The Paradox of Same-Sex Representations: The Presence/Absence of Gays in Ugandan Short Stories

Abstract

The fact that same-sex sexuality is a topically combustive issue in Ugandan public discourse is reflected in debates it inspires. The debates that rage in Uganda regarding this topic are ferociously polarised around one camp that evokes the protection of minors from exploitation by “foreign” gays and upholding Ugandan culture to support the criminalisation of a sexual orientation, and another that cites modernity and Universalist’s human rights discourse to advocate for the fundamental human rights of individuals who choose to engage in same-sex relationships. The intense national anxiety around this topic is perhaps best illustrated by the controversial 2009 Anti-homosexuality Bill and the debates it produced. Granted, many Ugandan commentators, like politicians, journalists, religious leaders, traditional leaders and medical practitioners have joined in this debate to advance particular standpoints regarding this topic. However, one group of public intellectuals whose critique of this debate has attracted little scholarly attention, comprises Ugandan writers. In this article, I investigate how Ugandan short story writers have utilised fiction to map out the essence of queerness in Uganda. I argue that Lamwaka’s ‘Pillar of Love,’ (2012) Arac’s ‘Jambula Tree’ (2007) and Paelo’s ‘Picture Frame’ (2013) deploy subtle and nuanced discursive strategies to foreground the presence/absence paradox that is inherent in Ugandan discourse of same-sex sexuality.