Turning a Blind Eye to Homophobia
by Andrea Lynch, RH Reality Check
October 25, 2007 - 7:17am (Print)
The Bush administration is fond of placing ideological restrictions on foreign organizations that receive U.S. money to do their work--especially when it comes to all things sexual and reproductive. Details such as whether our ideological purity tests undermine accepted public health practices are of little importance to an Administration that prefers to base U.S. foreign policy decisions on domestic culture wars. PEPFAR, Bush's much-touted 5-year, $15 billion global HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, and care initiative, is a case in point. First, one-third of all PEPFAR prevention funds must be dedicated to "abstinence-only-until-marriage" programs--that is, programs that don't work. Second, so-called "conscience clauses" allow religious organizations receiving PEPFAR funding to refuse to provide information about condoms, even if the funds they receive are meant to be spent on comprehensive prevention strategies. And third, there's the prostitution provision, which requires all PEPFAR grantees to adopt a policy "explicitly opposing prostitution and sex trafficking," even if their organizations are run by or work closely with sex workers. All of these restrictions make it easy to understand why more than one potential partner in the fight against HIV/AIDS has politely declined U.S. support.
Then again, when organizations and individuals receiving U.S. funding violate people's human rights in ways that the Bush administration considers politically acceptable, their transgressions tend to get written off as cultural inevitabilities. Such is the case in Uganda, where Human Rights Watch recently revealed that officials in the government of President Yoweri Museveni (who, along with this wife, Janet, has long been a PEPFAR poster child) are currently cracking down on LGBT activists who have petitioned for their right to exist under the oh-so-controversial slogan, "Let Us Live in Peace." For the past few months, the tabloid press and the anti-gay, anti-condom Pastor Martin Ssempa (a former PEPFAR grantee who was invited to testify before the U.S. Congress as an HIV/AIDS expert in 2005) have been targeting LGBT people with impunity. Meanwhile, members of the media who have provided a platform for LGBT activists to defend themselves have been censored and fined by officials in the Museveni administration. The U.S. government's response? Oh, right, there hasn't been one.
Of course, the Bush administration is more than happy to intervene when recipients of U.S. funding do things like mention condoms or fail to condemn sex workers in their efforts to prevent HIV, or work in a country that has a coercive population control policy, or tell women where they can get a safe and legal abortion. The Bush administration and its right-wing allies in Congress talk a big game about not trampling on the toes of so-called faith-based organizations whose moral squeamishness prevents them from being able to share accurate information about condoms, but what about the toes (and lives) of LGBT people in Uganda? Are they to be trampled on with the support of U.S. dollars?
Human Rights Watch has already documented the pernicious effects of U.S.-funded abstinence programs in Uganda (after all, if they don't work here, why on earth would we export them to a country with high HIV prevalence?). A deadly combination of misguided U.S. funding priorities and irresponsible national leadership have already turned Uganda from an HIV/AIDS success story into a perfect storm (infection rates have doubled in the past few years). PEPFAR has provided liberal funding to organizations and individuals who spread misinformation about condom effectiveness and instead focus exclusively on the benefits of abstinence and fidelity. This approach not only ignores reality, it also links HIV infection (and any sex outside heterosexual marriage, for that matter) with moral failure, which has a devastating impact on the one million Ugandans who are already living with HIV/AIDS.
Obviously, stigmatizing HIV-positive people and denying the existence of homosexuality are not just moral wrongs: they're substantial obstacles in the struggle against HIV/AIDS. Just like giving support to organizations that crusade against contraception (whether it's by funding them or just making major policy decisions based on their unsubstantiated claims) is an obstacle to reducing abortions, which the Global Gag Rule is allegedly supposed to be doing. But politically driven funding restrictions do more than just undermine the goals they purport to fulfill. They redirect money away from groups that base their programs on scientific evidence and sound public health practices, and toward those that base their programs on the political persuasions of the Bush administration. Last I checked, that was hardly a recipe for success.
What do we truly expect from a President whose role model is Jesus Christ, uses a 3,000 year old fable to dictate domestic and foreign policy and invades a country because Sadam tried to get his daddy?
Please, when voting DO consider the candidates religious affiliation and if they do have one, DON’T VOTE FOR THEM! Consider your mothers, daughters, sisters, aunts, etc. The women in all our lives have just as much right to LIFE and more than an UNBORN FETUS.
If we keep electing these thumpers, soon we won’t even be able to vote let alone control our bodies.
SORRY SORRY SORRY
young man or woman you seem to be confused incidently you do not have your facts right can you go back and pick your brain from wherever you lfet it. you are very selfish yeah i have a Mother, A sister i do not have a wife because am no yet married but will have one soon. No body has gotten pregnant without making the decision to have sex appart from the ones who have been raped. you live because your mother and father Had sex how ever we should give the unborn child/ feotus the chance that you Father and Mother gave you that is life. Hey Think Beyond your Nose.
The article wasn't saying "yay abortion!" It wasn't even advocating abortion, per se. It was arguing that US aid should not be given to groups that don't do what they claim. If we were giving money to the abstinence and religion cause, then fine. But this money is going towards AIDS prevention, and contraception is an option that could save lives, so it should be included. We should be giving as much accurate information as is legal in the country our aid is going to. Also, if the majority of US people (including doctors and nurses) do not believe in the Bush administrations view of right and wrong, our tax dollars shouldn't be used to fund programs that only account for his views. And if you don't want to hear my point of view on how my tax dollars are spent, please don't ask for any US aid. Bush is not a king, to be giving away my hard-earned money to ineffective prevention measures.
