For Science

2014/03/07 Galarraga Aiestaran, Ana - Elhuyar Zientzia

• Genetika
• Etika

The decisions have been controversial and, among other media, the prestigious scientific journal Science has published an article on the issue. According to him, Museven has used science to legitimize the homophobic law. In fact, Museven himself has indicated that the scientific conclusions of a special commission of the Ministry of Health have led to the sanction of homosexual behavior. “They have come to the conclusion that homosexuality, contrary to what I thought, is behavioral and not genetic. He has learned and can be unlearned,” he wrote to Barack Obama, US President, when he asked him not to sign the law.

However, scientists who participated in the commission have claimed that Museven has distorted the conclusions of the scientific committee. For example, one of them, clinical psychologist Paul Bangirana, has completely canceled the reading that Musevini has made of his report: “The report does not conclude that homosexuality is not genetic and we have not said that one can unlearn.”

In addition to Baringana, ten other experts constituted the special assembly, including members of the Ministry of Health. His responsibility was to analyze the investigations and draw conclusions about the origin of homosexuality. Thus, the report concluded that there is no gender that implies being homosexual. Regarding the agents of the environment, some factors, such as the culture or pressure of the people of the environment, could somehow influence homosexuality. On the other hand, they said that homosexual and heterosexual behavior had to be regulated, “to protect the weakest.”

When Musevini and members of Parliament received this report, they read it in their own way. In his opinion, the report clearly indicated that homosexuals are not, but become homosexual. Therefore, for them it is legitimate and convenient to punish homosexual behaviors. This was expressed by Parliament through a press release.

In the Science article, Bangirana complains that in the press release they have confused what was said in the report. For example, the report stated that homosexuality is not a disease or something abnormal. In contrast, the press release appears: “Homosexuality is not a disease, but an abnormal behavior that can be learned through vital experiences.” Faced with this, Bangirana has made it clear that they had not said that homosexuality is abnormal.

Other members of the Board have opposed the provisions of the press release and have come to modify the report initially written. In fact, they have eliminated the reference to the regulation of behaviors to avoid misinterpretations.

But it has been useless: Museven has no intention of rejecting the homophobic law. In addition to the persecution that people with homosexual behavior will suffer (and suffer), the law has another consequence: it hinders the fight against AIDS. UNAIDS of the United Nations has announced that in Uganda about 7% of adults suffer from AIDS and that homosexual men are 13 times at risk of becoming infected. In this situation, UNAIDS warns that the exclusion of homosexuals is a violation of their health rights. Also in the name of science.

 

Published in the newspaper Berria.