I Wanna Hold Hour Ha-a-a-and!

And walk down the street holding your hand and then cuddle and….I’m a man!

Ugandan men have to be one of the most touchy feely group of men around and it doesn't take long to find that out. In fact I was reminded of it when I was picked up from the airport by one of
my friends. We greeted one another with a hug and hello then left the airport holding hands, totally
cool and casual, I was a little more awkward with it. Then the other day I went to go and take my friend for lunch. I went to his place of business and then walked down the street holding one another's hands. Okay I should rephrase that.....him holding my hand, my hand hanging awkwardly at my side. Oh it's no big deal it was only for a 8-10 minute walk totally fine right? Yeah that's what I thought too....oh and interdigitating? What other way is there to hold hands?

Snuck this picture while walking down the main street.

Now it would be one thing if it stopped at hand holding BUT you can also see two men cuddling on the street. Sitting on a corner or at a place of business arms around one another embracing one another. Someone tried it with me once but I didn’t last very long at all, just a little too awkward for me still.

A little snuggle fest while waiting for customers.

It is a really different part of culture that we as North Americans associate with something bad so when it happens here your instinct is to feel very awkward and to pull away. However, it is a little bit of a shame that showing "brotherly love", as they call it, in Canada is so taboo. We could likely learn a little from these people, become a little more vulnerable and let down some of our macho walls (I for one am ridiculously macho as I am sure you all know! ha ha)  I remember last time I was here by the time I was ready to leave I was getting more comfortable with it but I find myself back at square one again. I am just waiting for the moment when someone invites me to spend the night at their house and then kicks their wife to the floor so I can share the bed with him (true story, VERY awkward…especially cause she was on the floor in the same room beside the bed).

You might be thinking, Kent seems like you have just chosen to become friends with all the gay people in Uganda. Nope! As I understand it homosexuality is punishable by death here. A little extreme but not something I am sure people would be willing to risk by holding hands in public!