It's so nice to be able to speak to others who are saddened by this.
Honestly - I believe that homophobia has risen exponentially since the advent of Pentecostal preachers. These churches DO do some good things, childrens homes etc, but it comes at a huge price. Literally, I've attended some services and they take money from people who cannot feed their children. The preachers are always some faux-southern-american drawling his way through hours of pure vitriol, feeding people information which has no context or relevance in their life. Successful preachers are very, very rich men.
Preachers talk endlessly about anal sex and reduce homosexual relationships down to base (usually violent and non-consensual) acts. I would go so far as to say they are more interested in what gay people do in the bedroom than most gay people. They don't really seem to believe in lesbians. They actively discourage barrier contraception in a country with rising HIV, even the Catholic church in most cases turns a blind eye or even silently support agencies they fund giving out free condoms. It would actually be laughable if it wasn't so serious.
I don't know any Ugandans who seriously care about whether someone is gay or straight. The average person doesn't really "like" the idea of someone being gay, 'parading' it as it were, so in some respects nothing much changes, gay people will still not be able to live freely, but what they do in their own homes nobody cared, and now it's going to be punishable by a fine or prison not to report a known or suspected homosexual.
FGS I just want to scream at them who cares! Who cares!
Of course it's also true that these ridiculous laws and bills distract the dissatisfied element of the population from the fact that Museveni is still in power 27 years later. As well as questionable practices concerning Congolese blood diamonds and the newly discovered oil. I am hopeful that M7 is too firmly in the thrall of donors and outside influences (U.S Government has a huge base in Uganda) to actually let these laws come into effect. The Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi is also opposed.
I do believe they are reasonable men, but Ugandan politics is a mire.
On the other hand, it would be impossible to police banning miniskirts, seriously, on any given night you'd have to arrest every woman in Kampala.
Very long post but as you have probably gathered this is something which interests me beyond the direct impact it will have upon me as an expat and my son as a Ugandan.
My name means beautiful girl, my DP calls me it sometimes. I toyed with omuwalannyo which is slang for fit girl but changed my mind 