With the recent passage of the Anti-Pornography Bill and the Anti-Homosexuality Bill in Uganda, memes and art have emerged quickly online. The Civic Beat writers An Xiao Mina and Ben Valentine recently contributed a couple articles to Hyperallergic looking at the responses:
From An Xiao Mina:
Nkoyooyo Brian, aka Brayo Bryans, is the director of LGBT advocacy group Icebreakers Uganda and production manager of Talented Ugandan Kuchus (TUK), a music and performance group. He re-posted “The Kuchu Anthem” in the video above to his Twitter account as part of the day, who told Hyperallergic that a number of individuals gathered in Uganda to sing “and we had a Twitter blast.” Kuchu in one of the local languages means “queer,” and lyrics like “We are here to stay” and “We’re never going anywhere” make a powerful, musical stand against the Anti-Homosexuality Bill.
@Da4Daphne @kasabiiti @SongaStone @GazaneCarol @IrenLaprincessa Checkout #PastorLokodo so smart #SaveTheMiniSkirt pic.twitter.com/mbEQ56nK0F
— Bala Joshua (@mwanguhya) April 11, 2013
From Ben Valentine:
Together with the Anti-Homosexuality Bill, which An Xiao Mina covered for Hyperallergic, the Anti-Pornography Bill is regarded by many as a serious infringement on Ugandans’ personal freedom. Rita Achiro, representing the Uganda Women’s Network, told Voice of America:
Such laws actually take a country like Uganda backwards in regards to women’s empowerment. I do not want to look at it just as the miniskirt, but rather look at it from controlling women’s bodies, and eventually that will end up into actual total control of women.
Of course, Ugandans on Twitter (#UOT) were quick to join the fray with memes and a #SaveTheMiniskirt hashtag.
