The Marquette Democracy Project will host Clare Byarugaba, LGBT-plus activist and feminist from Uganda, for a public lecture on Tuesday, March 28, from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. in AMU 227.
The lecture, “Daring to resist: Perspectives from a Ugandan LGBT-plus advocate,” is part of a four-part lecture series inviting international speakers to address social justice issues. Byarugaba will discuss what caused Uganda to take such a dangerous stance against homosexuality, and how advocates have fought back in one of the most volatile environments for LGBT rights activism.
Byarugaba coordinated a national Coalition that used its collective power to successfully fight the notorious Anti Homosexuality bill 2009 until its passage in 2014. After its passage into law, she was outed as a lesbian on the front page of a national tabloid newspaper and forced to go into hiding in the face of a national witch-hunt that included death threats. Despite the increased risk of arrest and mob violence, Byarugaba has persevered and the Coalition filed a Constitutional Petition that led to the annulment of Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Act.
More information and registration can be found online.
The Marquette Democracy Project is spearheaded by Dr. Jessica Rich, assistant professor of political science; Dr. Barrett McCormick, professor of political science; and Lucas Rebers, research assistant in the Department of Political Science.