A section of Ugandan Lesbians, Bisexual and Queer women under their umbrella body of the Freedom and Roam Uganda (FARUG) have launched their own magazine dubbed Ba-Lesbica to tell their own stories.
FARUG is the oldest solely LBQ organization in Uganda.
Warry J Ssenfuka, the ED of FARUG said that this is a big milestone that is contributing to her story for years.
“We are now going to tell our stories freely without limitations because this is fully our space,” she said, “Our members will be able to tell their stories because even those that can’t write are requested to submit their stories in form of recordings and they will be published,”
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Asked to comment on the safety of these lesbians who come out to tell their stories, Ssenfuka said, “We are going to be using pseudo names on their By-lines, so they won’t be revealed, what we care about most is the stories of our members,” she said
The Magazine will be published annually according to Ssenfuka, “We may make it Bi-annual depending on the funding but apparently we are able to publish once a year,” she said
While officially launching the Magazine at the Nob View Hotel in Ntinda, Kampala on Thursday this week, Kasha Jacqueline Nabagesera, a Ugandan LGBT activist and the founder of FARUG and the ED Kuchu Times Media Group excitingly lauded the community for this tremendous milestone.
“We needed our own space and space, this magazine is a starting point and I am sure it will tell our stories I now call upon all of you to come up and tell your stories without being shy,’ she said.
“Share your stories and they will change the parallel line this is our own thing let’s come out and speak we need our freedom but as we are fighting for it, let’s own our space,” she added.
Nabagesera advised the lesbians to always feel comfortable in society and desist from shying away from work.
“Do not let your sexuality define you. They say that we get money in these things but I can assure you that we don’t get money here we work therefore go out and work our society has all professionals; teachers, doctors, lawyers, judges, etc so don’t shy away,” she said
The launch was attended by over 100 lesbians and Bi-sexual members.
Activists who spoke at the panels said that there is a need for lesbians to fight for media visibility.
“We are a community initiative, if we publish our stories it will communicate to the communities we live in,” they said.
“We also need to traverse other avenues like writing books, comedies and shows all this we shall be visible,” they said
Frank Mugisha the ED of Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG) said that, “This is a big milestone which is contributing to her story for years,”
