A group of 15 prominent scientists and academics from around the world have written an open letter urging Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni to veto a controversial bill that would outlaw homosexuality in the country. The Anti Homosexuality Bill 2023 has already been passed by lawmakers and is set to be signed into law or vetoed by the president on Thursday.
The bill would make it a crime to identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer, with those who do so facing up to 20 years in jail. The most severe punishments, however, would be reserved for so-called "aggravated homosexuality," which could result in the death penalty. This term covers a range of sexual acts, including sex with people with disabilities or sex with children.
Before the bill was passed last month, President Museveni had called on scientists to determine whether homosexuality was natural or learned. The scientists who signed the open letter in response argue that homosexuality is a "normal and natural variation of human sexuality," and that genetics play a role in sexual orientation. They also refute the idea that homosexuality can be indoctrinated or caught like a "common cold," and point out that same-sex relationships have existed in Africa for centuries.
The letter emphasizes that many major scientific organizations, including the World Health Organization, support the idea that homosexuality is not abnormal or unnatural. The scientists call on Museveni to reject the bill in the name of science, arguing that it is not only unscientific but also violates universal human rights.
The bill has been widely criticized by human rights groups and activists, who argue that it would further marginalize and endanger LGBTQ+ people in Uganda. Same-sex relationships are already illegal in the country and can result in life imprisonment.
In addition to the open letter, Professor Glenda Gray, President and CEO of the South African Medical Research Council, emphasized that homosexuality is not a "pernicious western import" but rather a natural part of the human condition. Dean Hamer, Scientist Emeritus at the US National Institutes of Health, also weighed in, describing homosexuality as a "natural variation of the human condition" that has been observed in every society and culture throughout history. Andrew Legon, Senior Campaigner at Avaaz, called on Museveni to shelve the bill for good, arguing that it is "completely counter to the universal human rights embodied in the Ugandan constitution."