Is David Beckham really the “sexiest man alive”?
News that David Beckham has been named this year’s “Sexiest Man Alive” by People magazine elicited a yawn and a little irritation from us. The announcement was made on Jimmy Kimmel Live on Tuesday, with a grinning David jokingly (we hope) quipping, “It’s the best moment of my career. I can’t believe it.” It’s not that he […]
Feather Awards 2015 gallery
The glittering 2015 Chevrolet Feather Awards at the Johannesburg City Hall was a heady mix of celebrity, fashion, politics, performance and activism. After the many awards were handed out, the event concluded with a surprise performance by iconic kwaito group Boom Shaka. Mambaonline photographer David Penney was there to capture the outfits, the poses and […]
US Congress told of epidemic of anti-trans violence
As the FBI reveals that hate attacks against transgender people have tripled, US congress members have heard testimony on the disturbing spike in transphobic violence. On Tuesday, the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus held the first-ever Congressional Forum on Violence Against the Transgender Community. The event followed Monday’s release of the FBI’s Hate Crime Statistics for 2014, […]
Anglican priests sue bishop over gay sackings
Three fired Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK) priests have sued Mt Kenya West Diocese Bishop Joseph Kagunda following a gay sex witch-hunt. The clergymen were suspended in September after a young man claimed that he was lured into a gay sex act by one of the priests. Church investigations then led to further accusations against four […]
Mr Gay World 2015 resigns due to “personal changes”
Klaus Burkart, who was crowned Mr Gay World 2015 in South Africa in May, has unexpectedly resigned. In an open letter, the 22-year-old German milk technician explained why he had taken the decision. “When I entered the 2015 Mr Gay World competition in South Africa I thought that becoming Mr Gay World was the biggest […]
Over 2,000 leave Mormon Church over new anti-gay rules
More than 2,000 members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have formally left the church in protest against its increasingly homophobic stance towards gays and lesbians. The mass display of support for the LGBT community saw people gather in Salt Lake City across from the church’s headquarters to submit letters of resignation […]
Homophobic judge drops out of lesbian child foster case
The Utah judge who tried to take a foster child away from a lesbian couple has bowed to pressure and removed himself from the case. Judge Scott Johansen was slammed for ordering the removal of the nine-month-old baby from the home of April Hoagland and Beckie Peirce after he claimed that studies showed that children […]
Kenya “stone the gays” bill officially thrown out
A proposal that called for stoning gay people to death in Kenya has been rejected by the country’s parliament. Daily Nation reported on Monday that the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee threw out the draft law proposed by the Republican Liberty Party. “The committee does not agree with the petitioner’s proposed legislation as it is […]
NG Kerk gay union decision could be set back by two years
There are fears that the decision by the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) or NG Kerk to recognise same-sex unions and allow non-celibate gay ministers could be put on hold for two years. Conservative members of the DRC have appealed the historic October 9 vote by the church’s General Synod, despite it allowing individual congregations to […]
SA govt finally announces date of LGBTI Africa Regional Seminar
The South African government will host the long-awaited LGBTI Africa Regional Seminar from 3 to 5 March 2016, two years after first promising to do so. This was announced by Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, John Jeffery at the launch of the I Serve Equally Campaign, at the Atteridgeville Community Hall in Pretoria […]