I am working on the publicity for my event and thinking more about presentation. As a graphic designer, one of my favorite parts of any project is designing or publicizing my event. I started drafting a poster idea last Wednesday that was kind of like a collage. I found royalty free photos on the internet that I wanted to turn into a story about this issue. I had a photo of gazelles running in Africa to represent a sense of freedom or beauty but at the same time show their vulnerability. There was going to be a photo of an African baby, showing the impact that this legislation will have on future generations and also the hope that there is for the country still. The baby also alludes to the number one argument fueling this inflammatory hate speech; protect our families and protect our children. There were going to be a photo of a man and a woman who look both hopeful and destitute. I found a really cool photo of a man performing some sort of tribal ritual in which he breathes fire and I wanted to use that imagery to represent both the fire of the protestors who rose against the bill and to show how Uganda is adding to the fire that is homophobia. I wanted to use a photo of the Washington monument in the backdrop to symbolize how America is behind this catastrophe in some ways. I want people to see how this issue is an American issue so that we can't ignore it. Lastly, I wanted to put a royaltied photo of David Bahati on the poster because I want everyone to be able to recognize his face. I want Bahati to be more famous than he already is so that when the next member of parliament or congressperson comes around and tries to do the same thing as Bahati, we will be able to recognize their actions and stop them from ever succeeding as much as he did.
This all sounded good in theory, yes? Well, honestly put, the photos just didn't go well together. Even if the idea was good, I just couldn't turn in something that wasn't executed in an eye-appealing manner. Instead, I used three strong images, the baby, the woman, and the man, to become focal point of my poster. They all look off into different areas for a reason; it shows the polarity that exists in the world when it comes to this issue and is a reflection of how as Americans we have refused to confront it and look it straight in the eye. I used all black and white because I find it ironic to talk about LGBT issues and not use full color (like the rainbow flag). It also shows the seriousness of this topic and contrast can symbolize many things to different people. To me, black and white contrast makes me think of us vs. them behavior and closed-mindedness, two concepts I think apply to this issue very well. The barbed wire acts as a separator for the page mostly because the imagery needed to be broken up but also because it is a pretty universal symbol of oppression or danger. The most eye-catching part of the poster is the text "Kill the Bill" which was done in an army sort of font. The title was intended to be an allusion to Quentin Tarentino's Kill Bill which is why I used a skinny, sans-serif font to mimic the movies look. From just looking at the poster, I don't think there'd be anyway that someone would guess
from the poster that this is about an LGBT issue which is what I wanted. I wanted it that way because underneath it all, these are not LGBT issues, these are human issues.
I always find a deeper understanding for my topic when I make a poster for it. I think images are really important in telling ones story. I need to have good images behind me as I'm talking about this problem because numbers and statistics are too abstract for the average person. The saying is true that a picture is worth a thousand words so I feel that it is one of the most important objective was to collect compelling visuals that told me a story so that I could share those stories with others.
sometimes, we all go a little mad. mad defined; insane, angry, excited, intense, passionate
Monday, May 13, 2013
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
The Bill Itself
Here are some excerpts from The Anti-Homosexuality Bill of 2009.
The objective:
"The object of this Bill is to establish a comprehensive consolidated legislation to protect the traditional family by prohibiting (i) any form of sexual relations between persons of the same sex; and (ii) the promotion or recognition of such sexual relations in public institutions and other places through or with the support of any Government entity in Uganda or any non governmental organization inside or outside the country."
Gay people are a threat to straight people:
"This Bill aims at strengthening the nation’s capacity to deal with emerging internal and external threats to the traditional heterosexual family."
Being gay is a choice:
"This legislation further recognizes the fact that same sex attraction is not an innate and immutable characteristic."
Not the children!:
"There is also need to protect the children and youths of Uganda who are made vulnerable to sexual abuse and deviation as a result of cultural changes, uncensored information technologies, parentless child developmental settings and increasing attempts by homosexuals to raise children in homosexual relationships through adoption, foster care, or otherwise."
We don't need no stinkin' gays:
"This legislation comes to complement and supplement the provisions of the Constitution of Uganda and the Penal Code Act Cap 120 by not only criminalizing same sex marriages but also same-sex sexual acts and other related acts."
