The picture to the left is a picture of Leticia, a transgender woman and executive director of Queer

The picture to the left is a picture of Leticia, a transgender woman and executive director of Queer Youth Uganda (QYU). The picture to the right is also a picture of Leticia but from when she was brutally attacked in May 2014.

Fears of attacks like these, fears of rape, fears of loss of economic security, fears of forced public outings and fears of arbitrary arrest are common place for LGBT people in Uganda. The virulent homophobic atmosphere has caused persecution to increase by an estimated 750% (most incidents of harassment and intimidation go unreported) compared to previous years since the passing of the Anti-Homosexuality Act.

Queer Youth Uganda is an LGBTI Youth Organization that currently works in 13 different cities in Uganda to advocate and protect the rights of marginalized sexual and gender identity groups. In short their main objectives are to:

Develop outreach programs
Educate LGBTI people about their rights
Increase awareness of HIV/AIDs and STDs
Provide legal advice and regularly update LGBTI people on the stance of current Homosexuality laws
Provide protection and safe housing for those whose lives are in danger

Please visit Queer Youth Uganda’s website for more information HERE.

Not all of us can be amazing frontline activists in Uganda but there are things you can do to help:

Support QYU financially:

Go to the Fund for Global Human Rights’s donation page HERE.
Fill in your details and make sure you fill in “QYU” in the box labeled “Mark My gift In Honor Of”. This ensures that your donation goes directly to Queer Youth Uganda.

Help spread the word:

Please reblog and share this post. It is vital to help get the word out about QYU’s work. When I first contacted QYU, the Fund for Global Human Right’s were discussing cutting off the programbecause, from donation statistics, there were very few people interested in Queer Youth Uganda. Please help show them that there are people who care.

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Every donation, regardless of size helps. Every reblog, regardless of how many followers you have helps. QYU needs to be able to pay rent for their safe houses, needs to continue provide legal and psycho-social support to LGBTI people, and needs to continue their fight against a homophobic and transphobic Uganda.

Thank you in advance! QYU deeply appreciates your support!