This Gay Week 16: Global LGBTQ Crackdowns and Wartime Ukraine

Author(s): Scott Douglas Jacobsen

Publication (Outlet/Website): The Good Men Project

Publication Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 2026/03/20

Karel Bouley is a trailblazing LGBTQ broadcaster, entertainer, and activist. As half of the first openly gay duo in U.S. drive-time radio, he made history while shaping California law on LGBTQ wrongful death cases. Karel rose to prominence as the #1 talk show host on KFI AM 640 in Los Angeles and KGO AM 810 in San Francisco, later expanding to Free Speech TV and the Karel Cast podcast. His work spans journalism (HuffPost, The Advocate, Billboard), television (CNN, MSNBC), and the music industry. A voting member of NARAS, GALECA, and SAG-AFTRA, Karel now lives and creates in Las Vegas.

Karel Bouley and Scott Douglas Jacobsen survey a grim global week for LGBTQ+ rights, moving from Kansas’s rollback of trans IDs to Uganda’s arrest of two women accused of kissing, Senegal’s “acts against nature” crackdown, Morocco-Cameroon asylum dangers, and the Church of England’s stalled inclusion debate. They connect these stories to colonial legal leftovers, religious conservatism, and imported U.S. evangelical influence. The conversation then shifts to wartime Ukraine, where Jacobsen describes curfews, blackout-adapted medical care, animal rescue, and the eerie coexistence of cafés, coffee, and daily routine beside missile strikes, trauma, and endurance for civilians, patients, pets, and communities alike.

Karel Bouley: All right, it is This Gay Week, and we’ve got Scott Jacobsen—or he’s got me; either way, we’ve got each other. He is still in Kyiv, Ukraine, where I could talk to him for hours about what is going on there, and not just about LGBTQ people. He’s in a coffee shop, and we’re asking a lot of their Wi-Fi, so we’re going to try to get through this. 

All right, so we have agreed on some stories for this week. Unfortunately, there were no happy ones, but that is the way life goes. And we focus more on international. Although, why don’t we start with a national story making international news: Kansas—our beloved Kansas—where Dorothy is from and where the Wizard of Oz lives.

Well, we’re not in Kansas anymore—not if you’re trans. In one day, they invalidated thousands of trans people’s driver’s licenses that did not list their sex as recorded at birth. Until this point, people were allowed to self-identify on their IDs. And now a law went through that said: if you were born male and your ID does not say male, the state is taking that ID back.

They have also got a law that allows private citizens to sue over bathroom or facility use in certain government buildings, framed as an “invasion of privacy.” 

Scott Douglas Jacobsen: There are going to be some very interesting legal cases.

Bouley: This continues the Trump administration’s assault. During the State of the Union, he proudly boasted that he had gotten rid of DEI. He stood on the podium and received strong applause from Republicans for saying that he ended DEI.

This is real. And then he targeted trans people in the State of the Union. So this follows along with the United States’ continued assault on trans people. It is making news worldwide.

The only good news we have this week is that Trump’s approval rating is underwater in major polling.

Many nations are no longer bowing down to him or taking his lead. Some still are, but many are not.

Unfortunately, this story is coming from the United States, but you’re right: it is going to bring about some very interesting litigation.

Jacobsen: This one goes right over my face because the most extreme stories can be the most educational. This is one of the most extreme contexts in recent history. Uganda, as we all know, passed one of the most regressive and oppressive anti-LGBTQ+ laws in the world in 2023. Under that law, certain same-sex acts can carry life imprisonment, and what the government calls “aggravated homosexuality” can carry the death penalty. It criminalizes the identity and relationships that people do not choose.

Recently, Ugandan police detained two women who were reportedly seen kissing in public. The arrest took place in Arua in February. Police said they had been observed kissing multiple times. The women were later released on police bond and had not yet been formally charged while the investigation continued.

Bouley: This raises many questions. Who is reporting them? Are there people actively monitoring public affection? Women are often more publicly affectionate toward each other than men are, so how do authorities determine romantic intent? Uganda has long been one of the worst offenders on LGBTQ rights, especially since the HIV era, and there have been killings and severe violence connected to these laws.