Thou speaketh and we won't listen:
"Prohibit ratification of any international treaties, conventions, protocols, agreements and declarations which are contrary or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act;"
The chickens and the fleas:
"Sexual act includes:
a) physical sexual activity that does not necessarily culminate in intercourse and may include the touching of another’s breast, vagina, penis or anus:
(b) stimulation or penetration of a vagina or mouth or anus or any part of the body of any person, however slight by a sexual organ;
(c) the unlawful use of any object or organ by a person on another person’s sexual organ or anus or mouth;"
Furthermore:
"touching” includes touching—
(a) with any part of the body;
(b) with anything else;
(c) through anything;"
Serious serial scandals:
"A person commits the offense of aggravated homosexuality where the
Life imprisonment?:
" A person who commits an offence under this section [homosexuality] shall be liable on conviction to imprisonment for life."
The hangman's noose:
" A person who commits the offence of aggravated homosexuality shall be liable on conviction to suffer death."
Don't even try it:
"A person who attempts to commit the offence of homosexuality commits a felony and is liable on conviction to imprisonment seven years. A person who attempts to commit the offence of aggravated homosexuality commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for life."
The victims (not the oppressed homosexuals, the ones that they prey on):
" A victim of homosexuality shall not be penalized for any crime commuted as a direct result of his or her involvement in homosexuality."
Pay up:
"Where a person is convicted of homosexuality or aggravated homosexuality under sections 2 and 3 of this Act, the court may, in addition to any sentence imposed on the offender, order that the victim of the offence be paid compensation by the offender for any physical, sexual or psychological harm caused to the victim by the offence."
Actions speak louder than words...:
"Any editor or publisher, reporter or columnist in case of printed materials. announcer or producer in case of television and radio, producer or director of a film to case of the movie industry. or any person utilizing trimedia facilities or information technology who publishes or causes the publicity of the names and personal circumstances or any other information tending to establish the victim’s identity without authority of court commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding two hundred and fifty currency points." #thisisnottrue
Speak no evil:
"A person who aids, abets, counsels or procures another to engage in acts of homosexuality commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for seven years."
Hear no evil:
"A person who conspires with another to induce another person of the same sex by any means of false pretence or other fraudulent means to permit any person of the same sex to have unlawful carnal knowledge of him or her commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for seven years."
Secret secrets are no fun:
"A person who detains another person with the intention to commit acts of homosexuality with him or herself or with any other person commits an offence and is liable on conviction for seven years."
Gay bars = criminal institution?:
"A person who keeps a house, room,set of rooms or place of any kind for the purposes of homosexuality commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for seven years."
Don't stand up for what is right:
"participates in production, procuring, marketing, broadcasting, disseminating, publishing pornographic materials for purposes of promoting homosexuality;
(b) funds or sponsors homosexuality or other related activities;
(c) offers premises and other related fixed or movable assets for purposes of homosexuality or promoting homosexuality;
(d) uses electronic devices which include internet, films, mobile phones for purposes of homosexuality or promoting homosexuality and;
(e) who acts as an accomplice or attempts to promote or in any way abets homosexuality and related practices;"
24 hours or less or show me the money!:
"A person in authority, who being aware of the commission of any offence under this Act, omits to report the offence to the relevant authorities within twenty-four hours of having first had that knowledge, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding two hundred and fifty currency points or imprisonment not exceeding three years." (by the way, two hundred and fifty currency points are equal to 5,000,000 Kenyan schillings which is equal to $60,000 US dollars.)
You can run but you can't hide:
"a person who, while being a citizen of or permanently residing in Uganda, commits an act outside Uganda, which act would constitute an offence under this Act had it been committed in Uganda; or
(b) the offence was committed partly outside and or partly in Uganda. A person charged with an offence under this Act shall be liable to extradition under the existing extradition laws."
And that is it. The Ugandan bill in all its catastrophic glory. It is, by far, one of the worst pieces of legislation that I have ever read.
Full text from
http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2009/10/15/15609
The objective:
"The object of this Bill is to establish a comprehensive consolidated legislation to protect the traditional family by prohibiting (i) any form of sexual relations between persons of the same sex; and (ii) the promotion or recognition of such sexual relations in public institutions and other places through or with the support of any Government entity in Uganda or any non governmental organization inside or outside the country."
Gay people are a threat to straight people:
"This Bill aims at strengthening the nation’s capacity to deal with emerging internal and external threats to the traditional heterosexual family."
Being gay is a choice:
"This legislation further recognizes the fact that same sex attraction is not an innate and immutable characteristic."
Not the children!:
"There is also need to protect the children and youths of Uganda who are made vulnerable to sexual abuse and deviation as a result of cultural changes, uncensored information technologies, parentless child developmental settings and increasing attempts by homosexuals to raise children in homosexual relationships through adoption, foster care, or otherwise."