Bush, what a saviour you are. I would not be here if leaders like you were not born. Both the born and the unborn have equal status and non of them has a right to endanger the other. Iam ashamed at this selfish humans who are murderers. They dont deserve staying with the sane. This is very shameful, imagine if these pple were aborted would they have a mouth to speak. The unborn didn't make a wrong choice. It was the clear agreement of the two persons who conjugated. America wake up. Return to the SEVEN PRINCIPLES that made you great. Otherwise you are sinking into the doldrums of a dying civilisation. My heart weeps and mourns for you. Bush thaqnk you for saving America. Atleast in your time, America has gotten a better reputation from the sane human beings except the chimpazees!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
James(KIBOKO SQUAD-UGANDA CHAPTER)
The Truth must be promoted at all cost.
A dying nation must not dictate on the affairs of a morally prospering nation. African cultures are clean and very neat. These American want to mess up Africa but hold on. People like you James can make Africa stand against American and European influence. Can these guys take their agenda to Muslim middle East also? Fight on Africa. Let's hold onto our morals. It takes a society to develop a child not just an individual. Americans are very individualistic and very selfish morally. That is why they support un African cultures like homosexuality, musturbation, arbortion etc. Carry on my ancestors. I love you.
Peter.
Lynch,
I am utterly gutted by the vain seemingly politically correct sentiments you make. Honestly speaking,I must confess that you are really good at putting forward your arguments. However, I want you to know that learning a lot of stuff about nothing is sad really. I think,going by your arguments, that you are putting your intelligence to great WASTE!!Please don't check your brains at the door. Your country's motto is "IN GOD WE TRUST". However,I think it ridiculous that you who claims,by implication, to be for the good of your nation,it the very one agitaing for its downfall morally. This is degrading and a bad precedent for others of similar brilliance let alone betraying to your nation and aboveall insulting to the Lord your Creator! Anyway, in as much as, I reserve respect for the US and president Bush, my heart is all for my country, Uganda. Let it be known to you,Lynch, that we are NOT going to be INTIMIDATED by any threats from the likes if you and Scott Long(Human Rights Watch)to bend to the likes and dictates on how to rule ourselves.Please if you can't tolerate our values and think it is your aid alone that has kept our country alive then you are so mistaken. I am so disappointed in the likes of you and let me warn you that any attempts from the West to shove the evil of homosexuality down our throats against our will is a charge against God and if I were you, I would forget about meddling in the affairs of Uganda and concentrate helping the unfortunate families affected by the fire in Carlifornia. For the record, any attempts to twist our hands on homosexuality shall be LYNCHED because there's nothing gay about this evil!!Can't you see?!!Do you need a rocket scientist?! Honestly,I am very disappointed in you. Advise:If you have a personal vendetta against your President, please settle it with him but don't take the war where even angels dread! It will do you a lot good.
Let Ugandans decide what is good for them. I am not proud to write too you but I did for my country and the Almighty God(who I pray shall personal have a one-on-one with you soon!) I will welcome your thoughts.
Hi lynch,i don't know if you have ever had a relative dying from this disease;well i have had not one, two or three but many of them.in my life i have decided to adopt the behaviour that least exposes me to this disease and ABSTINENCE is the best choice.and iam pleased at anyone who encourages me in this decision. GOD BLESS PRESIDENT BUSH AND THE U.S TAXPAYERS whose support is so encouraging. may be Lynch you could get out of those U.S sky scrappers and visit mulago national hospital in Kampala.your views will not remain the same. may God watch over you.
Lynch! Lynch! Lynch!!!
What i can assure you is that We shall not be Lynched By People Like you and we shall not always bow to your Demands. we know what is good for our Motherland because we are its friut. However i am very sorry for America that it has alot of people like you. who have been misguided and so think that you can try to misguide others as well. Sorry And Sorry indeed.
Lynch have ever lost any relative from these Disease called HIV/ AIDS many Ugandan Have personally i have and therefore being a young man who is preparing to marry a beautiful young woman i have chosen ABSTINENCE to be the best way to fight this Killer disease.
Sorry Lynch As Ugandans We will not easily change the laws our forefathers Gave us.
It's VERY GOOD that you've chosen abstinence, but not everyone will choose that course of action, and they too deserve protection. Do you really believe they be put at risk of dying for having sex? Should they have no other options?
Encourage abstinence, certainly! But don't abandon those who are sexually active. Give them options! Condoms can save lives for those who choose to use them, and every human being deserves access to that choice!
Iam a ugandan who is a proud abstainer as well as an advocate. the fact that in your midist and circle there are no people who talk about its values and the good that come by it doesnt make it unrealistic may be in your site.
Abstinence for your information works and it is the only measure that has been tested if there was need to anyway and it was found that it was 100% effective in the prevention of HIV/AIDS and thats one of the reasons as to why am neither scared nor afraid of contracting HIV/AIDS coz am abstaining.
The battle is still on and we as ugandans as part of the new blood we shall not compromise with homosexuals as they call them selves as the LGBTs for they break 3 laws at once therefore they are called law breakers in our constitution and they deserve punishment not embressing their weard characteristics that are not part of the culture in Africa, Uganda in specific.
Am also coming to a conclusion that may be for some of the things that you make mention of are not from the right source so please do make more and valid reaserch about some issues and the fact that some have not doneit or succeded in doing it doesnot mean that all have failed.
we are sooooooo ssssoooooorrryyyyyyyy..... for people like you.... pliz may you leave us alone./.... we dont want and we are tired .. of ..such ..policies that yu make 4 us and the funds with such .. immoral ... strings attached .. aaa