Sometimes, authorities make arrests very public as a deterrent, even if charges do not follow. Several human rights organizations have intervened, but Ugandan authorities have historically dismissed outside criticism. The legal framework traces back to colonial-era laws that criminalized relationships described as “against the order of nature.” Today, more than 30 African countries still criminalize same-sex relations, many under statutes inherited from British or other European colonial codes.

If you look further back in African history, you will find cultures that recognized same-sex relationships and gender diversity. The modern legal repression is tied closely to colonial governance and later political and religious movements, including some influenced by Western evangelical activism. That legacy project continues.

Jacobsen: The broader historical context includes European Christian and Arab Muslim colonization, with a particularly strong Protestant and Catholic influence exported from the United States and Europe. Some American evangelical groups have been active in Uganda for years, supporting anti-LGBTQ legislation. That influence has been documented and remains part of the story.

Bouley: They franchise their hatred, and it spreads. The same pattern appears elsewhere. In Senegal, for example—Dakar specifically—there were arrests in early February. Twelve people were detained and accused of what authorities called “acts against nature,” the same colonial-era language.

Senegal criminalizes same-sex relations under Article 319 of its penal code, with penalties that can include prison terms. My friend Vesta Williams once travelled there. She was an R&B artist in America who faced racism here. In Senegal, she encountered discrimination for being light-skinned. So prejudice there does not only target LGBTQ people; it can also operate within racial hierarchies in different ways.

The larger pattern across parts of Africa involves a mix of colonial legal remnants, domestic politics, and religious influence. And while human rights groups continue to push back, enforcement varies—sometimes dramatic arrests are publicized as warnings, and sometimes cases quietly dissipate. The laws, however, remain on the books, creating ongoing fear.

I would sure like to commit some “acts against nature.” Openly homophobic rhetoric has spread, and human rights defenders have been forced into silence. This is an ongoing trend. 

Jacobsen: Some analysts and journalists have documented the involvement of foreign conservative religious groups, including certain U.S.-based evangelical organizations, that have supported anti-LGBTQ legislation in parts of Africa. These agendas are not always generated in isolation.

Bouley: Dakar and Uganda face major challenges—access to clean water, food security, and economic stability—yet LGBTQ people become political targets. An activist from Free Senegal said there is an atmosphere of fear and intimidation in Dakar. That is the saddest part.

The twelve people arrested in Senegal have not gone to trial. Under Senegal’s penal code, consensual same-sex acts can carry prison terms of one to five years and fines. Even fines that may sound modest in euros can be devastating in local currency.

Across parts of Africa, anti-LGBTQ rhetoric appears to be intensifying rather than declining.

It is sad. You are in a war-torn country, and yet in some respects, there are different social dynamics at play compared to the countries we are discussing. I know many African people who are loving and accepting and do not support this repression.

Jacobsen: I have begun doing preliminary work on these issues in the Ukrainian context. I published an interview. One interviewee compared the social climate here to Saudi Arabia, particularly regarding forced marriage pressures. She said Ukraine feels significantly freer by comparison, though still constrained in some respects. During the war, some social issues have been deprioritized.

Bouley: Ukraine is still a largely religious country, correct? Religion plays a significant role in daily life.

Jacobsen: Yes. In Poland, Roman Catholicism is dominant. In Ukraine, Eastern Orthodoxy is the major tradition. The Orthodox Church, in its official teachings, does not affirm same-sex relationships. It is institutionally conservative. Historically, many Orthodox jurisdictions have also held restrictive views on women’s roles. These positions reflect longstanding theological frameworks that remain influential.

Bouley: They are not exactly a bathhouse of love and compassion. There have been reports in some countries of Pride events being attacked—people throwing objects, even hostile counter-protests. In Uganda in 2023, authorities shut down Pride gatherings and raided venues under the Anti-Homosexuality Act. That climate creates fear.

In wartime Ukraine, martial law does restrict certain forms of assembly. That is about security and military realities. But what does it say about Saudi Arabia when a lesbian in Ukraine says, “It is not great here, but it is better than there”? That tells you something about Saudi Arabia.

Jacobsen: I asked her directly. She described growing up with anticipatory dread—constant fear that something inevitable would happen: family pressure, forced marriage, legal consequences, or social ruin. Self-expression was tightly controlled—how you dress, how you speak, and the relationships you could have. In Saudi Arabia, same-sex conduct is criminalized and can carry severe penalties under interpretations of Islamic law. Enforcement varies, but the legal framework is deeply restrictive.