We don't need no stinkin' gays:
"This legislation comes to complement and supplement the provisions of the Constitution of Uganda and the Penal Code Act Cap 120 by not only criminalizing same sex marriages but also same-sex sexual acts and other related acts."
Thou speaketh and we won't listen:
"Prohibit ratification of any international treaties, conventions, protocols, agreements and declarations which are contrary or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act;"
The chickens and the fleas:
"Sexual act includes:
a) physical sexual activity that does not necessarily culminate in intercourse and may include the touching of another’s breast, vagina, penis or anus:
(b) stimulation or penetration of a vagina or mouth or anus or any part of the body of any person, however slight by a sexual organ;
(c) the unlawful use of any object or organ by a person on another person’s sexual organ or anus or mouth;"
Furthermore:
"touching” includes touching—
(a) with any part of the body;
(b) with anything else;
(c) through anything;"
Serious serial scandals:
"A person commits the offense of aggravated homosexuality where the
(a) person against whom the offence is committed is below the age of 18 years;
(b) offender is a person living with HIV;
(c) offender is a parent or guardian of the person against whom the offence is committed;
(d) offender is a person in authority over the person against whom the offence is committed;
(e) victim of the offence is a person with disability;
(f) offender is a serial offender, or
(g) offender applies, administers or causes to be used by any man or woman any drug, matter or thing with intent to stupefy overpower him or her so as to there by enable any person to have unlawful carnal connection with any person of the same sex"
Life imprisonment?:
" A person who commits an offence under this section [homosexuality] shall be liable on conviction to imprisonment for life."
The hangman's noose:
" A person who commits the offence of aggravated homosexuality shall be liable on conviction to suffer death."
Don't even try it:
"A person who attempts to commit the offence of homosexuality commits a felony and is liable on conviction to imprisonment seven years. A person who attempts to commit the offence of aggravated homosexuality commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for life."
The victims (not the oppressed homosexuals, the ones that they prey on):
" A victim of homosexuality shall not be penalized for any crime commuted as a direct result of his or her involvement in homosexuality."
Pay up:
"Where a person is convicted of homosexuality or aggravated homosexuality under sections 2 and 3 of this Act, the court may, in addition to any sentence imposed on the offender, order that the victim of the offence be paid compensation by the offender for any physical, sexual or psychological harm caused to the victim by the offence."
Actions speak louder than words...:
"Any editor or publisher, reporter or columnist in case of printed materials. announcer or producer in case of television and radio, producer or director of a film to case of the movie industry. or any person utilizing trimedia facilities or information technology who publishes or causes the publicity of the names and personal circumstances or any other information tending to establish the victim’s identity without authority of court commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding two hundred and fifty currency points." #thisisnottrue
Speak no evil:
"A person who aids, abets, counsels or procures another to engage in acts of homosexuality commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for seven years."
Hear no evil:
"A person who conspires with another to induce another person of the same sex by any means of false pretence or other fraudulent means to permit any person of the same sex to have unlawful carnal knowledge of him or her commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for seven years."
Secret secrets are no fun:
"A person who detains another person with the intention to commit acts of homosexuality with him or herself or with any other person commits an offence and is liable on conviction for seven years."
Gay bars = criminal institution?:
"A person who keeps a house, room,set of rooms or place of any kind for the purposes of homosexuality commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for seven years."
Don't stand up for what is right:
"participates in production, procuring, marketing, broadcasting, disseminating, publishing pornographic materials for purposes of promoting homosexuality;
(b) funds or sponsors homosexuality or other related activities;
(c) offers premises and other related fixed or movable assets for purposes of homosexuality or promoting homosexuality;
(d) uses electronic devices which include internet, films, mobile phones for purposes of homosexuality or promoting homosexuality and;
(e) who acts as an accomplice or attempts to promote or in any way abets homosexuality and related practices;"
24 hours or less or show me the money!:
"A person in authority, who being aware of the commission of any offence under this Act, omits to report the offence to the relevant authorities within twenty-four hours of having first had that knowledge, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding two hundred and fifty currency points or imprisonment not exceeding three years." (by the way, two hundred and fifty currency points are equal to 5,000,000 Kenyan schillings which is equal to $60,000 US dollars.)
You can run but you can't hide:
"a person who, while being a citizen of or permanently residing in Uganda, commits an act outside Uganda, which act would constitute an offence under this Act had it been committed in Uganda; or
(b) the offence was committed partly outside and or partly in Uganda. A person charged with an offence under this Act shall be liable to extradition under the existing extradition laws."
And that is it. The Ugandan bill in all its catastrophic glory. It is, by far, one of the worst pieces of legislation that I have ever read.
