A Ugandan Woman's Desperate Plea

By Julie Bolcer and Andrew Harmon

The shocking murder of Uganda gay rights activist David Kato has heightened the urgency surrounding the case of Brenda Namigadde, a lesbian facing deportation from the United Kingdom to the virulently homophobic African country on Friday.

Namigadde spoke with The Advocate Thursday afternoon from the Yarl's Wood Immigration Removal Centre in Bedfordshire, where she has been held for two months. In a soft voice, she repeatedly expressed fears that she would be killed if she is forced to return to her native Uganda.

“I’m not feeling well at all, just worried,” Namigadde said, noting that anxiety had prevented her from eating for the past two days. “There is no hope. I am so broken.”

The 29-year-old is scheduled to board a Friday evening flight from Heathrow Airport to Uganda, where her safety is anything but certain. On Wednesday, Kato, one of many LGBT people who had been outed and threatened with hanging in the country's Rolling Stone newspaper, was beaten to death with a hammer in the village of Mukono, east of the capital city of Kampala.

Namigadde worried she could suffer the same fate.

“It makes me feel very bad,” she said. “It’s really very scary to go back to Uganda. My life is gone as well. I am in danger. [Kato] is the one who was trying to stand for people.”

British officials have thus far refused to grant asylum to Namigadde, saying there is insufficient evidence that she is a lesbian. Her attorney submitted another claim with new evidence this week.

It’s unclear whether the frightening implications of Kato’s murder will sway British Home Secretary Theresa May to reconsider Namigadde’s deportation, though Mark Bromley, chair of the Council for Global Equality, said, “It seems like the changed circumstances [regarding Kato’s murder] would provide at least a temporary reprieve from deportation.”

“In the past, public scrutiny and public outcry in the U.K. have been somewhat effective and have resulted in temporary reprieves,” Bromley said.

All Out, a New York–based organization launched this month and focused on the global movement for LGBT rights, initiated a letter-writing campaign after hearing about Namigadde’s situation last week. According to All Out cofounder Andre Banks, the group has sent about 8,300 letters to May’s office via its website as of Thursday afternoon.

“We’ve been talking with both Brenda and her attorney. She’s very upset, very concerned to hear about David Kato’s murder as well as her fear of imminent deportation,” Banks said. He added that representatives with the home secretary’s office told him they had received a deluge of mail in support of Namigadde over the past 24 hours. But Banks has not heard whether Namigadde’s deportation is being reconsidered.

Speaking from the detention center, Namigadde dismissed recent reports that David Bahati, the Ugandan parliament member sponsoring a bill to make homosexuality punishable by death in certain instances, had offered to remove the capital punishment language from his legislation. Bahati told the U.K. newspaper The Guardian that Namigadde would be welcome in Uganda if she would “abandon or repent her behavior” and cease bringing international scrutiny on the country. Otherwise, he suggested that she would be punished with arrest or worse.

“I’m not going to repent, because that’s who I am,” Namigadde said. “David Bahati is going to put a death penalty on me.”

Namigadde said that she has no family members or friends in Uganda, where some lesbians she once knew have disappeared or, she surmises, have been killed. She has not spoken to her Canadian partner, Janet, since about 2004, one year after they fled Uganda, where homosexuality is punishable by up to 14 years in prison.

“Nowhere to live, nowhere to stay, nowhere to be safe,” Namigadde said. “I can’t move out from the country. My life is in danger. I’m going to be killed. I can’t be going back to Uganda.”

If and when the moment of deportation arrives Friday, Namigadde said she would refuse to comply, even if that means she is forcibly removed. It would constitute one last plea to British officials.

“I gave them all the evidence. I provided everything,” she said. “They don’t believe me.”

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Remembering Coretta, Calling Bernice

Coretta Scott King, the beloved widow of Martin Luther King Jr., died five years ago this week. While King stressed that her husband's vision of equality extended to gays, her daughter Bernice doesn't take that view.

By Michael G. Long

Bernice King, the youngest child of Coretta Scott King, has declined an offer to become president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference by stating that her vision did not align with the board’s and that she would begin to focus her time and energies on developing her mother’s legacy. Her explanation is curious, though, because her vision also does not align with a significant part of her mother’s legacy — an unwavering commitment to advancing gay rights.

