Uruguay’s LGBTQ community finds itself in a moment of strategic reflection and coordinated action in this crucial election year.

With presidential elections on the horizon, diverse voices inside and outside the Uruguayan political arena are advocating for representation. They are also working to confront the challenges facing the country’s queer population in obtaining positions in Congress. 

Uruguay is one of the first countries in Latin America to implement legislation and public policies to improve the quality of life of LGBTQ people. Uruguay, in fact, is considered one of the safest countries in the world for queer tourists.

In recent years, however, LGBTQ people been underrepresented in Congress and other political spaces. And activists see the Oct. 27 election as an opportunity to gain space. 

Diego Sempol, a renowned Uruguayan political scientist, told the Washington Blade that LGBTQ participation in national politics is important. 

“It is crucial for the LGBTQ+ community to hold positions in Congress to make their issues visible,” he said. “This not only drives more inclusive legislative advances, but also challenges existing social prejudices.” 

“I think it would seem important to run for a position in Congress or in the Senate because it would contribute to make the LGBTIQ+ population visible at the political level, which is very good because it is still a great centrality for a large part of the population and therefore achieving voting places, important places voted for, confirms that there is an advance or a setback in social prejudices about dissident gender identities,” added Sempol.

Daniela Buquet, a spokesperson for Colectivo Ovejas Negras, a Uruguayan advocacy group, explained how the LGBTQ movement is approaching this electoral cycle.

“We find ourselves in a context where the major political discussions are still centered on traditional figures, mostly white, upper-class cis males,” said Buquet. “However, we are moving forward strategically, strengthening our demands as the campaign progresses.” 

The recent primaries showed a political dynamic marked by established figures and discussions that do not always address the needs of social movements. Buquey stressed “LGBTQ+ candidacies are scarce in high-level positions, but we see progress at lower levels of the legislature, where congressmen and congresswomen are beginning to incorporate our concerns.” 

The electoral panorama reflects a clear division between the main parties, the Frente Amplio and the Partido Nacional, while parties such as Cabildo Abierto, known for its conservative and homophobic stance, are also part of the scenario. 

“We have seen attempts of setbacks by sectors such as Cabildo Abierto, but also resistance and social mobilization that have prevented significant negative changes.” said Buquet. 

The current government has faced criticism for its lack of compliance and progress on critical issues for the LGBTQ community. 

“The comprehensive law for trans people is still not fully implemented, and educational and health programs remain insufficient,” Buquet noted. 

The debate on inclusion and sexual diversity in Uruguay is not limited to the legislative arena, but encompasses the effective implementation of inclusive social and educational policies. LGBTQ activists expect the next government to take concrete steps to guarantee rights and improve the quality of life of all citizens, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. 

With the diversity march scheduled for this month, LGBTQ social organizations and collectives will continue to push for more equitable representation and effective public policies. The challenge is clear: “Transform visibility into tangible political action that benefits all of Uruguayan society.” 

Two gay men in Zimbabwe are facing a year in prison after authorities charged them under the country’s sodomy law.

The National Prosecuting Authority says Tavimbanashe Chawatama, 28, and Leonard Nyakudya, 25, appeared in the Harare Magistrates’ Court on Sept. 2. 

The NPA said the men began a relationship last August, lived together, and at times recorded themselves having sex. The couple on Aug. 27 had an altercation involving infidelity, which prompted one of the men to move out of the house. One of them was accused of stealing money as he was about to leave, which prompted the police to respond.

The two men while filing reports at the police station inadvertently provided details about their relationship and living arrangements, which resulted in their arrest for sodomy.

The men have been granted a $50 bail. Their sentencing is expected this month.

HQ Collective ZW, a Zimbabwean advocacy group, said the NPA treated the men unfairly, noting the police ignored their initial reason for approaching them.  

“The issue that was reported and the issue that they are being prosecuted for is a direct reflection of how the LGBTQ community in Zimbabwe is stripped of its human rights. It’s unjust and unfair,” said the group. “We have had cases of sexual assault, corrective rape, pedophilia, and gender based violence within the community, but the community can never take these issues to the police because at the bottom of it, awaits the prosecution of LGBT individuals despite the circumstances at hand.” 

Section 73 (i) of the country’s penal code states “any male person who, with the consent of another male person, knowingly performs with that other person anal sexual intercourse, or any act involving physical contact other than anal sexual intercourse that would be regarded by a reasonable person to be an indecent act, shall be guilty of sodomy and liable to a fine up to or exceeding level 14 or imprisonment for a period not exceeding one year or both.”

Pakasipiti, another Zimbabwean advocacy group, said LGBTQ people in the country constantly need to prove their humanness.

“When the human rights discourse is juxtaposed with developmental agendas it loses its luster,” said the group. “We see the far reaching effects of discrimination from entities such as religious groups and anti-rights groups purporting to protect the family. The lives of people are easily turning into song and dance against another’s humanness.” 

“As minority groups and people who have had to analyze and criticize one’s own existence, our understanding of oppression is not hinged on propaganda nor the subjective moral compasses of the masses. Queer people, more so, LBQ (lesbian, bisexual, queer) women have the burden of proving their humanness twice, if not thrice, to other women too,” added Pakasipiti.

Pakasipiti added it is “constantly reviewing our politics, work and organizing to be cognizant and accommodating of the nuances that we experience and must challenge.” 

“Our work is to ensure that LBQ women are respected and understood within the Zimbabwean society,” it said. “It is neither to beg for recognition. We are, unashamedly, unapologetically, queer Zimbabwean citizens.” 

Although the existence of the LGBTQ community is well known in Zimbabwe, there is currently a huge backlash against this acknowledgment that makes many LGBTQ people and activists vulnerable. 

Hate speech and arbitrarily arrests are common in most parts of the country because of religious and cultural beliefs. 

Zimbabwe currently does not have a law that specifically targets LGBTQ people. Some politicians and religious leaders, however, support one. 

Delaware state Sen. Sarah McBride is poised to become the first openly transgender person elected to Congress after she won her primary on Tuesday.

McBride defeated Earl Cooper by a 79.9-16.2 percent margin in the Democratic primary for the state’s congressional seat. McBride will face Republican John Whalen in November.

The LGBTQ+ Victory Fund in a press release notes McBride is “favored to win in the heavily Democratic state.”

“Voters across the country are sick and tired of the divisive politics of the past — that’s why we’re seeing an increase in diverse, young candidates like Sarah McBride clearing their primaries,” said Victory Fund President Annise Parker. “Nobody is more qualified than Sarah to represent the values of Delaware in Congress. I look forward to celebrating Sarah’s election victory in November and seeing her get to work for her constituents in Washington.” 

McBride is poised to succeed U.S. Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), who is running for retiring U.S. Sen. Thomas Carper (D-Del.)’s seat.

“Of course, there’s going to be discussion about the potential of this campaign to break this barrier and to increase diversity in Congress and to ensure that a voice that has been totally absent from the halls of Congress is finally there in an elected capacity,” McBride told the Washington Blade during a 2023 interview after she declared her candidacy. “While it’s not what this campaign is focused on, while it’s not what voters are focused on, it is certainly relevant to the young people who are feeling alone and scared right now.”