Val Kalende is an

LGBT ' is an initialism that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. In use since the 1990s, the initialism, as well as some of its common variants, functions as an umbrella term for sexuality and gender identity. The LGBT term is a ...

activist from

Uganda }), is a landlocked country in East Africa East Africa, Eastern Africa, or East of Africa, is the eastern subregion of the African continent. In the United Nations Statistics Division scheme of geographic regions, 10-11-(16*) territor ...

. After coming out as a

lesbian A lesbian is a Homosexuality, homosexual woman.Zimmerman, p. 453. The word is also used for women in relation to their sexual identity or sexual behavior, regardless of sexual orientation, or as an adjective to characterize or associate n ...

in 2003, she became involved in Ugandan LGBT activism. In 2018, she stated she was no longer a lesbian, having been "transformed by God's love".

Biography

In 2003, Kalende came out as a lesbian, which led her Christian family to break ties with her. As a student at Makerere University in Kampala, she co-founded the country's first lesbian activist organization, Freedom & Roam Uganda. Weeks after the introduction of

The Anti-Homosexuality Act, 2014 The Anti-Homosexuality Act, 2014 was an act passed by the Parliament of Uganda on 20 December 2013, which prohibited sexual relations between persons of the same sex. The act was previously called the "Kill the Gays bill" in the western mainst ...

, which made homosexuality punishable by

life imprisonment Life imprisonment is any sentence of imprisonment for a crime under which convicted people are to remain in prison for the rest of their natural lives or indefinitely until pardoned, paroled, or otherwise commuted to a fixed term. Crimes for ...

, Kalende accepted to be interviewed about her sexuality in a cover story for the national newsmagazine ''The Daily Monitor''. In 2012, after being active for 10 years in Uganda, in a

Huffington Post ''HuffPost'' (formerly ''The Huffington Post'' until 2017 and sometimes abbreviated ''HuffPo'') is an American progressive news website, with localized and international editions. The site offers news, satire, blogs, and original content, and ...

blog post, she denounced that "coming out" as lesbian procured her

verbal abuse Verbal abuse (also known as verbal aggression, verbal attack, verbal violence, verbal assault, psychic aggression, or psychic violence) is a type of psychological/mental abuse that involves the use of oral, gestured, and written language direct ...

, alienation, being abandoned as a teenager and having experienced

homelessness Homelessness or houselessness – also known as a state of being unhoused or unsheltered – is the condition of lacking stable, safe, and adequate housing. People can be categorized as homeless if they are: * living on the streets, also kn ...

at a tender age. A fellow at the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission she researched the way of organizing and the strategy put into practice by each African LGBT movement, and how international NGOs can support their work. She further expressed herself for a balanced narrative that would bring the change needed, not only a victimization narrative, but also starting to focus on positive stories of assertiveness (such as the pressing activity of Victor Mukasa, the founder of Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG), at US consular offices), a statement that has not been well received even among fellow activists. Considering that despite the international attention and making leaders accountable, that pits the community against its countrymen. She also hoped to strengthen collaboration between activists and civil society on a wide range of human rights issues. In August 2018, on the local Christian channel Salt TV, Val Kalende issued a public statement that she was no longer a lesbian.

Dear LGBT movement: I found Life, Truth and Grace. My prayer is that you find the good life as I have. Y'all have become my reason for intercession. I know, from some of the messages I've received so far, that the Holy Spirit has begun speaking to your hearts. He is the revealer of all truth… To pastors I disagreed with, I am sorry. To politicians I violently fought in a war of words, I am sorry. To the old and young generation of this nation, I am sorry. To my FATHER and maker, I am sorry. To myself, I am sorry. I am at peace with my soul because I am forgiven and forever set free. Psalm 51:17. - Val Kalende,

References

Sources

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External links

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Val Kalende
on LGBT Youth Line
Speaker: Val Kalende. “Valentine’s Journey to Welcome”
First Parish Cambridge
Val Kalende
at OutRight International {{DEFAULTSORT:Kalende, Val Ugandan LGBT rights activists Living people University of British Columbia alumni Year of birth missing (living people)