Mrs. King died five years ago this week, and the gay rights movement has missed her ever since. For more than 20 years, Mrs. King offered public support for gay rights and sought to link the modern civil rights movement — and her husband’s legacy — with the gay rights movement. In 1983, for example, she made sure to include a lesbian speaker, the poet Audre Lorde, at the national march marking the 20th anniversary of the historic 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. And just before the march, Mrs. King had publicly announced her full support for a federal gay rights bill.

After the shocking 1986 Supreme Court decision in Bowers v. Hardwick, which denied that gays had a constitutional right to engage in “acts of consensual sodomy,” Mrs. King increasingly added her crystal-clear voice to campaigns waged by gay rights organizations and gay-friendly legislators. In 1993 she held a press conference urging President Clinton to strike down the ban on gays and lesbians serving openly in the U.S. military. A year later she stood shoulder to shoulder with Ted Kennedy and Barney Frank as they introduced legislation that would have criminalized workplace discrimination against gays. And in 2004 she publicly denounced President George W. Bush’s calls for a constitutional amendment that would have effectively banned gay marriage.

All the while Mrs. King remained firmly convinced that her husband would have supported her campaign for gay rights. She frequently cited his claim that “justice is indivisible” and often noted that by fighting for gay rights she was simply helping to build the “beloved community of Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream, where all people can live together in a spirit of trust and understanding, harmony, love, and peace.”

Bernice King is not her mother's daughter.

In December 2004, King joined Bishop Eddie Long — who is now facing lawsuits alleging that he used his riches and episcopal authority to lure young men into sexual encounters — in leading a march that opposed gay marriage. Just months before the march, which started at the King Center in Atlanta, she announced, “I know deep down in my sanctified soul that [Dr. King] did not take a bullet for same-sex unions.” And nearly a decade earlier she had decried “men who accept homosexuality as an alternative lifestyle.”

Unfortunately, there is not a shred of evidence that she will change her views anytime soon. On the contrary, King seems to be standing by her public statement that her views and vision line up with Bishop Long’s and that he is the rightful heir to her father’s legacy.

Long, who has mocked effeminate men from his pulpit, refers to homosexuality as “spiritual abortion” and preaches that God stands ready to “take out” gays who do not give up their sexual lifestyle. Like the bishop, King adopts a conservative approach to the Bible on matters of homosexuality and allows biblical verses that condemn homosexual sex to be her primary moral authority when assessing homosexuality and gay rights.

That type of conservative approach to the Bible was utterly foreign to both Martin Luther King Jr., and Coretta Scott King. Biblical support for slavery alone made them wary of an uncritical approach to the Bible and consequently they invoked other moral authorities, like the Bill of Rights, when inviting us to dream about the beloved community.

Bernice King has yet to follow. Doing so would require very difficult steps — rethinking conservative biblicism and seeing Bishop Long as standing far outside the tradition of her parents’ liberal Christianity, with its critical approach to the Bible. But until that happens, Reverend King will never grasp, let alone advance, the inclusive legacy of her mother’s warm welcome to gays long denied entrance to the beloved community. It was — and is — a legacy of love without boundaries.

Michael G. Long is the editor of Marshalling Justice: The Early Civil Rights Letters of Thurgood Marshall (Amistad/HarperCollins).

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Clinton, Obama Condemn Uganda Murder

By Andrew Harmon

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Thursday condemned the murder of Ugandan LGBT rights activist David Kato and called for a swift and thorough investigation of his death by local authorities.

In a statement, Clinton said Kato's death "underscores how critical it is that both the government and the people of Uganda, along with the international community, speak out against the discrimination, harassment, and intimidation of Uganda's LGBT community."

Kato was beaten to death with a hammer on Wednesday. The New York Timesreports that while law enforcement officials have just begun to investigate the crime, a spokesman did not link the death to Kato's prominence as a gay rights activist in the virulently antigay country. "It looks like theft, as some things were stolen,” police spokeswoman Judith Nabakooba said.

Clinton's statement in full:

We are profoundly saddened by the loss of Ugandan human rights defender David Kato, who was brutally murdered in his home near Kampala yesterday. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends, and colleagues. We urge Ugandan authorities to quickly and thoroughly investigate and prosecute those responsible for this heinous act.

