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Navigating the Pink Line? LGBTQ+ Ugandans as neither ‘victims’ nor ‘deviants’
Full text linkWith the introduction of the Anti-Homosexual Act (2023) in Uganda, LGBTQ+ Ugandans have faced significant socio-historical challenges in terms of shifting legal landscapes and the accompanying prejudice and discrimination which have emerged from this. Constructed as both ‘deviants’ of native Ugandan culture, or as ‘victims’ of a homophobic regime. Whilst a clear ‘pink line’ (Gevisser, 2020) has formed internally and externally to the Ugandan state, which has been impacted by a range of actors and social forces such as US evangelicals, the Ugandan state, the globalising of LGBTQ+ international rights and international actors, LGBTQ+ Ugandans have often been polarised and framed into the two narratives outlined above. However, whilst some post-colonial states such as Uganda are beginning to strategically renew their beliefs in ‘traditional’ sexual relations in opposition to the influence of LGBTQ+ identity politics as posited from the West, this has drawn a (pink) line in the sand. Using Gevisser’s (2020) concept of the ‘pink line,’ this article will examine the changing socio, political, and legal challenges faced by LGBTQ+ Ugandans, as well as the variety of forces which have enabled the Ugandan state to seek stringent legal responses toward LGBTQ+ Ugandans, including how this has affected LGBTQ+ Ugandans on the ground. We argue that due to this global polarisation of ‘traditional’ Ugandan values versus the modernity of LGBTQ+ identity politics, LGBTQ+ Ugandans have been framed as either helpless victims in a homophobic society by global responses to the introduction of the Act, or as deviants living within a traditional society which pose a threat to Ugandan social norms. Contrary to both perspectives, LGBTQ+ Ugandans have been present and active in their own agency to push for change for LGBTQ+ populations in Uganda, despite the introduction of the darkening climate set against the Anti-Homosexuality Act (2023)
Editorial 1(1): January 2025
Full text linkEditorial 1(1) - January 2025
With immense pride and excitement, I introduce our inaugural issue for (De)Constructing Criminology: International Perspectives. This milestone represents the culmination of collective effort, passion, and a shared vision to create a journal that advances, deconstructs, and challenges the frontiers of criminology. Our journal serves as a space where research in various forms, critical discussions, and innovative methodologies assemble. We are committed to fostering a dialogue that informs, inspires, and honours the positionality of diverse perspectives.
The editorial team is proud to see this journal come to fruition. It was envisioned from a panel presentation at the virtual 2021 EuroCrim conference of the European Society of Criminology. My presentation was one of several on the subject of gendered violence. Our in-between chats sparked a realization that a journal is needed to support new scholars and scholars outside the global north and west. We wanted to create something truly international, open access, and diverse. Over the years, my colleagues in England (Dr. Helen Williams) and South Africa (Dr. Lufuno Sadiki) and I chatted and strategized the journal’s purpose, values, and positionality within criminology. We created an open-access journal that is anchored at my home institution, Mount Royal University, and with our law librarian joining us in 2022 (Madelaine Vanderwerff), its creation commenced. These scholars bring a generous blend of discerning judgment, demanding standards, unyielding professionalism, and deep commitment to launch our journal. This editorial team also reflects our field’s intellectual diversity, mirroring the intellectual pluralism the journal seeks to embody.
I am deeply grateful to our authors, whose work anchors this publication, and to our reviewers, who have generously shared their expertise to ensure the quality and integrity of our journal. I also extend my heartfelt thanks to the editorial team, whose dedication and meticulous efforts have made this launch possible.
To support our authors the journal adopts a rolling publication model. This being our first year, we are publishing three articles in 2025 and aim to publish more this year. Keep your submissions coming! These publications illustrate our journal\u27s commitment to deconstructing and reimagining criminology by featuring articles that challenge dominant narratives and amplify marginalised perspectives. They demonstrate the journal\u27s commitment to showcasing international scholarship and providing access to publishing for early career researchers. The articles are wide-ranging in topic and method and highlight the creativity of current criminologists. The Good Guest explores the lived experiences of women prisoners in the UK through their writings; The Pink Line critically analyses the impact of anti-homosexuality laws in Uganda; and Homicide with Post-Mortem Dismemberment examines Italian forensic case studies.
As we continue moving forward, I invite you to engage with us—whether as readers, contributors, or reviewers. Together, we can shape a publication that not only reflects the present state of knowledge in criminology (and its adjacent disciplines) but also charts a course for a path that deconstructs criminology. Thank you for joining us in this exciting new chapter. I look forward to the conversations and discoveries that lie ahead.Kindly,Dr. D. Scharie Tavcer
Editor-in-Chie
A scan of Canadian reported cases of the criminalization of HIV/AIDS non-disclosure: 1989 to 2024.
