UK court finds Ugandan woman not a lesbian, denies her asylum
”I find that the Appellant was not and is not, on the evidence before me, a lesbian.
”[H]er credibility is affected by her conduct. l am not obliged to accept her say so of these issues. l find such peripheral information to describe what went on, either in Uganda or in the United Kingdom, very generalised and quite simply lacking in the kind of detail and information of someone genuinely living that lifestyle.”
Ruling from Judge Toby Davey who presided over an asylum request made by Brenda Namigadde, a woman from Uganda who was trying to stay in the United Kingdom. And now she is to be deported back to Uganda, a country where anti-gay rhetoric and violence has reached new heights with the murder of gay activist David Kato. (PoliticalScrapbook)
The judge denied Namigadde’s claim on the basis that she could not recall specific details about the background of her lesbian lover, “Janet” — last name, age, employer, or details of time allegedly spent together in Canada. She also could not describe a lesbian bar that she claimed to visit in London. And her home did not contain lesbian-related media, which the judge thought was odd since Namigadde was allegedly seeking the freedom to explore her sexual orientation. (Telegraph.co.uk)
Namigadde’s case, however, had received much media attention; and a reported 60,000 people had signed a petition to allow her to stay in the UK.
Uganda, as many observers know, has been overrun with a kind of anti-gay hysteria. That odd phenomenon has resulted in political “witch hunts” by religious fundamentalists, legal persecution, and LGBT rights activists running for their safety.
Support Metro Weekly’s Journalism
These are challenging times for news organizations. And yet it’s crucial we stay active and provide vital resources and information to both our local readers and the world. So won’t you please take a moment and consider supporting Metro Weekly with a membership? For as little as $5 a month, you can help ensure Metro Weekly magazine and MetroWeekly.com remain free, viable resources as we provide the best, most diverse, culturally-resonant LGBTQ coverage in both the D.C. region and around the world. Memberships come with exclusive perks and discounts, your own personal digital delivery of each week’s magazine (and an archive), access to our Member's Lounge when it launches this fall, and exclusive members-only items like Metro Weekly Membership Mugs and Tote Bags! Check out all our membership levels here and please join us today!
