Uganda: Study finds religious attitudes impeding fight against HIV
Study finds LGBTQI+ people with HIV avoid faith-based health services due to stigma
COMMENTARY
While Uganda has been hailed as a model in the fight against HIV/AIDS, religious and faith driven homophobic attitudes towards LGBTQI+ persons have undermined progress in eradicating epidemic, according to a new study published by the Universal Coalition of Affirming Africans Uganda.
The study, titled “The impact of faith and religion on HIV-related stigma, treatment adherence and service uptake among LGBTQI+ individuals in Uganda,” was conducted in collaboration with the Friends of Canon Gideon Foundation and with support from UNAIDS.
Data from the study reveals that LGBTQI+ persons living with HIV face risks due to limited inclusive services. Fueled by deeply felt faith and religious, cultural, legal, and personal convictions in that order, LGBTQI+ people living with HIV are shunned, outed, humiliated, and even denied access to life-saving medical care.
Much as the authors of the study pointed out instances where faith and religion facilitated access to HIV services for LGBTQI+ people, the study largely found religious beliefs and religious leadership as a hindrance to accessing care.
According to the study findings, LGBTQI+ individuals overwhelmingly (75%) reported that people of faith and religion perceive their sexual orientation as a curse or condemn it. They also stated that religion and faith play a major role in forming negative public perceptions about their sexual orientation.
“I am a person of faith, and I know Allah granted unto us love and free will as the greatest gift to humanity. Unfortunately, some people have failed to acknowledge that love is gender free and that no one ought to control another’s choice or free will,” the study report quoted one respondent.
It therefore comes as no surprise that anti-LGBTQI+ politicians in Uganda used conservative religious leaders and faith-leaning media to push for the enactment of the Anti-Homosexuality Act.
In 2009, the Family Life Network, led by Pastor Stephen Langa, and three American evangelists, including Scott Lively of Exodus International, held a three-day conference during which it was claimed that homosexuals had an agenda to take over the world and annihilate the family. Following a meeting between this group and the then-Minister of Ethics and Integrity, Hon. James Nsaba Buturo, the Minister announced that a new and stronger law against homosexuality was in the offing. Soon after the Minister’s announcement, legislator David Bahati introduced the Anti-Homosexuality Bill, which was dubbed by the media as the “kill the gays bill.”
In February of 2014, President Museveni signed the Anti-Homosexuality Act 2014 into law. A month later, the constitutional court declared the law null and void because of the way it was passed, not because of its provisions.
In February 2023, the Inter-Religious Council of Uganda vowed to do everything possible to return the law to Parliament as one of the measures proposed to tackle homosexuality in schools.
When introducing the new Anti-Homosexuality Bill before Parliament on 9 March 2023, the Speaker, Hon. Anita Among, described the proposed legislation as concerning the morality of the people of Uganda and its children, the same reason given by religious leaders.
The AHA 2023 was passed with overwhelming support in parliament and signed into law by the president in May 2023.
Reports by different organisations have shown how AHA 2023 has exacerbated the conditions of LGBTQI+ Ugandans living with HIV, with many unable to access life-saving medication due to increased stigma and threats of violence.
Constructive dialogue involving LGBTQ+ rights activists, policy makers and implementers, as well as HIV healthcare service providers have also been impeded. The fear is that such engagements amount to “promoting homosexuality,” which is prohibited under the law and considered sinful by religious and faith leaders.
The study findings show that only 5% of the respondents described a positive experience in religious settings where the clergy were aware of their sexual orientation. However, this group stated they had not disclosed that they live with HIV or have partners who live with HIV.
Whereas 70% of faith leaders interviewed stated that their Faith-Based Facilities provide HIV support, only 30% stated that they provide HIV support services to LGBTQ+ individuals.
It should however be noted that providing such services does not necessarily guarantee the safety or respect the rights of LGBTQI+ persons. Many are required to reveal their sexual orientation or gender identity only to be stigmatized.
As a result, LGBTQI+ individuals are reluctant to seek HIV services from healthcare providers that they perceive as faith and religion-based.
Professional health workers who attempt to offer HIV services and care to LGBTQI+ persons have come under attack from clerics, colleagues, family members and communities that believe wrongly that being LGBTQI+ is unholy.
Consequently, these services are accessed through discreet frameworks that have also become less safe, thanks to AHA 2023.
The study reveals that HIV stigma towards LGBTQ+ persons is common among all religions or faiths. There are reports of LGBTQI+-affirming faith and religious leaders being excommunicated for preaching inclusivity as opposed to exclusivity.
In some cases, LGBTQ+ individuals have opted not to disclose their sexual orientation or that they live with HIV in order to be included in religious, faith, government, and private health care settings. Others had turned to atheism to escape the endless scrutiny and condemnation from religions or faith, while some are defiant in their beliefs dismissing the stigma as a misconstrued interpretation of faith and religious teachings.
Just as it contributes to stigma and discrimination against LGBTQI+ persons, the organisations behind the study believe that faith and religion can as well facilitate access to HIV services by LGBTQI+ persons.
Therefore, to influence HIV treatment services for the LTGBTQ+ community, it is important to navigate challenges presented by religion and faith. In this regard, programmatic activities should aim to influence attitudes and practices that flow from religion and faith.