Bouley: And yet Saudi Arabia is building that massive futuristic project—NEOM, the proposed linear city called “The Line.” It is marketed as the world’s most advanced car-free city. If it is built as planned, it would be technologically remarkable. But the same society that is building a futuristic smart city maintains one of the most restrictive social systems. That contradiction is striking—hyper-modern technology paired with rigid social conservatism.

Jacobsen: It reflects a distinction scholars sometimes make between science as a method and technology as an application. You can adopt advanced technology without fully embracing the scientific mindset—critical inquiry, open debate, pluralism. The late physicist Abdus Salam, who worked with Steven Weinberg on electroweak theory, spoke about the difficulty of fostering scientific culture in parts of the Muslim world, even where technological adoption was strong. Technology can be imported. A culture of open scientific inquiry is harder to transplant.

Dubai is often seen as more socially permissive than other parts of the region, though the UAE still criminalizes same-sex relations under federal law. Enforcement and social climate can differ by location. Step outside certain urban enclaves, and the legal and cultural boundaries become clearer.

Bouley: It is remarkable. Another story coming out of Dakar involves Morocco, and Donald Trump is at it again. This is one of those “only in America” stories, even though it has international consequences.

People have asked me why I have never gone to Marrakesh or other trendy places in Morocco. I say that no matter how fashionable people think it is, same-sex relations are illegal in Morocco and can carry prison sentences of up to three years under Article 489 of the penal code.

There is a woman from Morocco—her name is Farah, she is 21—who fled to the United States seeking asylum because she said she faced danger as a lesbian. Under U.S. asylum law, individuals can request protection if they fear persecution based on sexual orientation. She was detained in immigration facilities in Arizona and Louisiana for many months. She reported harsh conditions and inadequate medical care.

An immigration judge ruled she could not be deported to Morocco because it could endanger her life. Instead, U.S. authorities reportedly removed her to Cameroon, where same-sex relations are also criminalized and can carry prison sentences of up to five years. Human rights organizations have documented abuse and imprisonment of LGBTQ people there.

Reports indicate that multiple deportees on the same flight had court-ordered protections limiting removal to their countries of origin. Legal advocates have argued that transferring them to other countries where they also face persecution raises serious due process concerns.

Three journalists reporting for the Associated Press on the deportations to Cameroon were briefly detained by Cameroonian authorities while covering the story.

Jacobsen: There has been a documented increase globally in harassment, detention, and killing of journalists in recent years, according to organizations like the Committee to Protect Journalists. I do not know a journalist who has not faced harassment. Women journalists often experience sexualized harassment in addition to threats. That undermines democratic norms, because a free press is tied to the public’s right to know.

Bouley: We are not living in normal times. Another story: the Church of England’s General Synod has paused further work on proposals related to blessing same-sex couples. Earlier efforts to expand inclusion have moved forward, but internal divisions remain strong. It is disappointing because there had been incremental progress, and now that process appears stalled.

Again, this speaks to the fact that it now seems acceptable in some spaces to bash gay people. Another issue is the online community. Many LGBTQ people—young and old—find solace and connection online, especially in gaming. You can be a character. You do not have to present yourself exactly as you are. You can experiment and assimilate.

However, several game developers have recently spoken out about ineffective moderation on major platforms, particularly Steam, which is the largest PC gaming storefront in the world. They argue that there is unchecked hate speech in discussion forums and organized campaigns of negative “anti-woke” review bombing targeting games with inclusive themes. Real-world hostility toward LGBTQ people appears to be spilling into virtual spaces.

Developers are saying this should not be normalized.

Jacobsen: Online subcultures have always included forms of policing—often gender policing. In earlier gaming communities, there were groups of heterosexual male players who used slurs or mockery to discipline anyone perceived as different—whether for being more expressive, wearing nail polish, or presenting outside narrow norms. That dynamic has existed for years, but now it appears more organized and politically framed.

Bouley: And it has real-world effects. On Steam, coordinated negative reviews can affect sales, investor confidence, and future game development. Some self-appointed curators direct campaigns against games they perceive as progressive or inclusive. Developers are concerned because this affects their business.

