Witch doctor cut me up at age 10 to cure me of being a lesbian | Gay Star News

I have been watching this story as it become know, wondering how one goes about "proving" one's self as being a lesbian,,,

At the age of 10, a tomboy-ish Ugandan girl was escorted by her grandmother to a witch doctor to 'cure' her of being a lesbian.

With razors, they sliced deep on her joints to force the 'demons' in her blood out. She would then be forced to sleep in a 'house of spirits'. This went on once a week, twice a week, sometimes daily for a year.

This is what happeneed to Judith Twikirize, now 23 and living in the UK. She faces deportation back to Uganda on Monday (8 December).

Terrified and suicidal, she is dreading going back fearing imprisonment and attacks. This is where she says she was tortured, abandoned by friends and family, and her girlfriend was poisoned.

[,,,]
They believed they had spirits in me. They cut all my joints with razors, very deep, the blood which has spirits in - if it goes out then new blood will come in. That's how thought I would be healed.'

She said it was very painful, and she would spend weeks unable to walk because they squeezed the cuts so hard. The house of spirits where she spent the night was 'terrifying', leaving her unable to sleep at night at all.

Finally, her grandmother told her why the teachers and her thought she had demons in her head - she was a tomboy. They were afraid she would grow up to be a lesbian. That's when she realised she would act feminine, ready to do anything to stop the cutting.

[,,,]
When she faced a judge, the UK government rejected that she was a lesbian as her ex-British partner did not provide evidence. When Twikirize said they broke up on bad terms, the Home Office said this was not a satisfactory explanation.

Her activism was rejected as she has only been doing it for a year.

When it was put forward that Twikirize was put on Red Pepper's February list of 'top homos', meaning she will very likely be the target of violence when she returns, this was also rejected.

The judge reportedly said that when Twikirize came to the UK, she did not seek out the help of gay women, so she could not be a lesbian. Twikirize said since her mother abandoned her, she finds it very difficult to open up to women and it is easier to talk to men.

While the UK government have appeared to have made their decision, some new information could change their minds.

Witch doctor cut me up at age 10 to cure me of being a lesbian | Gay Star News

UPDATE::  UK gives Uganda lesbian, victim of torture and exorcism, reprieve from being deported

But thanks to a judicial review lodged by her solicitor, hours before the plane left the airport, she's been given a small chance. Twikirize is now in a detention centre waiting for a decision to be made.

UPDATE #2:: UK will not deport Uganda lesbian, victim of torture and exorcism, for now

A Ugandan lesbian who was tortured to 'cure' her will not be deported from the UK - for now.

Judith Twikirize, 23, is walking free after a sudden decision to release her from Yarl's Wood detention centre last night (18 December).

While she has not been granted asylum, the UK government has agreed to look at new evidence before they make their next decision.

Twikirize has told GSN she feels like the 'fear of death' is no longer on her back.

Independent doctors at Medical Justice, as well as those at the detention centre, have determined the scars she bears are the same as those who suffer a horrific form of 'gay cure' therapy in Uganda.