Biden, Cruz Condemn Ugandan Bill Outlawing 'Aggravated Homosexuality'

President Joe Biden and Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX), two often at-odds politicians, both issued condemnations of a bill recently signed by Uganda’s president.

Details: Under the terms of the new bill, Ugandans charged with “aggravated homosexuality” could face the death penalty. The Associated Press (Lean Left Bias) reported that “aggravated homosexuality” is defined as “cases of sexual relations involving people infected with HIV, as well as with minors and other categories of vulnerable people.”

Key Quotes: Cruz called the law “horrific & wrong” in a tweet Sunday, adding, “ALL civilized nations should join together in condemning this human rights abuse.” In a later tweet, Cruz stated that “consenting adults should not go to jail for what they do in their own bedrooms.” A statement from the White House called the bill a “tragic violation of universal human rights,” determining it to be the “latest development in an alarming trend of human rights abuses and corruption in Uganda.” The statement went on to threaten sanctions against Uganda and travel restrictions for “anyone involved in serious human rights abuses or corruption.”

How The Media Covered It: Outlets across the spectrum are highlighting the condemnations from typically-opposing political figures. Coverage from Reuters (Center Bias) attributed increased “anti-LGBTQ attitudes” in Uganda to be partially the result of “campaigning by Western evangelical church groups.” The Hill reported that the new bill makes gay sex punishable with a life sentence in prison. This is misleading, since this was already the law in Uganda prior to the new bill.