I wish my son was normal — Winnie Byanyima

Winnie Byanyima, the Executive Director of UNAIDS, last night shared a deeply personal message about her son, Anselm Besigye, regretting the way he has been treated by conservative Ugandans.

The 26-year-old is a second year PhD candidate and lecturer at Columbia University in New York after earning a master’s degree from the University of Chicago. 

Despite her global standing as a champion for equality, Byanyima admitted to the internal conflict of raising a child whose self-expression often clashes with the traditionalist expectations of Ugandan society.

Anselm, the son of Byanyima and veteran opposition leader Dr Kizza Besigye, has long been a lightning rod for criticism on social media. 

His choice of gender-fluid fashion, including skirts and bold jewellery, paired with long dreadlocks, has drawn the ire of conservative Ugandans who frequently question his sexuality and upbringing.

In her heartfelt post, Byanyima admitted that sometimes she “wishes he embraced his Ugandan roots.

“Our son Anselm, in his second year of PhD studies and already teaching, fills me with pride. I admire his brilliance and courage,” she wrote

“And yes, I sometimes wish he embraced more of my faith, my community - and even cut his hair, so he might appear more “normal” to the conservative Ugandan gaze that raised me.

Byanyima however, spoke of love as “a practice of letting go and trusting that our children will grow into their light in their own time.”

On the post, one social media user wrote, “Just act as an African parent, grab the guy and cut the hair,you shall have a different discussion later,” to which Byanyima responded, ‘No, I won’t’

Anselm grew up largely outside Uganda; his parents took him abroad at the age of three to protect him from traumatic episodes linked to his father’s political struggles at home. 

His education journey includes having graduated from Harvard University with distinction in Anthropology — a milestone that filled his parents with pride. 

Anselm also shares glimpses of personal life online, including photos with his girlfriend Liz, which reflect a family bond rooted in support rather than shame.