Pope Francis met with the two LGBTQ activists from Africa at the Vatican City, on Tuesday, August 13, 2024. The meeting was held with the prominent leaders of the LGBTIQ communities in Uganda and Ghana.
At the meeting, Pope Francis made a point of extending their support to African LGBTIQ rights activists. The Ugandan LGBTIQ rights activists Clare Byarugaba reiterated her belief that discrimination is a sin and violence against LGBTIQ people is unacceptable.
Byarugaba made a statement, “She walks in solidarity with everyone as they had denied their dignity, they further encouraged us to continue defending our rights and to keep fighting for the right thing.”
Clare Byarugaba of Chapter Four Uganda also shared a post on her ‘X’ account with a picture of her sitting right next to Pope Francis. She also shared a video that shows Juan Carlos Cruz – a gay Chilean man who is a survivor of clergy sex abuse.
Member of a commission, advises Francis on protecting children from pedophile priests that introduced her to pontiff. Cruz is also a member of the Board of Directors of ‘GLAAD’.
Byarugaba is a founder of PFLAG Uganda. She added further to her statement that she was honored to meet Pope Francis. She added that she briefed him on the ruinous impact of Uganda’s two in a decade anti-LGBTIQ rights laws.
This also includes the Anti-Homosexuality Act that President Yoweri Museveni signed in the year 2023 and the gross human rights violations. She added, “Pope Francis reiterated discrimination is a sin and violence against LGBTIQ communities is unacceptable.”
Vatican City’s Pope Francis also met with Ebenezer Peegah, who is the director of LGBTQI+ rights group Rightify Ghana.
Considering this, Rightify Ghana shared on their ‘X’ account that with LGBTQI+ criminalisation rising in Africa, and Ghana’s anti-LGBTQI+ bill pending, they shared their experiences as queer individuals in Ghana.
They also expressed their gratitude towards the Pope for his progressive stance, especially his opposition to violence and discrimination. “Pope Francis encouraged us to keep fighting for our rights and that is what exactly we will do,” mentioned Rightify Ghana.
Lately, Rightify Ghana has been actively opposing the harsh anti-LGBTQ bill that won approval from Parliament but has not been endorsed either by the President or the Supreme Court.
To which Peegah added, “I was honoured to meet Pope Francis. I also told him that I joined the Catholic Church when I was young and we always used to pray for the Pope. It was ritual to ask myself if the Pope would also be praying for me as a queer person? But, his progressive statements brought me hope. So, I extended my gratitude to him.”
“We’re also very grateful for the meaningful gifts that we received, as they will always hold a special place in our heart for us,” stated Rightify Ghana.