David Kato tirelessly devoted himself to improving the lives of others. As an advocate for the group Sexual Minorities Uganda, he worked to defend the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals. His efforts resulted in groundbreaking recognition for Uganda's LGBT community, including the Uganda Human Rights Commission's October 2010 statement on the unconstitutionality of Uganda's draft "anti-homosexuality bill" and the Ugandan High Court's January 3 ruling safeguarding all Ugandans' right to privacy and the preservation of human dignity. His tragic death underscores how critical it is that both the government and the people of Uganda, along with the international community, speak out against the discrimination, harassment, and intimidation of Uganda's LGBT community, and work together to ensure that all individuals are accorded the same rights and dignity to which each and every person is entitled.

Everywhere I travel on behalf of our country, I make it a point to meet with young people and activists -- people like David -- who are trying to build a better, stronger future for their societies. I let them know that America stands with them, and that their ideas and commitment are indispensable to achieving the progress we all seek.

This crime is a reminder of the heroic generosity of the people who advocate for and defend human rights on behalf of the rest of us -- and the sacrifices they make. And as we reflect on his life, it is also an occasion to reaffirm that human rights apply to everyone, no exceptions, and that the human rights of LGBT individuals cannot be separated from the human rights of all persons.

Our ambassadors and diplomats around the world will continue to advance a comprehensive human rights policy, and to stand with those who, with their courage, make the world a more just place where every person can live up to his or her God-given potential. We honor David’s legacy by continuing the important work to which he devoted his life.

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A statement from President Barack Obama was released Thursday evening. The full statement:

I am deeply saddened to learn of the murder of David Kato.  In Uganda, David showed tremendous courage in speaking out against hate.  He was a powerful advocate for fairness and freedom.  The United States mourns his murder, and we recommit ourselves to David’s work.

At home and around the world, LGBT persons continue to be subjected to unconscionable bullying, discrimination, and hate.  In the weeks preceding David Kato’s murder in Uganda, five members of the LGBT community in Honduras were also murdered.  It is essential that the Governments of Uganda and Honduras investigate these killings and hold the perpetrators accountable.

LGBT rights are not special rights; they are human rights.  My Administration will continue to strongly support human rights and assistance work on behalf of LGBT persons abroad.  We do this because we recognize the threat faced by leaders like David Kato, and we share their commitment to advancing freedom, fairness, and equality for all. 

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Ugandan Gay Activist Murdered

By Julie Bolcer and Andrew Harmon

David Kato, a prominent Ugandan gay rights activist in threatened in October with hanging on the front page of a Kampala newspaper, was found brutally beaten to death Wednesday at his home.

Kato was the advocacy officer for Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG), which confirmed his murder in a news release. He was one of the plaintiffs who won a case against the Rolling Stone newspaper earlier this month (despite a shared title, the Uganda publication has no affiliation with the American magazine).

“David has been receiving death threats since his face was put on the front page of Rolling Stone Magazine, which called for his death and the death of all homosexuals,” said SMUG. “David’s death comes directly after the Supreme Court of Uganda ruled that people must stop inciting violence against homosexuals and must respect the right to privacy and human dignity.”

Mark Bromley of the Council for Global Equality said concerns remain for the safety of the other litigants in the case, who sued the newspaper after it posted "100 Pictures of Uganda's Top Homos," accompanied by the words "Hang Them."

"Our mandate and focus is to make sure that the U.S. government, our State Department, our embassy, and our leaders in Congress to understand and respond to this human rights tragedy," Bromley said.

According to Bromley, State Department officials have been watching the case closely. "Clearly it's a high priority for them," Bromley said. 

The Guardian reports that Kato was bludgeoned to death at his home in the town of Mukono in the afternoon. Witnesses saw a man fleeing the scene in a car.

SMUG called for the police and government to investigate the murder seriously and for religious leaders, politicians, and media to stop demonizing LGBT people. David Bahati, a member of parliament with close connections to American evangelicals, continues to push for a bill that would impose the death penalty on gay people in some circumstances.

