Good afternoon to you all, and Welcome to the Red Cross. I’m so thrilled to be here with you.
My name is Manzi, I’m a Ugandan bisexual man, and my pronouns are He/Him.
Today, I’ll be talking about my first Copenhagen Pride experience, and what the event can teach us about creating safe spaces, for the queer community, back home in Uganda. It is also another exciting opportunity to stand before such a warm, and welcoming audience and speak openly as a Ugandan queer man.
In August, I was happy to be on the streets of Copenhagen, celebrating the 30th Pride parade in Denmark.
People from all around the world, came to stand in solidarity with the LGBTQIA+ community.
I saw crowds of people around the city hall, partying in bars and attending concerts.
I personally enjoyed the drag-queen show. A show that got me dancing with my friend, Morten. I met Morten at the LGBT Asylum office and he has since been so resourceful to us. He even cares enough to come, visit and spend time with us, the queer community at Holmegård asylum center.
However, pride was not just about the colours and music.
To me, it was about the sense of safety!
That people could gather openly, wave their rainbow flags, and even dress as they wish, with no worry about being arrested by the Police.
Copenhagen Pride, was an opportunity to connect with the various queer communities in Denmark. And I realized that we are not alone.
I remember meeting my fellow queer asylum seekers, at the LGBT-Asylum community space.
We started by introducing ourselves, and got to know each other. And we even had breakfast together, before proceeding to the pride parade.
Now Being a Ugandan queer man, Copenhagen pride, made me reflect deeply, on how risky it is, to be queer in Uganda’s homophobic communities.
In 2023, Uganda’s President, Museveni, signed a bill into law. It was one of the most discriminating Anti-Homosexuality laws in the whole world!
So if I want to get married now, I would face imprisonment, for life in Uganda. I would also face upto 20 years of imprisonment, for openly speaking about queer rights in Uganda. Since the passing of this law, I am so scared for our lives, because there is an increased risk of raids, arrests and extortion by the Uganda Police and, the community as well.
This has sent a clear message, that there is no place for queer people like me, in Uganda.
Now these are very traumatic experiences and memories, especially for us… for us that have faced police brutality, because of our sexuality.
When I look back to my practice, as a community healthcare worker in Uganda. The experience made it so clear to me, that people need to feel safe, cared for and respected, by the doctors and nurses attending to them.
We should not live in fear of being stigmatized for who we are.
Only that way, we can take our health and wellbeing seriously.
Only in that way still, we will seek medical attention and trust the available support systems.
It’s time to pause, and ask:
Right now… Can we guarantee the safety of the Ugandan queer people? (Pause)
Can the Ugandan queer people peacefully voice their concerns, without fear of being surveilled and arrested?
Right now…Unfortunately the answer is, NO!
But I strongly believe that the answer to that question should be: Yes, of course.
I demand that Uganda’s story changes.
Ugandans deserve to express their queer joy as they wish.
We deserve to be recognized and celebrated on the streets of Kampala and all over Uganda, without any fear!
Just as I experienced in Copenhagen a few months ago!
We deserve a country that believes in being each other’s keeper, Because…...queer voices matter, They matter in Denmark, in Uganda, and all over the world.
Thank you.
My name is Manzi, I’m a Ugandan bisexual man, and my pronouns are He/Him.
Today, I’ll be talking about my first Copenhagen Pride experience, and what the event can teach us about creating safe spaces, for the queer community, back home in Uganda. It is also another exciting opportunity to stand before such a warm, and welcoming audience and speak openly as a Ugandan queer man.
In August, I was happy to be on the streets of Copenhagen, celebrating the 30th Pride parade in Denmark.
People from all around the world, came to stand in solidarity with the LGBTQIA+ community.
I saw crowds of people around the city hall, partying in bars and attending concerts.
I personally enjoyed the drag-queen show. A show that got me dancing with my friend, Morten. I met Morten at the LGBT Asylum office and he has since been so resourceful to us. He even cares enough to come, visit and spend time with us, the queer community at Holmegård asylum center.
However, pride was not just about the colours and music.
To me, it was about the sense of safety!
That people could gather openly, wave their rainbow flags, and even dress as they wish, with no worry about being arrested by the Police.
Copenhagen Pride, was an opportunity to connect with the various queer communities in Denmark. And I realized that we are not alone.
I remember meeting my fellow queer asylum seekers, at the LGBT-Asylum community space.
We started by introducing ourselves, and got to know each other. And we even had breakfast together, before proceeding to the pride parade.
Now Being a Ugandan queer man, Copenhagen pride, made me reflect deeply, on how risky it is, to be queer in Uganda’s homophobic communities.
In 2023, Uganda’s President, Museveni, signed a bill into law. It was one of the most discriminating Anti-Homosexuality laws in the whole world!
So if I want to get married now, I would face imprisonment, for life in Uganda. I would also face upto 20 years of imprisonment, for openly speaking about queer rights in Uganda. Since the passing of this law, I am so scared for our lives, because there is an increased risk of raids, arrests and extortion by the Uganda Police and, the community as well.
This has sent a clear message, that there is no place for queer people like me, in Uganda.
Now these are very traumatic experiences and memories, especially for us… for us that have faced police brutality, because of our sexuality.
When I look back to my practice, as a community healthcare worker in Uganda. The experience made it so clear to me, that people need to feel safe, cared for and respected, by the doctors and nurses attending to them.
We should not live in fear of being stigmatized for who we are.
Only that way, we can take our health and wellbeing seriously.
Only in that way still, we will seek medical attention and trust the available support systems.
It’s time to pause, and ask:
Right now… Can we guarantee the safety of the Ugandan queer people? (Pause)
Can the Ugandan queer people peacefully voice their concerns, without fear of being surveilled and arrested?
Right now…Unfortunately the answer is, NO!
But I strongly believe that the answer to that question should be: Yes, of course.
I demand that Uganda’s story changes.
Ugandans deserve to express their queer joy as they wish.
We deserve to be recognized and celebrated on the streets of Kampala and all over Uganda, without any fear!
Just as I experienced in Copenhagen a few months ago!
We deserve a country that believes in being each other’s keeper, Because…...queer voices matter, They matter in Denmark, in Uganda, and all over the world.
Thank you.