Full text linkWe explored the criminalization of HIV non-disclosure in Canada to determine how the criminal justice system responded to non-disclosure in light of medical advancements related to transmission. The study included a review of literature, government reports, laws, and policies to reveal numerous prosecutions between 1989 to 2024. We performed a review of 162 reported cases to assess the types of offences and outcomes, prosecution distribution across the country, and accused and complainant characteristics. The literature points out that Canadian courts often overlook medical advancements, disproportionately criminalizing HIV non-disclosure compared to other sexually transmitted infections. Our findings confirmed that, and revealed that over time, public nuisance, sexual, and criminal negligence offences were applied. Accused were predominantly male, Caucasian, and most cases were prosecuted in Ontario and Québec, and accused and complainants were most often known to each other as casual, dating, or in long-term relationships. We argue for the reassessment of the criminalization of HIV non-disclosure, considering Directive 5.12 and Standing Committee’s Report (2019) both of which are a move in the right direction; however, charges continue post 2018, as do the stigmatizing effects of prosecution, and the need for more education and public health interventions
Head to Toe Exam for SANEs : Red Flags of Serious Injuries
Full text linkIn busy emergency departments (EDs), sexual assault nurse examiners (SANEs) are often the first medical providers who examine patients after a sexual assault, and throughout the evaluation the SANEs are provided with a high degree of autonomy. While most experienced emergency room nurses can very efficiently make a “sick or not sick” evaluation of a patient, less-experienced nurses may have more difficulty. Additionally, many practicing SANEs do not have an ED background. Although most sexual-assault patients have only minor physical injuries that do not require urgent intervention, there are some physical signs that warrant further evaluation. This review summarizes potentially serious findings that, with appropriate training, can be observed during a head-to-toe exam. It primarily concentrates on the general physical exam supplemented by aspects of the genital exam and observations regarding the patient’s mental health
Behind the Stigma: A Narrative Inquiry into the Perception and Experiences of Mental Health, Addictions, and Forensic Nurses
Full text linkMental health and forensic nurses work at the intersection of healthcare, law, and social justice, yet their roles remain undervalued within the nursing profession. This study explored how these nurses construct professional identity and resilience while navigating stigma and systemic inequity. A qualitative narrative inquiry design was used to gather written reflections from 14 nurses in Ontario and British Columbia, including registered nurses, registered practical nurses, and nurse practitioners. Participants responded to open-ended prompts through a secure online platform, describing experiences of stigma, workplace hostility, advocacy, and meaning in their work. Data were analyzed thematically and through a composite narrative approach to capture both individual and collective perspectives. Six major themes emerged: stigma and systemic misrepresentation, stigma toward patients, advocacy and emotional labor, workplace hostility, purpose and resilience, and systemic barriers. Findings demonstrate that nurses experience both external and internalized stigma that diminishes professional legitimacy, yet they construct identities grounded in empathy, advocacy, and relational expertise. The study applies Goffman’s concept of courtesy stigma and social identity theory to interpret how hierarchies shape belonging within healthcare. These results stress the need for stigma-reduction education, mentorship programs, and policy investment in community mental health services. Centering nurses’ voices through narrative inquiry reframes mental health and forensic nursing as advanced, relational, and justice-oriented practice
I Am Sorry I Did Not Spend More Time At Work!
Full text linkIt is no secret that there is a nursing shortage and, often, working nurses are left putting in more time than they want (American Association of Colleges of Nursing [AACN], 2024; Scott-Marshall, 2024). This editorial will explore taking a proactive approach in addressing the balance of professional and personal lives with forensic nursing
Contributions of Professor Sudharshan Seneviratne to the Department of Archaeology, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
Full text linkAn overview of the contributions of Sudharshan Seneviratne to the Department of Archaeology at the University of Peradeniya. (PDF TBC
The good guest : Reconceptualising creative writing with women in prison as an alternative way of knowing through relational ethics as epistemic justice
No full textPrison research is a fraught endeavour. More so when this research involves the use of “oft-maligned” creative research methods such as women’s prison writing viewed as knowledge situated in lived experience. Stories reflect the prevalent hegemonic patterns found in cultural, economic and political contexts in any given society. They compete for acceptance and dominance. In this paper, I critically reflect on prison research, and the dual challenge presented to engage with the traditions that have shaped the persistence of cultural sanctioning of certain forms of knowledge over others. This challenge pivots on critical engagement with creative and academic writing, whilst at the same time having to write within the system that is part of the tradition. It necessitates wider engagement with the ethicality of prison research, moving beyond external procedural ethical validation to consider the researcher’s ethical standpoint in working towards relational ethics and epistemic justice for women’s prison writing as alternative ways of knowing
The Tree of Life Essay
No full textThis is an essay on the film, The Tree of Life by Terrence Malick (2011). The essay discusses the overview of the film and argues how the film portrays nature and grace as co-dependent