Full text from
http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2009/10/15/15609
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Developing a Timeline for the Kill the Gays Bill
This whole thing has been in the works for over 30 years...
Idi Amin- 3rd president of Uganda from 1971-1979.
Known for human rights abuse and oppression, including the outruling of
Evangelical Christianity. When his rule fell, Uganda became the mecca for Evangelical Christians.
(Uganda is the number 1 hotspot for American Evangelical missionaries).
(The International House of Prayer [IHOP] calls Uganda "the pearl of Africa").
Christian missionaries from America go to Uganda to start spreading the faith. They built churches, schools, and hospitals. While these things were good for a lot of Ugandans in desperate need for the help, the missionaries pushed extremely conservative, Christian views including that homosexuality was an abomination.
A member of Ugandan parliment, David Bahati introduces the the Anti-Homosexuality Bill in 2009 which was largely inspired by American Evangelicals and conservative republican politicians.
Due to global outcry, the bill was mainly put on the back burner for all of 2010.
In 2011, parliment adjourned without voting on the bill.
In 2012, Bahati re-introduced the bill and it was passed in November.
In January of 2013, God Hates Uganda was released exposing the American Christian
Sources:
Christian missionaries from America go to Uganda to start spreading the faith. They built churches, schools, and hospitals. While these things were good for a lot of Ugandans in desperate need for the help, the missionaries pushed extremely conservative, Christian views including that homosexuality was an abomination.
A member of Ugandan parliment, David Bahati introduces the the Anti-Homosexuality Bill in 2009 which was largely inspired by American Evangelicals and conservative republican politicians.
Due to global outcry, the bill was mainly put on the back burner for all of 2010.
In 2011, parliment adjourned without voting on the bill.
In 2012, Bahati re-introduced the bill and it was passed in November.
In January of 2013, God Hates Uganda was released exposing the American Christian
Sources:
Sunday, May 5, 2013
God Loves Uganda
God Loves Uganda is the documentary that I mentioned in my last post that was released earlier this year. I found the movie on youtube and started watching it today. The film explores the roots and affects that the influx of American-conservative-Evangelists has had on Ugandan society and government. It follows the story of multiple people from every side of the cultural divide; converted-Evangelical Ugandans, American missionaries, queer people living in Uganda, government officials, and those fighting to protect the lives of LGBT people. What I'm beginning to see from this movie is how responsible a small fraction of the American population is for the systematic genocide and oppression that is occurring in Uganda right now. This is something that I hope to do more research about. This information had made me also start thinking about this question; what should or can the American government do? Is there anything we can do? How can we stop what is happening?
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
The Marketplace of Ideas
For our final project in Issues in Modern American Society, I've decided to focus my attention on the Ugandan legislation known as the "Kill the Gays" bill and its ties to American politics. The bill was introduced in 2009 in the Ugandan parliment yet I am constantly surprised to see that very few people know about this issue. I spoke to nearly 400 people over the course of last week during a presentation that our school's Straight and Gay Alliance deliveres every year and out of all those people only 1 person said that they may have heard of the issue. When I told them that there were people in Uganda who are being persecuted today as we speak, one girl said, "Wait, I thought this happened like, 50 years ago."
As Americans, it's a topic that needs to be addressed because not only is it a clear violation of human rights and international law but we are also extremely involved in this. The Kill the Gays bill has extremely close ties to conservative politicians in America. In fact, the two are so close that the Ugandan sponsor of the bill said that the legislation and a republican conservative group in America known as "The Family" are one in the same.
As the global north becomes more polarized for the advancement of LGBT people (France passing Same-Sex marriage, SCOTUS discussing DOMA and Prop 8), it seems that the South, particularly Africa and Uganda are moving backwards. Why this polarization? This question was answered in a documentary called "God Loves Uganda". I have only read about it but I need to see it. More info to come...
As Americans, it's a topic that needs to be addressed because not only is it a clear violation of human rights and international law but we are also extremely involved in this. The Kill the Gays bill has extremely close ties to conservative politicians in America. In fact, the two are so close that the Ugandan sponsor of the bill said that the legislation and a republican conservative group in America known as "The Family" are one in the same.
As the global north becomes more polarized for the advancement of LGBT people (France passing Same-Sex marriage, SCOTUS discussing DOMA and Prop 8), it seems that the South, particularly Africa and Uganda are moving backwards. Why this polarization? This question was answered in a documentary called "God Loves Uganda". I have only read about it but I need to see it. More info to come...