Reports indicate that transgender themes are especially targeted. That is troubling. On a separate note, actor Shia LaBeouf was involved in a public altercation during Mardi Gras in New Orleans in which he reportedly used anti-gay slurs. A judge later ordered him into treatment, reportedly connected to alcohol-related issues. He has since said he is not homophobic and is seeking help. Whether that leads to genuine change remains to be seen.

Take it easy in Kyiv. I was hoping you were already home. You look like a war correspondent—scruffy hair, scruffy beard—like those CNN reporters during the Iraq war who always looked ready to dive into a foxhole. At least you are clean-shaven.

Let me ask you something more practical. You have been there for a while. In Canada, you have certain creature comforts—routine, products, familiar cafés. In Ukraine, especially during wartime, are you still finding normalcy? Do you have access to basic comforts—things like shampoo, coffee, and daily routines? Is there still a sense of ordinary life alongside everything else?

Jacobsen: That is a good question. Basic goods are available. Stores are open. You can buy shampoo, conditioner, food, and coffee. There are curfews—midnight to 5 a.m. in many areas—so movement is restricted during those hours. When I was in Kyiv during heavy strikes, electricity was intermittent—sometimes about 12 hours a day, often in overnight cycles. That meant heating could shut off in winter. You adapt quickly.

Hospitals are functioning, but capacity varies. Facilities closer to the front lines are under more strain. There has been documented bombing of medical infrastructure. In 2024, the Okhmatdyt children’s hospital in Kyiv was severely damaged by a missile strike. That affects pediatric cancer treatment and other specialized care.

I spoke with a humanitarian medical expert who described patients on dialysis timing their sessions around power availability. Imagine coordinating life-sustaining treatment with rolling blackouts. Backup generators help, but not everywhere equally.

Bouley: During COVID in the United States, non-emergent care was delayed—chemotherapy, follow-ups, dialysis scheduling. When hospitals are overwhelmed, people fall through the cracks. So when I think about Ukraine, I wonder how people are managing chronic conditions.

Jacobsen: Many are managing through resilience and improvisation. That is the pattern. This past week marked twelve years since Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea and four years since the full-scale invasion of 2022. For children born after 2022, war is their baseline reality. Some were conceived during wartime and are now entering preschool having known nothing else.

When the war ends—if Ukraine regains its territories—returning to uninterrupted electricity and uninterrupted safety will be an adjustment. People develop adaptive schedules. A dialysis routine shaped by power cycles becomes normal.

Bouley: That is what I mean. When 24-hour electricity returns, will someone still feel compelled to structure their day around old blackout windows? Trauma changes habits. And what about veterinary care? I love my dog. Are vets still operating?

Jacobsen: Yes. I have interviewed a veterinarian and an animal rescue volunteer. Organizations are evacuating injured or abandoned animals from frontline regions. A Romanian veterinarian regularly enters war-affected zones to treat sick or traumatized animals. Estimates suggest hundreds of thousands of stray or displaced cats and dogs across Ukraine, though precise numbers are difficult to confirm.

Animal rescue has become a parallel humanitarian effort. War affects every layer of life—human medicine, mental health, pets, agriculture, and infrastructure. Yet cafés are open, coffee is roasted, and daily routines persist. Normalcy exists beside sirens. That juxtaposition becomes its own new equilibrium.

Jacobsen: I gave a two-hour talk to the Humanist Association of Toronto about some of these realities. They are not gentle topics, but they are important. In war zones, ecosystems destabilize quickly. Stray dogs may prey on cats. Pigs can scavenge human remains in areas of heavy fighting. Volunteers sometimes approach livestock cautiously, wondering what those animals may have been exposed to.

Frontline soldiers, depending on conditions, may slaughter cattle or pigs for food, especially during severe winters when temperatures drop to minus 15 or minus 19 Celsius. These are not abstract discussions. They are practical survival decisions shaped by cold, supply disruptions, and proximity to combat.

Bouley: I donate to Paws of War, but if you come across another reputable organization directly helping animals in Ukraine, let me know. I am happy to contribute. It may only be a few hundred dollars, but that can feed animals or cover veterinary care. 

Jacobsen: There are established Ukrainian organizations focused on evacuating, sterilizing, and treating war-affected animals, as well as international partnerships supporting them.

Bouley: Stay safe. We will see you next week.

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