Ugandan transgender religious leaders, and their search for home

FLEEING FROM HATE

- CARL COLLISON

MAAMA Annet’s soft-spoken voice belies a steely determination. Over a patchy WhatsApp call, the 33-year-old is barely audible as she says: “We are all created in God’s image. No matter our gender identity or sexuality. So, my calling as a trans woman pastor is to address all of the heterosex(ist) Bible theories and teachings to make the world understand that everyone has the right and freedom to religion.”

In 2020, along with two other transgender Ugandan women (Aggie Dennett-Harmon and Deron Sheri), Annet established Talented Youth Community Fellowship Uganda (TAYCOF), a Kampala-based, in-person, “interfaith and ecumenical” ministry for LGBTQIA+ Ugandans.

“I came up with the idea of starting (an) LGBTI church because we queer people are being discriminated (against)...by religious leaders and in all religious spaces in Uganda,” says Annet.

Twenty-two-year-old Dennett-Harmon says the discrimination the trio faced came from all sectors. From within the queer community, they were told they are “no good” and “only care about looks (and) men.”

From the broader society, they were told they are “just agents of the devil. That we're trying to erase people's minds; trying to give them a different perspective of what Christianity is. That we are shaming God. (And that we are) pretending to be like Christians...They basically said we're trying to cover our sin of being trans in Christianity.”

This pervasive derision did nothing to deter them. Their continued work saw the ministry grow in popularity. In 2020, when they first established the church, there were around 25 members. “But,” says Annet, “it was growing, growing. Many people were interested in coming to fellowship with us. Sometimes there were 100 people who came for service.” On average, though, every Sunday saw about 50 people attending their services.