Monday, April 29, 2013
Bella Ella, Mi Amor
Today is the birthday of my all-time favorite singer, Ella Fitzgerald. The First Lady of Swing would be ninety-six years-old on this lovely Spring day. I can't remember the first time that I heard one of her songs but the first one that I learned beginning to end was "Baby It's Cold Outside"with the incomparable Louis Armstrong. Whether she was swinging, scatting, humming, or serenading, Ella had such a way of bringing her audiences in. In honor of the transcendent Ella, I wanted to write a little post for her.
She was born today in 1917 in Newport News, Virginia. She had a pretty happy childhood being raised by her mother, Temperance. Ella was described as a "tomboy" because she liked to play baseball but she also enjoyed dancing and singing. Things got rough in her teenage years as her mother died from injuries she recieved in a car accident and then Ella's step-father, John, died of a heart attack. She was broke and alone during the great depression, but she endured. Her rise to fame is a pretty unbelievable story. Just by luck, her name was drawn at the Apollo theater where she sang the song, "Judy". Her raw talent was so powerful that she was asked to sing an encore. From there she kept winning contests and eventually was asked to be a part of a traveling band. She went solo after a few years of touring with other bands which was when she really started to get big because her voice and style brought a new modern edge to the decreasingly popular big-band jazz/swing bands. However, even as Ella became a singing star life was not easy. As an African-American female performer, Ella faced so much discrimination in her life. There was a true story that I heard once that while she and Dizzy Gillespie were in Texas waiting to start a show, racist police officers raided their dressing rooms and arrested them because they didn't like how forward Ella's manager was with his beliefs in a racially equal society. After the police arrested Ella and set her free for her concert, the police officers still had the nerve to ask for her autograph. I have also heard that an extremely popular club called the Mocambo wouldn't let Ella Fitzgerald perform in their establishment because of her race even though she was one of the biggest talents of that era. If it weren't for a call from Marilyn Monroe, the owners of Mocambo would've never let Ella sing there. It was completely sold out every single night she performed.
What I love about Ella is that she is such a model of how to overcome incredibly steep odds. She is remembered today as not only one of the best (in my mind, the best) singers of all time but as a victorious conquerer of discrimination and source of hope and inspiration for all of us out there who are trying to follow our destinies despite the struggles we all face.
I wish you all Blue Skies from here on out-
Why I Like Paula Deen
Hey Y'all,
just had to get that out of my system... This may be shocking to those of you who know me and know about my picky diet, but, I love watching Paula Deen Best Dishes on the Food Network. I'll admit it. The reason this may be shocking to those who know me is because, well, I kinda do everything the opposite of Paula in my life. First off, I'm one of those vegetarian-turnedVegan-backtoVegeterian people (you know, the ones who constantly switch off from being vegan to vegeterian?). I haven't eaten an animal for over 5 years now because of my animal activist roots. It has been my experience that a person can survive without the consumption of animal meats and be happy and healthy. I am also an avid advocate of naturally grown foods and extremely anti-GMO and anti-processed goods. That's not to say that I don't have these things sometimes as it is nearly impossible not too. I think health is a huge issue in this country and I'm therefore a huge advocate of stricter FDA regulations and restaurant codes such as requiring food distributers and restauranteurs to label the amount of calories in every dish they serve as well as have them offer healthier alternatives at affordable prices.
What's the first word you think of when you think of Paula Deen's cooking? (I'm pretty sure you're not thinking seitan...) Is it butter? Yep, the Georgia-raised southern chef is notorious for the fatty meals and lardelicious, hi-cal deserts that come steaming and bubbling out of her kitchen. It seems very counterintuitive that I would like a show where I get to watch chicken being fried, pig butt (which is actually a shoulder) being pulled, and crabs being boiled. Don't get me wrong, I hate all of that stuff. But I have found her show to be almost therapeutic in quenching my "curiosity craves". Some vegetarians/vegans might know what I'm talking about; it's when you randomly start either craving or thinking about beef, pork, poultry, or seafood. I was a huge steak eater before I became a veg and, although it wasn't hard to give it up at all when I realized where all that food was coming from, I definitely do feel that curiosity sometime. However, instead of feeling guilty about that, I've decided that the safest way to deal with these feelings was by watching other people eat it without giving money directly to the meat industry. And voila, that's how I met Paula. Not only do I vicariously nibble on that shrimp gumbo with her, but I also get to lick the icing off of her coconut glazed bunt cake. It may be weird, but I think it's a good solution for now. Besides, there are much, much stranger guilty pleasures out there than pretending that you're Paula Deen's tastebuds, right?...
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