SAHRC: SA GOV MUST BREAK SILENCE ON AFRICAN ANTI-GAY LAWS
The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has taken the unusual step of urging the South African government to speak out against anti-gay legislation in Africa. The SAHRC said in a statement that it is “concerned at the alarming growth of state-sanctioned homophobia taking place across the globe and particularly on the African continent.” It […]
HISTORY MADE AS SA GAY PRISON COUPLE GET HITCHED
Two gay bi-national men who fought to be allowed to get married in a South African prison have finally tied the knot at the Lindela Repatriation Centre in Johannesburg. South African Gregg Wiggill and Australian John Pettigrew now have the dubious honour of being the first gay couple to be married in a South African […]
SCOTLAND LEGALISES GAY MARRIAGE
An overwhelming number of MPs in the Scottish Parliament voted on Tuesday to legalise same-sex marriage. The Marriage and Civil Partnerships (Scotland) Bill will also allow religious denominations to celebrate and perform gay and lesbian marriages should they wish to do so. The final vote saw 105 legislators voting for the bill and only 18 […]
GAY JOBURGER BEHIND VIRAL NEKNOMINATION FOR CHANGE
The man behind the video campaign adapting the potentially dangerous NekNomination drinking challenge into one for good is a proudly gay Joburger. The original NekNomination phenomenon sees people posting videos of themselves on social media downing copious amounts of alcohol and challenging their friends to top their actions. The game has been blamed for leading […]
MADONNA & KATY PERRY HIGHLIGHT “GAY PROPAGANDA”
Katy Perry has chosen a public service announcement (PSA) video opposing Russia’s “gay propaganda” law to include in Madonna’s #ArtForFreedom project. Perry was chosen by the Material Girl as the January guest curator for the campaign, which aims “to fuel free speech – to respond, address and protest persecution and discrimination around the world.” Madonna’s […]
ANGELIQUE KIDJO CONDEMNS AFRICAN HOMOPHOBIA
Grammy-winning singer Angelique Kidjo has powerfully spoken out against the recent wave of homophobia that has spread across some countries in Africa. Speaking to CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, Kidjo said: “The homosexual issue has been brought up front by religious groups in Africa but we have had homosexuals for centuries in Africa and nobody talked about […]
ZIM TRANS WOMAN TOILET CASE DISMISSED
A transgender Zimbabwean woman who was on trial for using a female bathroom in a Bulawayo hotel can breathe a sigh of relief. Ricky Nathanson had been facing a charge of “criminal nuisance” for using the toilet but, on Tuesday, the case against her was dismissed. According to Mojalifa Mokoele, Program Manager at the Sexual […]
ANTI-GAY VIOLENCE ON THE RISE IN RUSSIA
In the run up to the Sochi Winter Olympic Games, Human Rights Watch has reported a “deteriorating situation of widespread and concerted abuse against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people and activists” in Russia. LGBT victims of violence and groups have told Human Rights Watch that stigma, harassment, and violence in their everyday lives […]
IVORY COAST HIV / LGBT ACTIVISTS IN HIDING
The authorities in the Ivory Coast must urgently investigate the unprecedented wave of homophobic attacks in Abidjan, which has forced many HIV workers to go into hiding, says Amnesty International. On 25 January, the office of Alternative Côte d’Ivoire – an organisation working for the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual and intersex people (LGBTI) […]
WATCH: BRAZIL’S 1ST TELENOVELA GAY KISS
Brazil’s biggest commercial television network has for the first time broadcast a gay lip-lock in one of its telenovelas. According to Noticiasbr, the smooch came about after a concerted social media campaign urging the producers of the Amor à Vida (Love of Life) daily serial to show the characters of Félix (Matthew Solano) and Niko […]