Shocking! 600 Indians arrested for gay sex last year
A shocking number of people were arrested across India in 2014 simply for engaging in gay sex. The Deccan Herald has reported that almost 600 people were arrested under Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, which criminalises gay sex as “carnal intercourse against the order of nature.” The colonial era law was struck down […]
Zim “prophet” hails Mugabe’s anti-gay stance
A well-known Zimbabwean religious leader has praised President Robert Mugabe for his anti-gay stance, saying that this has helped the country survive. According to the state-run Herald newspaper, Prophet Emmanuel Makandiwa told his United Family International Church congregants on Sunday that Mugabe should be commended for standing firm against the West, despite “illegal” economic sanctions. […]
Africa crowns its first black leather titleholder
For the first time in Africa, a gay leather title has been awarded to a black woman.
On Saturday, Selogadi Mampane was named Ms. SA Leather 2015, with Herman Groenewald taking the Mr. SA Leather title, at a ceremony in Sea Point, Cape Town.
Editorial: No, judge, we can’t be fixed
While he may have sentenced the killer of Duduzile Zozo to 30 years in jail, the judge in the case revealed an unsettling and dangerous lack of understanding about LGBT people. On Tuesday, we reported that Judge Tshifiwa Maumela sent Lekgoa Lesley Motleleng to jail for raping and murdering the 26-year-old lesbian woman last year, […]
Church fires Groblersdal minister over “gay” Facebook picture
The Afrikaans Protestant Church (APK) has dismissed a minister because he appeared in a photo with a group of LGBT people. Philip Olivier, 35, of the Groblersdal congregation, posted the picture in which he is seen at a social function hosted by Triarc, an LGBT insurance and medical aid company, on Facebook. According to Rapport, […]
Questions asked: SA study on men who have sex with men
Questions have been asked about a major new study on HIV prevalence among men who have sex with men (MSM), including gay and bisexual men, in three South African cities. The findings of the Human Sciences Research Council study, called the Marang Men’s Project, was released on Tuesday, based on research conducted from 2012 to […]
Majola: Exorcising demons of shame
The continent has a bold new son. Proudly composing, singing and performing his truth as an openly gay African man – Majola is exploring issues of sexual identity and his journey to self acceptance through music. The 28-year-old South African theatre graduate recently released his début album Boet/Sissy, and it’s clear that he doesn’t believe […]
JOBURG GAY COUPLE HUMILIATED BY AIRPORT OFFICIAL
A Johannesburg gay couple of almost five years say they were harassed, intimidated and humiliated by an O.R. Tambo immigration official when leaving the country for an overseas holiday. On 18 September, Gareth Cantrell and Shaun Loots arrived at the airport to board a flight to their island destination of Reunion. When they reached passport control, […]
SA’S LGBTI COMMUNITY LOSES A TRUE HERO
The general public may not have known of the late Gerald Kraak, but he had an extraordinary impact on South Africa’s LGBTI community – including the country’s landmark adoption of marriage equality. Kraak, 57, passed away in Johannesburg on Sunday after a battle with cancer, shocking LGBTI organisations and individuals who benefited from his considerable […]
AFRICAN BISHOPS BLOCK GAY-AFFIRMING VATICAN DOCUMENT
African bishops have been blamed for watering down the final version of what could have been a ground-breaking gay-affirming Catholic document. Last week, a preliminary report from a two-week long meeting on the family by senior Catholic leaders made headlines for stating that gay people have “gifts and qualities” to offer Christianity, and calling for […]