Uganda grabbed international headlines in 2009 when an anti-gay bill -- often called the "Kill the Gays bill" as it includes execution as a punishment for homosexual acts -- was introduced to the country's national legislature. Three years later, the bill reared its ugly head again after being re-introduced in February 2012 by David Bahati, the Ugandan politician who authored the proposed law, partly in response to the Obama administration's push for global gay rights as part of a wider human rights campaign.
Despite international support, within Uganda, the fate of openly gay men and women remains perilous. Gay activist David Kato was beaten to death in 2011, and shocking reports of violence continue to pour out of the country. Uganda-based photographer Tadej Znidarcic decided to photograph some of the men and women who make up the secret world of gay Uganada. Below each image are the thoughts and experiences of being gay in Uganda by the unnamed subject.
"I used to be religious, but I'm not anymore. I lost my religion because of all the hatred preached by the Christians here. I'd rather go to my room and pray by myself to God. I know that God is there.
This guy asked me whether I was married. I said no, I love men, I don't love women. He was interested, we exchanged numbers. We met the next day and he took me on his boda (motorcycle). Then he said he had run out of fuel, so I got off. There were policemen waiting. One slapped me. The one from my tribe said I was shaming them. He said he would call the media and put my picture in the newspaper. I got very scared. They took me to the police station. I had to write that I wanted to sodomize the guy. I refused. They were humiliating me, pushing me with their guns. They told me the guy wanted 1.5 million shillings. I had 15,000 in my wallet. They took it. I said I could raise only 300,000. It was money to pay my brother's school fees. I hired a taxi and went to my place with two policemen. The driver and one policeman stood outside. I went inside with the other policeman and gave him the money. I was released at 3:00 am."
TADEJ ZNIDARCIC
