The proposed Ugandan law was introduced as a private lawmaker's bill and aims to allow the country to fight "threats to the traditional, heterosexual family," according to a copy seen by Reuters.
It punishes with up to 10 years in prison any person who "holds out as a lesbian, gay, transgender, a queer or any other sexual or gender identity that is contrary to the binary categories of male and female."
It also criminalizes the "promotion" of homosexuality and "abetting" and "conspiring" to engage in same-sex relations.
The law is similar in some ways to a law passed in 2013 that stiffened some penalties and criminalized lesbianism. It drew widespread international condemnation before it was struck down by a domestic court on procedural grounds.
More than 30 African countries ban same-sex relations, but Uganda's law, if passed, would appear to be the first to criminalize merely identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ), according to Human Rights Watch.
After the new bill was read in parliament, Speaker Anita Among sent it to a committee for scrutiny and public hearings before it is brought back to the House for debate and a vote.
Among urged members of parliament to reject intimidation, referencing reported threats by some Western countries to impose travel bans against those involved in passing the law.
"This business of intimidating that 'you will not go to America', what is America?" she said.
Ned Price, the spokesperson for the U.S. State Department Thursday addressed reporters where he spoke on a wide range of issues, among them Uganda’s LGBTQI policy.
When asked about the East African nation’s policy, the U.S. representative refused to solely condemn Uganda because he was “not in a position to confirm that,” but added that Washington opposes all nations that are anti-LGBTQI rights.
“We strongly oppose violence and discrimination against LGBTQI+ persons, and we urge governments everywhere to repeal laws that criminalize LGBTQ+ status or conduct, and we condemn laws that would undermine freedoms of speech, peaceful assembly, and association for LGBTQI+ human rights defenders and their allies,” said Price.
“We remain committed to supporting health, democracy, the rule of law, freedom of expression, and prosperity in Uganda, and we continue to engage with our Government of Uganda counterparts on wide range of issues, including those related to human rights, to improve the lives of all Ugandans,” he added.
Some of the information in this report was sourced from Reuters.