UGANDA made international headlines last month when President Yoweri Museveni signed the infamous Anti-Homosexuality Act into law, jailing people from 14 years to life for loving someone of the same sex and leading to massive rises in hate crimes.
One brave Anglican priest in that country is generating press for a different reason. He is daring to host prayer sessions and counselling services even as he, too, faces prison for refusing to discriminate.
Rev. Christopher Senyonjo had already been expelled from Uganda’s Anglican Church for calling on religious leaders there to embrace LGBT people instead of encouraging hate and violence.
Now his activism threatens to put him behind bars too – unless the international community supports his fight and gets all reasonable people of any faith or none to condemn these atrocious laws.
Here in York we have an active LGBT Forum (a mixed group of gay and straight people concerned with fighting prejudice and promoting equality for all regardless of sexual orientation). All members deplore the cruel and unjust new legislation enacted in Uganda and encourage all state and religious leaders to take strong action.
We want to remind everyone that the Archbishop of York, Dr. John Sentamu himself fled to England from Uganda when he felt threatened with personal violence, even though he was a member of the state judicial system.
The forum wonders what Archbishop Sentamu intends to do to support and encourage members of the Anglican Church in Uganda to oppose such iniquitous new laws.
Edwina Sykes and David Lewis Co-Chairs of the York LGBT Forum, yorklgbtforum.org.uk
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here