And Here It Ends - For Now

Kasha Jacqueline and other LGBT campaigners
jubilant at the news.

We are taking a break at Kill the Bill in light of Ugandan court overturns anti-gay law that halted Western aid today. 

The new ruling, which can be appealed, voids a statute signed into law by the president in February and which had broad support in the religiously conservative east African nation.

Ugandan MPs are sure to move to reintroduce the bill, this time in such a way that it cannot be thrown out on a technicality, but for now we take a deep breath and smile.

Shinners, Full 51 Minutes of Fame

We mentioned the UK hate preacher, Paul Shinners, who was filmed preaching in favour of killing gay people (before the clause was removed from the bill).

Despite claiming he had never been to Uganda, when faced with the evidence, his reaction was laughable:

He immediately played the victim card after his presence in Uganda, and the hate message he conveyed to those attending a religious rally organised by David Kiganda, was exposed by the Freethinker, and by bloggers Melanie Nathan in San Francisco and Daniel Law in the UK.

He accused us all of defamation, and – via a local newspaper – demanded an apology. He said he was being unfairly pilloried, and that his Cornerstone Café in St Neots had suffered as a result of the allegations made against him.

No concern at all for the suffering of the Ugandan LGBT community because of his own actions.

So, here's the full 51-minute rampage by Shinners, courtesy of the stop Shinners campaign blog (and Facebook group). Just to make sure we didn't get anything out of context...

If that's sending you to sleep, there's a brief rundown here.

If you are in the UK, write to your MP and the House of Lords to ask why this man is not being investigated by the Charity Commission. 

Bobi Wine Bottoms Out of UK Tour

We're bored of uploading pictures of Bobi Wine, so we thought we'd use an artist's impression this time.

Startling resemblance.

After the petition against this homophobic singer (we hesitate to use the word 'entertainer' as that would imply there is something entertaining about him), we have a result:

‘Burn the gays’ rapper axed from UK venues

Representatives from the Troxy Theatre in London and the Drum Theatre in Birmingham confirmed they told promoters for rapper Bobi Wine their establishments would not allow someone who promotes discrimination.

Good call, UK. 

Shame the Border Agency didn't rule it out first.

Meanwhile: Bobi Wine’s brother arrested with missing school girl

Sweden Resumes Aid

Unimpressive announcement by Sweden today, who have decided to resume direct aid to Uganda:

The Swedish embassy in Kampala announced Monday it will provide $200 million (£117.8 million) in development support to Uganda over the next five years...

In a statement issued by the foreign ministry in Stockholm last Thursday, Engstrom also said: “I will specifically monitor the situation of women’s rights and LGBT rights..."

How is that Engstrom, by putting on a blindfold and sticking your fingers in your ears?

In case you hadn't noticed, gay people don't have any rights. Especially where access to healthcare is concerned. I'm sure Sweden's six-month slap on the wrist is already forgotten. 

Uganda Applauds Gay Kiss

John Barrowman is one of the UK's best-loved gay celebrities. Glitter, glitz and entertainment are his trade, so it's hardly surprising to see him kissing at the Commonwealth Games.

What is mind-blowingly surprising is Uganda's reaction:

Uganda C’wealth Games coach praises John Barrowman gay kiss

Grace Eriyo, a coach with the Ugandan team, has praised the kiss. 

She was quoted in The Times as saying: ‘Where we come from it is illegal to kiss a man, but here you can have it on the TV, right in front of the Queen. 

‘To me that is so great.’

Grace, you've just shot to the top of everyone's adoration list. What a brave, beautiful, and hope-inspiring thing to say. It becomes too easy from the media to believe that all Ugandans are hate-filled towards gay people. You are a shining example of why we must never generalise, and why the future of human rights in Uganda rests with the individual. We think you're pretty darn great yourself.

Homophobe Bobi Wine to Play UK

Ugly Face of Homophobia:
Bobi Wine

[UPDATE: ‘Burn the gays’ rapper axed from UK venues: "Representatives from the Troxy Theatre in London and the Drum Theatre in Birmingham confirmed they told promoters for rapper Bobi Wine their establishments would not allow someone who promotes discrimination."]

Remember the time singer Bobi Wine called Obama a 'fag' for protecting gay rights? Or the time he spouted the tiresome 'Adam and Steve' line?

Such lovely lyrics:

If you’re a man, you better be a man. If you’re a girl, you better stay a girl. Question, why do you do the abomination? Some men dress like a bitch and get it like a bitch. They stink like fish. Fire will burn the batty man. Burn all the batty man. All Ugandans get behind me and fight the batty man.

Yup, prize prick Bobi Wine is now headed to play concerts in Birmingham and London. 

SIGN PETITION

It's not the first petition against Wine's entry to the UK. There's another one calling on a Europe-wide ban of his batty-hating antics.

More importantly than signing the petitions, please contact the following directly:

Home Secretary Theresa May: mayt@parliament.uk / Fax: +44 .20 7219 1145

Immigration Minister: ministerforimmigration@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk

And copy to the following Home Office & UKBA addresses:

citto@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk

privateoffice.external@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk

public.enquiries@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk

ukbapublicenquiries@ukba.gsi.gov.uk

If you know the venues he will be playing at, please post links in a comment below, and contact them directly.

Don't Pray Away the Gay

Anthropologist & Social Science Researcher
Stella Nyanzi

Nice little article here by Uganda-based Anthropologist Stella Nyanzi:

Uganda, don’t pray to ‘heal’ gays (or blacks or women)

To heal a homosexual and cure the homosexuality out of the system would be like curing me of my blackness or healing me from my womanhood. Blackness is not sickness. Being woman is not an illness. Homosexuality is neither a disease nor an illness.

Nice selection of comments and responses included.