Stories of Change. Religious Leaders and LGBTIQ Inclusion in East Africa

With the passing of the Ugandan Anti-Homosexuality Bill (2023) and the debates on the Family Protection Bill in Kenya, undertaking research on sexuality, especially non-conforming sexuality, has become extremely difficult in these two East African countries and critical voices struggle to find space in public and academic publications. Quite uniquely, and not without challenges, the authors of this book through a community-based approach were able to give voice to many Christian and Muslim religious leaders offering critical insights into their personal, theological and social sacrifices that they face in everyday realities dominated by conservative religious interpretations and theologies. In so doing, the authors also identify common strategies religious leaders develop to respond to these challenges while keeping true to their mission. Through in-depth biographical interviews, against a backdrop of conservative religious expressions in the Ugandan and Kenyan public sphere, this book uniquely shows how religious leaders in East African countries can be agents of progressive social change.