him right here, very African and he is very queer.”
Her words directly challenge the narrative that homosexuality is a Western import. Neither she nor her son has ever left Uganda.
“Being an African mother to a queer child comes with pain, with isolation. But I’m proud of my son,” she said.
The consequences have been severe. Family members have threatened her. Neighbours avoid her completely.
Creating Safe Spaces at Home
Across the East African nation, parents like Mama Arthur choose connection over rejection.
“When a child opens up about their sexuality, it’s not easy at first. For many of us parents, the beginning is the hardest. But as time goes on, you start to walk that journey together,” she shared with DW.
Mama Arthur learned her son was gay in 2021. “Because I created that space, my child became more open. I got to know him better,” she said.
The Price of Support
President Yoweri Museveni signed the controversial law on May 26, 2023, ignoring worldwide criticism. Since then, LGBTQIA+ Ugandans have faced arrests, mob violence, and evictions. Many have fled to neighbouring countries.
Three other mothers, Mama Rihanna, Mama Joshua, and Mama Hajjat, experienced intense backlash after their children were arrested in high-profile cases in 2016 and 2022.
The sacrifices have been enormous. One sold her only cow to cover legal fees. Another fled her home after neighbours became hostile. A third hid her daughter from an abusive spouse.
“Sexuality doesn’t matter,” said Mama Hajjat, noting that even her once-hardened husband began changing his views after witnessing their daughter’s strength.
For Mama Joshua, the situation reveals deeper problems. “Our kids are the easiest target,” she said, accusing Uganda’s leadership of using LGBTQIA+ people as scapegoats.
A Wider Movement
These mothers participate in support networks connected to Human Rights Watch and PFLAG-Uganda, under Chapter Four’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion program.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk called for the law’s repeal. “Criminalisation of and application of the death penalty to consensual same-sex relations are contrary to Uganda’s international human rights treaty obligations,” he stated.
While the Ugandan government defends the legislation as protecting “African values,” mothers like Mama Joseph focus on more immediate concerns.
“I won’t bury my child because of shame,” she said. “We’ve buried too many already.”
As the law approaches its second anniversary, these remarkable women continue reshaping Uganda’s future through individual acts of love. They describe their movement not as a revolution of crowds but as a revolution of mothers.