Val Kalende, the board chair at Freedom and Roam Uganda, said in the news release,“David’s death is a result of the hatred planted in Uganda by U.S Evangelicals in 2009. The Ugandan Government and the so-called U.S Evangelicals must take responsibility for David’s blood!”

SMUG executive director Frank Mugisha said, “No form of intimidation will stop our cause. The death of David will only be honored when the struggle for justice and equality is won. David is gone and many of us will follow, but the struggle will be won. David wanted to see a Uganda where all people will be treated equally despite their sexual orientation.”

Burial arrangements for Kato are under way for Friday afternoon at his ancestral home in Namataba, Mukono District.

The BBC offers an obituary. Kato was a primary school teacher turned activist who proudly claimed the label of the first out gay Ugandan.

Read Jeff Sharlet's October cover story for The Advocate on the deadly consequences of antigay rhetoric in Uganda.

Update:

U.K. human rights activist Peter Tatchell released the following statement on Kato's murder:

"David will live on in our memories. He will also live on through the rights and equalities that LGBTI Ugandans will win eventually thanks to his many years of tireless groundwork and campaigning. I express my admiration and appreciation to all the members of SMUG who are battling for LGBTI freedom in conditions of great adversity and danger. Their courage and tenacity is awesome.

"This savage killing will, I hope, finally prompt Uganda's political, religious and media leaders to cease their homophobic witch-hunts. Their hatred helps create the bigoted atmosphere that leads to queer-bashing violence."

The U.S. embassy in Kampala has also issued a statement on Kato's death:

"The U.S. extends its sympathies to David's family, friends and human rights colleagues. David's courageous devotion to promoting the universal human rights of members of Uganda's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community improved the lives of minority populations in Uganda and throughout Africa, and his selfless dedication to defending human rights and speaking out against injustice served as inspiration to human rights defenders around the world."

The White House issued this statement from President Obama:

"I am deeply saddened to learn of the murder of David Kato. In Uganda, David showed tremendous courage in speaking out against hate. He was a powerful advocate for fairness and freedom. The United States mourns his murder, and we recommit ourselves to David’s work.

"At home and around the world, LGBT persons continue to be subjected to unconscionable bullying, discrimination, and hate. In the weeks preceding David Kato’s murder in Uganda, five members of the LGBT community in Honduras were also murdered. It is essential that the Governments of Uganda and Honduras investigate these killings and hold the perpetrators accountable.

"LGBT rights are not special rights; they are human rights. My Administration will continue to strongly support human rights and assistance work on behalf of LGBT persons abroad. We do this because we recognize the threat faced by leaders like David Kato, and we share their commitment to advancing freedom, fairness, and equality for all."

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Republican bills aim for gay marriage ban

By Matthew Reichbach

Among the hundreds of bills introduced so far in the state House and Senate are four from Republicans hoping to restrict marriage in New Mexico, including three separate pieces of legislation that seek to define marriage as between “one man and one woman.”

Rep. David Chavez, R-Los Lunas, has introduced two bills related to marriage. House Joint Resolution 8 proposes a constitutional amendment that defines marriage as between one man and one woman as well as bans New Mexico from recognizing out-of-state same-sex marriages. The other bill, House Bill 162, would just stop New Mexico from recognizing same-sex marriages from out of state.

This comes after Attorney General Gary King issued an opinion in which he said New Mexico can recognize same-sex marriages that are performed outside of New Mexico.

Rep. Nora Espinoza, R-Roswell, once again introduced a piece of legislation, House Joint Resolution 7, that calls for a constitutional amendment to restrict marriage to couples made up of “one man and one woman.” She has introduced this legislation each year since 2007, with little success.

The fourth piece of legislation is Senate Joint Resolution 4, from Sen. William Sharer, and would also define marriage as between one man and one woman. Sharer has introduced this legislation the past two sessions; last year it died on a 5-2 vote in the Senate Rules Committee.

While gay marriage advocates have been pushing for a domestic partnership bill in the state, the change of governor has put them on the defensive. Former Gov. Bill Richardson advocated for domestic partnerships and the legislation reached the floor of the Senate several times only to fail in votes.

So far no domestic partnership bill has been introduced. Gov. Susana Martinez opposes domestic partnership as well as gay marriage.

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