Even when they try to silence us we still feel proud of who we are. This is a photo from when our local Ugandan organisation performed at Pride Uganda to our song “Freedom”. In Uganda it’s illegal to be LGBT so Pride has to be an undercover event. But that doesn’t stop us! As the lyrics to “Freedom” go: we’re beautiful, phenomenal, ain’t nobody gonna stop our love! 💖🏳️🌈🌈
Rainbow Riots founder Petter Wallenberg and his drag theatre company Bland Drakar och Dragqueens (“Amongst dragons and dragqueens”) have been invited to hold a seminar for the country’s politicians in the Swedish Parliament. ![]()
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The seminar is being organized in collaboration with Civil Rights Defenders, Jan Jönsson, City Councilor in Stockholm (L), Ulrika Westerlund (MP), and Anna Starbrink (L) from the LGBTQI network in Parliament. ![]()
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“Now we can’t fight alone anymore,” says Petter Wallenberg, founder and director of “Bland Drakar och Dragqueens.” “We want the country’s politicians to stand behind us in the fight against hatred. Therefore, for the first time, we will share our experiences of hate and threats in the Swedish Parliament.”![]()
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The theatre company “Bland Drakar och Dragqueens” established the phenomenon of storytelling shows for children performed by drag performers in Sweden and is the largest in the genre in the entire Nordic region. Since 2017, they have been touring the country and performing up to 200 shows a year. ![]()
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But they also face substantial amounts of hate and threats. For several years, they have been targeted by a series of Nazi attacks, and they have endured long periods of online hate storms. Recently, they filed a police report against 106 individuals for hate crimes. The case is currently being investigated by the police’s hate crime unit. ![]()
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Photo: Studio Johannes Helje![]()
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With support from Myndigheten för ungdoms- och civilsamhällesfrågor, MUCF
In Uganda, being LGBT is not only stigmatized but also illegal, creating a challenging environment for the LGBTIQ community. To address the pressing issues, we recently organized a workshop aimed at raising awareness about the effects of Anti-Homosexuality Act (AHA) .![]()
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We discussed strategies to better manage the stress, anxiety, and depression that often arise from societal stigma and legal threats related to living in a country's that criminalises us for who we are.![]()
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Through dialogue, shared experiences, and support, we can grow stronger and advocate for equality by sharing our stories with the wider world.![]()
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With funding Svenska institutettutet
Our new human rights project is underway in Uganda. With creativity at the core of our working methods, we enable a higher level of diversity and inclusivity within the community whilst also reaching a wider audience outside the community. We believe that arts and culture can change the world because they can change people’s attitudes. Stop the hatred towards LGBT people now! 🏳️🌈![]()
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Project funded by Svenska institutet
In Uganda a new law makes it a crime to be LGBT. We in Rainbow Riots want to change this and we start by empowering Uganda’s LGBT community. ![]()
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Therefore, over two days, we have organised workshops with legal training to help Ugandan LGBT people learn how to navigate around safety and security challenges at this difficult time. By knowing and understanding the law we can protect our community. ![]()
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Despite these challenges, many members demonstrated a remarkable resilience, passionately advocating for the importance of using their voices to express their messages to the wider world. Watch this space! We will not give up! 🏳️🌈![]()
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Project funded by Svenska institutet
