Polis, Others Call Ugandan Legislation “Extreme, Hateful”

The leadership of the Congressional Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Equality Caucus, including Reps. Jared Polis and Barney Frank, have sent letters to President Barack Obama and Ugandan President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni opposing pending Ugandan legislation that would outlaw homosexuality.

If the country’s law is approved, any form of sexual relations between people of the same sex will punishable by prison or even death.

The letters call the so-called Ugandan Anti-Homosexuality Act of 2009 “the most extreme and hateful attempt by an African country to criminalize their LGBT community.” They ask Obama to use his “personal leadership, and that of our country, in seeking to deter these legislative proposals.” They warn Museveni that, “Should the bill be passed, any range of bilateral programs important to relations between our countries and, indeed, to the Ugandan people inevitably would be called under review.”

More than 90 of members of US signed the letters.