By Gracie Lunah Steph for Kuchu Times In a world that too often erases disabled and queer lives, July’s Disability Pride Month offers a rare moment to claim space and demand visibility. For many queer disabled people, especially in Uganda, pride is not a parade; it is a risk, a hope, a survival strategy. This […]
July 2025
So all these mental gymnastics about how “they/them” doesn’t exist in African languages? Yeah, nice try. Our languages are more nuanced than we give them credit for. The problem isn’t the grammar, it’s the refusal to listen when someone tells you how they want to be seen.
I want your language raw and rough,
Ugandan slang that’s real enough.
struggling with the grammar of they/them
Call me “mwana, chief or boss,”
but respect my vibe, I’m my own boss.
You can spank me with “uncertain” love,
leave me panting for a “maybe” from above.
Against this backdrop, Kenya’s vote to renew the UN LGBTQ+ expert’s mandate stands as a modest but meaningful gesture. It shows that even in contexts of criminalisation, states can choose to engage with international mechanisms for accountability and reform rather than deflect or deny the problem.