Pope Francis denounced Uganda’s oppressive “Kill the Gays” law in meeting with African gay rights activists recently.Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Act (AHA), has been called the “Kill the Gays” law because of the severity of its punitive actions for those accused of homosexuality. Pope Francis met with activist Clare Byarugaba, and can be seen in a video posted to X greeting her with a broad smile and shaking her hand as the two prepared to engage in a discussion about LGBTQ+ rights in her country.
According to LGBTQ Nation, Byarugaba acts as the equality and non-discrimination program officer for the civil liberties group Chapter Four Uganda. After their conversation, Byarugaba posted to Chapter Four Uganda’s X writing “His Holiness @Pontifex reiterated that discrimination is a sin & violence against LGBTI people is unacceptable. He said the Church should never discriminate. He walks with everyone that has been denied their dignity. He further encouraged us to defend our rights.”
Also last week the pope met with the director of Rightify Ghana, Ebenezer Peegah, who was advocating against similar anti-LGBTQ+ legislation awaiting approval in Ghana. In July, Ghana’s Supreme Court voted to uphold a 60-year-old law that bans gay sex, a law which was imposed during British colonial rule. In Ghana, legislation was passed earlier this year imposing sentences up to three years in prison for people who simply identify as LGBTQ. According to Time, Tanzania and Kenya are also considering anti-LGBTQ+ legislation.
Just last year, Uganda approved anti-gay legislation with punishments as severe as the death sentence for some offenses. The bill was backed by 389 of 389 members of the country’s parliament. In response, President Joe Biden dropped Uganda along with three additional African countries from a major trade pact citing “gross violations” of human rights.
Over the past year or so, the Catholic church has made efforts to become more tolerant of LGBTQ+ people and identities, and move toward a more pastoral approach. This perspective was sparked by Pope Francis’ approval of the the blessings of same-sex marriage across the Roman Catholic global denomination late last year.
