Victory for gay Chinese man in conversion therapy case
A court in China has ruled in favour of a gay man who sued a mental hospital for forcing him to undergo conversion therapy to try to “cure” him of his sexuality. According to The Guardian, the 38-year-old man, Yu Hu, was admitted into the psychiatric hospital in 2015 against his will by his wife […]
Huh? Somizi hasn’t read his own book
As he revelled in the spotlight at the launch of his biography last week, Somizi Mhlongo admitted that he hasn’t actually read his own book. Titled Dominoes: Unbreakable Spirit, the biography is credited to both Mhlongo and journalist Lesley Mofokeng. It tells the story of the Idols South Africa judge’s extraordinary life; from child star […]
Search is on for Mr Gay World Southern Africa 2017
Do you have what it takes to represent South Africa in the Mr Gay World contest next year? The search is now on for one gay man to take the title of Mr Gay World Southern Africa. The new event, which will announce its title holder at a grand finale in September, replaces the previous Mr […]
People still don’t know: You can’t get HIV from someone on effective treatment
Did you know that HIV positive people who are on effective treatment cannot transmit the virus to others? A major new survey by UK HIV organisation Terrence Higgins Trust has shown that only 9% of the British public are aware of this fact. Meanwhile around one in three (32%) adults would feel uncomfortable giving first […]
Tanzania | We will arrest LGBT activists
Tanzania is rapidly becoming one of Africa’s most homophobic hotspots, as LGBT activists are threatened with arrest and the president claims homosexuality is a Western threat. Last week, the country’s Minister for Home Affairs, Mwigulu Nchemba, issued a stern warning to NGOs at a fundraising event, reports Daily News. “I would like to use this […]
Russian TV channel offers free plane tickets to get rid of gay people
A homophobic television channel in Russia has cynically offered to buy one-way plane tickets for gay people to get out of the country. The conservative Tsargrad TV channel (known as Constantinople TV in English) posted the offer on Facebook and on Russian social media site VK, via a video featuring host Andrei Afanasyev. Accompanied by […]
Fans rejoice as Sense8 gets one final bow
Following an unprecedented fan response, the producers of the cancelled cult series Sense8 have announced that one more final two-hour episode will be made. In a letter posted online on Thursday, Sense8 creator Lana Wachowski revealed that she had fallen into a deep depression when Netflix said last month it was ending the show after […]
Disappointment as US delays military transgender policy
The Pentagon has delayed implementing the last part of its policy allowing transgender Americans to serve openly in the armed forces. In June last year, the US Department of Defence allowed transgender personnel already in the military to be open about their gender, but the final measure, scheduled to go into effect on 1 July, was to allow openly […]
Hands off! Durban Pride demands equality in colourful march (Pics)
Hundreds took to the streets last weekend for the annual Durban Pride march to demand equality and the right to freedom and self-expression. On Saturday morning, the city’s LGBT community gathered at Gugu Dlamini Park, named after the young woman who was stoned to death in 1998 after coming out as HIV positive. After a […]
Germany says yes! Votes to legalise same-sex marriage
At long last, Germany will allow same-sex couples to enter into marriage, just like heterosexual couples. On Friday, the Bundestag (the lower house of parliament) voted in favour of legalising marriage equality in a bill put forward by the Social Democrats (SPD). The vote saw 393 members of parliament approving the move, while 226 rejected […]