Greetings from Uganda

Source: Rainbow Full House

Dear All,

I would like to introduce to you Rainbow Full House - Uganda, which is opening her "face" to some people today. Later this week we shall be holding a press conference in Kampala Uganda.

Rainbow Full House – Uganda “a Uganda free from all forms of homophobia including state sponsored homophobia”

Who We Are

Rainbow Full House Uganda is a civil Society Human rights group and non Profit making Organization. With friends including parents of lesbian and gay children, rabbis, priests, therapists, writers, community organizers, family planning staff, sexuality educators, AIDS activists, anti-oppression educators and diversity trainers, college students and their advisors, and lesbian, gay, and bisexual activists. We are a multicultural group focusing on lobbying and advocating for the LGBTI rights in Uganda while also learning about the relationships between homophobia/heterosexism and other forms of oppression and developing personal, cultural, and institutional strategies to educate ourselves and others.

The Campaign is guided by a Board of five Directors  two women and three men.

Contacts: Isaac Mukobe and Andrew Wasswa

isaacmukobe@yahoo.com and andrew.waiswa@yahoo.com

Much as we have an operating space we call Office and contact numbers, they are only available on request.

Our Work Includes:

• Remind the Ugandan Government to serve its social contract with the LGBTI people in Uganda .
• Developing and Distributing Educational Resources
• Facilitating Regional Training Institutes
• Networking and Sharing Information
• Convening Conferences

We vary in our sexual orientations and preferences, race/ethnicity, physical ability, class, age, sex, and spiritual or religious beliefs. And together, we're working to end homophobia.

Our Purpose

Our purpose is to build and support a network of people working together to end homophobia and heterosexism through education.

We believe that education is a powerful tool for ending homophobia and heterosexism, so our work is focused on providing educational strategies which can be used to end homophobia and heterosexism.

We believe that education about homophobia and heterosexism is most effective when done in connection with other oppressions. Therefore, in the context of our work to end homophobia and heterosexism, we are committed to recognizing and exploring alternatives to oppression based on race/ethnicity, ability, class, age, sex, gender identification, sexual orientation, and religion or spiritual beliefs.

Homophobia is the irrational fear of homosexuality and the hatred, disgust, and prejudice that fear brings. Oppression of lesbians and gay men, as well as bisexual women and men, is based on homophobia.

Heterosexism is institutionalized homophobia, the assumption that being heterosexual is inherently better or more moral than being lesbian, gay or bisexual. Like racism, sexism, and other forms of oppression, heterosexism awards power to members of the dominant group (heterosexuals) and denies privilege to members of the subordinate group (lesbians, gay men, and bisexual women and men.)

Homophobia and heterosexism clearly oppress lesbians, gay men, and bisexual women and men through individual acts of verbal and physical harassment and collective actions which result in invisibility, invalidation and discrimination. But homophobia and heterosexism also hurt heterosexuals by maintaining rigid definitions of "approporate" sex-role behavior and sexual relationships.

In the same way that racism is a white person's problem and sexism is a man's problem, homophobia and heterosexism are a heterosexual's problem.

History of the Campaign

Ugandan government has been at the forefront of fight the LGBTI people in Uganda. Spearheaded by the Ugandan President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, thee has been ever increasing state sponsored homophobia.

Recently mid 2009 a team of Hon. Members of parliament drafted a bill yet to be presented to Parliament, which criminalizes Homosexuality and all its stands for. Much as there are several LGBTI organizations in Uganda , it’s sad to note that they have not focused on education/awareness in areas of reconciliation of the LGBTI and the Homophobic Uganda., so Rainbow Full House Uganda is here to take on that cause.

In the 23rd of July 2009 Isaac Mukobe who is straight and Andrew Wasswa who is gay agreed to work together to found the Rainbow Full House Uganda . They enlisted a lawyer to work on paper work and so Rainbow Full House Uganda was born.

What We Do

Advocacy and Lobbying

We shall develop advocacy and lobbying strategies/ideas which will help us and other LGBTI Organizations in Uganda to book the Ugandan government to serve her social contract with the LGBTI people.

Developing and Distributing Educational Resources

We are developing educational resources such as materials affirming lesbian and gay youth, information for teachers, and curriculum for anti-homophobia workshops.

Networking and Sharing Information

We shall serve as a clearinghouse for information about heterosexism and homophobia and for the many people around the world who are involved in anti-oppression education. College students, clergy, public school teachers, and community activists who might seek for our professional touch. 

Facilitating Regional Training Institutes

Experienced trainers will be provided for intensive seminars to increase people's skills in teaching about homophobia.

Convening Conferences

We shall convene national and local conferences where participants gather to support one another, share educational resources and methodologies, and develop more effective ways of educating about homophobia. Participants represent various religious and spiritual communities, educational institutions, community-based organizations, health care providers, and the media.

How Rainbow Full House Uganda will be Funded

1. We shall keep our administrative costs at 5%

2. Seek grants and donations from funding agencies and foundation across the global

3. We also seek individual contributions and services donated by individuals committed to this work.

If you share a vision of a world free of homophobia and heterosexism, then we encourage you to contribute. The more support we have, the stronger and more effective we can be.

How You Can Help

In order to accomplish the work ahead of us, we need help. We're looking for:

• People who want to join a network of anti-homophobia and anti-oppression educators by contributing this work
• People who have developed educational resources or who are interested in developing new materials;
• People who want to facilitate Training Institutes, co-sponsor an Institute in their area, or know of a group that wants additional training on issues of homophobia, heterosexuality, coming out, or anti-oppression education;
• People who want to plan regional or national conferences;
• Organizations to co-sponsor Training Institutes and, conferences and to co-develop educational resources;
• Individuals and organizations who can help with the many tasks in building and maintaining the work.
• Financial and in-kind contributions.
  

Thanks

Andrew