Elsewhere in Africa: Secret Lives of Uganda's Gay Community

At the end of 2009, an unaccomplished and obscure member of Ugandan parliament, David Bahati, introduced a bill that criminalizes homosexuality even more than it was already criminalized in Uganda. “Aggravated homosexuality,” according to the bill, is now a capital offense. Anyone who doesn’t report a known homosexual within 24 hours is also subject to punishment of up to seven years in jail. 

Though the bill is unlikely to pass, it has unleashed an unprecedented wave of homophobia, with gay Uganda's address and photos published in the paper, and attacks documented through Uganda.

While much has been written about the draconian laws and homophobia in Africa, the people at the eye of the storm and their love lives - the cause of the storm - remain hidden. Afraid to leave their homes or appaer in public together, their secret personal lives take palce behind closed doors.

In the rest of the world, Uganda is now know for two things: homophobia and Idi Amin. But these gay Ugandans are completely unknown.